Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-03-16
HELD ON MURDER CHARGE
WILLIAM BOND ACCUSED OF
STABBING WILLIAM JOHNSON.
Trouble Arose Over Game of Cards
Inquest Held at the Morgue
Today.

"lniam Henry Bond. colored twenty
five years of age. living at SAT Girard
street northwest, gave the police lively
chase yesterday morning following the
stabbing of William Johnson. also colored
who lived at 1854 9Th street northwest
The men had engaged in a row after n
card game at the house of Bond. After
being stabbed in the abdomen Johnson
staggered from the house and fell on the
pavement. He was found in a dying con-
dition on the sidewalk near Brightwood
avenue and Fairmont street. a trail OF
blood from there to the house of Bond
indicating to the police the place where
he had been when he was stabbed.
Capt. Elliott had all the members Of his
squad at work on the case few min
utes after he learned OF the affair, and
Inspector Boardman sent several detect
ives into Maryland to search for BOND.
some of them going distance OF more
than twenty miles Mounted Sergt J. j.
Murphy of the tenth precinct found Bono
hiding in the woods between the SOLDIERS
Home and Takonla Park, and arrested
him. The knife with which the STANDING
had been done Was taken from him.
johnson died soon after being taken 10
Freedmen's Hospital An inquest was held
at the morgue at noon today, and the jury
held Bond for the action OF the siaho
y.
Prisoner Makes Statement.
The prisoner made a statement TO the
Jury Of the trouble that occurred at HIS
house yesterday morning. Johnson hao
been at his house all night, he said, and
there was a game of cards played by Two
of the men yesterday morning
II told johnson he would have TO stop
swearing or go out of the house. said
the prisoner. land he jumped on me and
beat me-
Pond said he was knocked down by
Johnson three times and beaten each
time and it finally became necessary lot
him to use his knife to drive MN on.
The wound was inflicted, he said, ~the
third time Johnson assaulted nun anu
while they were on the lower moor. lie
said he did not have the knife open eN-
pecting to use 1t. but he TOOK IL l.ol'l lilo
pocket and opened it while ne was GOV II.
The card game, he declared hau ho'"''ie
to do with the trouble
Sergt j. j. Murphy. who was the ilrst
witness examined. explained to the jury
that he arrested Bond In the WOODS. When
he started from the road to enter the
sued him some distance before he caught
him. Bond denied his identity. and
claimed he was on his way to Brookland.
where he was employed Later, witness
said, the prisoner admitted his identity.
and said he had cut Johnson in self-de-
Tense. They had trouble in his Bond 81
house. he told witness, and when he went
to a room on the upper floor he was fol-
lowed by Johnson. Johnson, he toid VIII
ness, had him on the bed beating him
when he drew the knife and used 1t.
One Man Pursuing Two.
Hugh NJ Sterling of 2523 Brightwood
avenue testified that between 8 and 8
clock yesterday morning he heard foot
steps on the pavement in front of his
house, and heard a man say something
about running for a doctor Witness
looked out the window and saw one col
ored man in pursuit of two others.
.'TIl get YOU" he heard one Of them
say.
Witness watched the pursuit and saw
one of the men reel and fall. The man
who was in pursuit overlook the man
who had fallen and said: i've got you
now" He leaned over the wounded man
and witness thought he touched him.
Witness identified the prisoner as the
man who was in pursuit and who had ad-
dressed the victim He saw the move
ments of the men from the WINDOW OF his
house.
Albert Matthews, colored. 500 Girard
street, testified that he was a caller at the
Bond house yesterday morning o.,
why did you go there!
the witness. land just naturally called
to talk or do anything"
Were the men in the house playing
cards?"
mot while I was there
What were they doing?
"They were engaged in a quarrel.
Andrew Herbert and Rannie Matthews;
not seem to take any part in the quarrel.
Bonds Wife Witness.
Margaret Bond, wife Of the prisoner,
testified that she was awakened yesterday
morning by the noise made by the men
who were engaged in the quarrel. NThey
became quiet afterward, but the trouble
was renewed and her husband went up
stairs, Johnson following him.
Mrs Bond said she went to the upper
floor and found Johnson holding her hus-
band down on the bed. She did not sue
coed in her effort to separate them and
left them in the room. Shortly after she
left the room. she said, the men ran from
the house and her husband followed John
son across the lot near their home.
"Is this your husbands knife?' the cor
Il think it is she replied, looking at
the weapon
Did you see the knife in your hus-
bands hand yesterday" she was asked
Witness said the only blood she saw was
spot on the sill of the front door.
Testimony of Police.
Policemen Wittstatt and Foley also
gave testimony. the former telling of the
admissions made by the prisoner, in which
he called attention to the bruised con-
dition of his face, and said he had acted
in self-defense.
Deputy Coroner GlaZebrook told the
jury that the death of Johnson was due
to the loss of blood, the knife blade hav-
ing severed an important blood vessel.