Evening star., 1909-05-21
NEGRo HELD FOR GRAN 10 JURY
JOSEPH ARTHUR ACCUSED OF
CHOKING WHITE WOMAN.
Identified in Court by Mrs. Swope as
Man Who Assaulted Her
in Her Home.

Joseph Arthur, the negro arrested as
the man who choked and attempted to
rob Mrs. Irene Swope of 1884 New Jersey
avenue last Wednesday evening, was
given a preliminary hearing this morning
before Judge Mullowny of the Police
Court upon charges of housebreaking, and
held in 81, 900 bond for the action of the
grand jury. The defendant denies the
charge, but, according to the authorities,
has given several conflicting accounts OF
his movements on the night OF the al
legged crime, and made several contra
dictory statements. In default of the
bond he was remanded to jail.
Mrs. Swope, Policeman McQuade and
Elizabeth Chase, colored woman, ap-
peared as witnesses. Mrs. Swope who
has not entirely recovered from the ef-
fects of her experience, was accompanied
to the court by her family physician
her testimony seemed on the verge Of
collapse, especially when reference was
made to the defendant.
MY aunt and l were seated on the
front STEP said Mrs. Swope, waiting
for my husband to come back from an
errand. 1t was about 8 o'clock in the
evening. We hadn't been there more
than ten minutes when l got up and
went back into the rear of the house
for something forget what now-and
as l passed through one of the back
rooms l heard a noise behind me and
then felt some one grip me about the
throat. The person had come from be-
hind an open door.
The hands closed about my neck and
| felt gurgling sensation in my throat.
opened my eyes, and looked: it was he."
she continued with a shudder, indicating
Arthur. THAT man over there in the
dimly a second and third time. and then
l felt myself losing consciousness AAe
chOked me terribly
McQuade told the court that he was
standing within 100 feet Of the Swope
home when John H. Swope. a govern
ment employe, the complaining witness
husband, gave the alarm and told him
negro was making his escape in the rear
of the house. McQuade said he saw
dark figure jump over the fence, cross
Barr'S alley in the rear of the SWope
home and go into the Chase womans
house. He entered the Chase premises
shortly after. he said, and found Arthur
there and arrested him. The policeman
told of two positive identiticatOns of the
prisoner by Mrs. Swope Immediately after
the arrest and yesterday at the second
precinct station house. The Chase woman
testified to facts which tended to show
that Arthur came to her home from the
Swope residence Immediately after the
alleged crime.
At the conclusion of the testimony the
court fixed the bond upon the recommen-
dation of the United States attorney.
Besides the evidence which was brought
to light in the fearing of this morning,
the authorities say they have other testi-
mony of very damaging nature against
the man, especially in reference to the
defendants shoes fitting the footprints
Immediately outside of a rear window of
the Swope home from which the man
made his escape.
Arthur is a big burly colored man, and
seemed to take the court proceedings as
matter of course. The only interest he
showed during his short appearance oc-
Cured while Mrs. Swope was giving por-
tions of her testimony. when he grinned
cynically.