Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-01-21

ing the past seven years on charges of
assault. threats, theft and dsorderly con-
duct, John =. Trilling, thirty-siX years
old, was today held for the grand jury
for the murder of his wifes grandmother
Mrs. Lucretia Corliss. sixty-one years old.
The murder occurred yesterday afternoon
at the home of Mrs. Corlss, 612 l. street
southwest. The crime was an unusually
brutal one, the murderer having used a
sharp ak, with which he nutilated the
skull and body of the aged woman.
Hiram Corliss the husband of the MUIR
dered woman, returned home to find his
wife dying. thrilling was in the house at
the time. While Coriss was looking after
his wife thrilling escaped. but was caught
by the police later at the home of his
brother. Henry thrilling, al 22l4 III street
northwest. Policeman Holz of the fourth
precinct made the arrest.
Trilling released from the work
house last Sunday, where lie had served
term of six months for an assault on
wife $50 Orleans street, yesterday armed
with a razor, but was prevented from do
ing any harm. Shortly after > o. clock
he went to Mrs. Corliss house. and per-
sons living next door heard quarrel
going on in the Corliss home.
Found Dying in Shed.
Investigating later they found Mrs. Cor
liss lying in the shed back of her home
in a dying condition. They summoned
the police and Mr.. Corliss. The latter ar
rived first. Hearing noise upstairs, he
went up and found Triilng in the bath
room washing blood off his hands. He
gra bbed him and took him downstairs.
but seeing Triling's bloody shirt and
lot, l,n 'Eta1t- Let h
go and went to hunt for Mrs. Corliss. He
found her in the she'd where she had
evidently run to ESCAPE. While Corliss
was with his wife thrilling escaped
II is said by the police that Trlling has
a sister, who is patient at the Govern
ment Hospital for the Insane.
Makes a Scene at Inquest.
Trillng was taken to the morgue this
morning and given a seat where he could
| hear the testimony given in the coroner s
| inquest into the case While waiting for
| the coroner he became profane and hys-
| terical and created SO much confusion
that it became necessary to lead him
| from the room.
| MY wife, my wife, sobbed the pris-
| oner But it's all over with me now.
| Isn't there way to bring her here? l
| certainly would like to see her-MrS.
! thrilling, my wife.
| After remaining quiet a few minutes
| the prisoner became profane. declaring
| the breaking up of his home was respon-
| sble for his troubles, and mentioning the
| name of a man he charged had caused
| him trouble.
You'll have to keep quiet" he was told
| by policeman.
| That's all right about keeping quiet,
| said thrilling; but it's too late now.
/ know what I'm charged with. I'm charged
with murder
| u, 11- n
| first witness examined. said he was the
first officer who visited the house after
the crime He found Mrs. Corlss on
| the sofa in the middle room on the lower
floor She was very weak from loss OF
| blood, and when he asked her who hao
| struck her she said John Trilling.'
| Did she say any more?" the coroner
asked
.'She was unable to tell any more"
Witness said her husband told him he
had found his wife in the shed There
was an overturned basket of cinders in
the shed and many blood stains were
there and on the kitchen floor. Witness
was satisfied the assault was begun II
the kitchen and concluded in the shed
He had learned that Mr.. Corliss, hus
band of the dead woman, and Henry
| TriIling brother OF the prisoner had trIeo
to detain the prisoner in the house, the
latter having been found there when Inc
husband came home.
| Mrs. Laura H. Carrick. go l. street tes'
titled that she heard Il scufiie in the
kitchen of the Corlss house yesterday
afternoon. When she heard the elderly
| woman call for help she went out anC
called to her, but got no answer. Henry
thrilling appeared at the house about the
time she was going to call the police anC
she sent him to tell Mrs. Corliss there was
something the matter in the house She
| was handed package and card by Henri.
| Trilling and afterward she learned there
was a razor in the package. The razor
she was told had been taken from JONI
thrilling by his brother Tuesday night.
Husband Tells Story.
Hiram c. Corliss, husband of the victim
was so overcome on the witness stand tina
he could scarcely relate his story.
John Trilling.' he said. got out of tn,
workhouse Sunday and the following da,
he called on me at my shop. The mex
night he came TO my house, told mi
he had gone to see his wife for the pur
; pose of killing her. He said it hi
intention TO make her get on her knees
I when he would cut her throat"
Il Witness said he took a razor from
Trlling Tuesday night. Trilling, he said
5 had served time in the Jail and workhous
for assaults and had threatened to xii
! his wife and a number of relatives. Mr.
, Coriss described the conditions a
, his house yesterday afternoon as N
found them. When he reached the hous
he went from room to room calling nj
wife, but received no response. FINAL.
he found Trilling and saw his clothe
were blood stained. He asked what hat
4 nd pf nrpfanitV