Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-01-06
ALEXANDRIA AFFAIRS
Henry Smith on Trial for the
Schultz Murder.
JURY SECURED QUICKLY
Motorman Fornsbills Tragic Death
in Creek.
FALLS FROM CAB OF HIS CAR
Conference With Secretary of the
Treasury Over Coinage of Memo
rial Coins-Elections of officers.
FALLS FROM CAB OF HIS CAR
Special Correspondence Of The Star.

AANA AJACNIAOAS VA SAASSASs
Special Correspondence Of The Star
ALEXANDRIA Va. January 6. 1910.
Henry Smith, colored, was placed on
trial for his life in the corporation court
this morning on a charge of numbering
Walter F.. Schultz of Chicago. which oc-
CURED March last
There was large gathering in the
courtroom when Smith was arraigned.
The accused, when formally arraigned.
replied in firm voice, Not guilty to
the charge.
In less than half an hour the following
jury from Charlottesville. Va, was Sc
| cured: A. NJ Runkle. ]. H. Nails, J. e.
| Jarman. S. G. Blakey. E. 9. Pugh. c. NJ.
Ward, S. H. Florence r. Newman. H.
| E. PARROT and w. E. White.
Commonwealth Attorney Brent, who is
conducting the prosecution. outlined to
the jury what the state expects to prove.
He sounded the keynote of the case when
he said there could be no middle ground;
| it would be either guilty. of murder IN the
| first degree or not guilty. He added that
he hoped to establish his case against the
| prisoner. and if he did so he would ask
| for verdict of murder in the first de-
gree. Mr.. Brent gave to the jury a COM
plete history of the case and outlined
| what he expected to prove.
What Defense Hopes to Prove.
He was followed by Attorney r. D.
Brumback who, with Attorney F. p. Rus
| sell. represents Smith. Mr.. Brumback out
| lined what the defense expects to prove
| by it's witnesses. throughout the OPEN
| ing arguments Smith appeared an inter-
ested spectator as he sat In the jury box.
| Shortly before 10 o'clock court adjourned
| for lunch.
| The taking of testimony for the prose-
cution was begun at 2 o'clock. About
| sixty witnesses. among them a number of
| policemen, will testify The case will
proba bly, be concluded Saturday. The
and during its stay here Is quartered at
the Hotel Rammel
archie Fornshill, a motorman on the
Washington, Alexandria and Mount YER
non railway, came to his death yesterday
afternoon by drowning. for some reason
unknown to the jury, having lost his bal
ance and fallen from the car into Little
Hunting creek. Either before falling or
in his fall his head came In contact with
some of the timbers of the bridge, cut
ting his head and causing unconscious
ness" The foregoing verdict was given
by coroner's jury from Fairfax county
which met in this city at 8 o'clock this
morning at Wheatley's undertaking eS-
ia blishment. which was summoned by
Justice r. S. Wright coroner of Fairfax
county. The jury yesterday evening heard
a part of the testimony near the scene
where Fornshill met his death. 1t ad-
journed over until this morning. when the
taking of testimony was resumed. and
reached the foregoing verdict after de-
liberating about an hour. The jury was
composed of the following: Edward Wal
ton, foreman Uriel c. Clarke. o. ].
Thomas. George r. West, E. NJ. Thomas
and Charles Gibbs.
Car Runs Without Motorman.
Fornshill was in charge of passenger
train No. 81, which left Alexandria for
Mount Vernon shortly after o'clock
yesterday afternoon. When nearing
Little Hunting creek Conductor Mervel NJ.
Hutzler gave signal to stop. There
was no response by the usual sounding
of the whistle, although the train was
coded to be about one-half the usual
speed. The conductor walked to the
motor cab and was Mortified upon find
ing the cab vacant and the car speed
ing along at its own accord. He stop
ped the train quickly, and, accompanied
by Trolleyman Pearson and several
passengers, walked back distance of
quarter of mile, where Fonshilrs
body was found in the creek, a distance
of thirty feet from the car tracks which
span the trestlework over the creek.
The body was lying face downward and
was almost totally submerged In Ice
and water. There are about ten or fif-
teen feet Of water in the creek where
he fell.
The conductor went back to his train
and the announcement of the tragic end
OF the motorman was the principal
theme among the few passengers bound
FOR Mount Vernon. most OF whom were
tourists.
The officials OF the. road were notified
of the accident about o'clock and
special train with Supt Percy Gift
aboard went to the scene and assisted
in the work of getting the body from
the creek, after which the coroner 8 jury
was summoned.
Coroner's Inquest.
Shortly before O'Clock last night the
coroner's jury assembled near the scene
and examined. a few witnesses. The
witnesses examined this morning includ-
ed Conductor Hutzler. who related that
everything was running all right until
he discovered the absence OF the mo-
torman. His train. he said, was run
ming at one-half speed.
Supt. Percy E. Cliff said he saw Form
shill on the 10 80 o'clock train out of
Alexandria yesterday and rode with him
to Washington. Fornshill asked the wit
ness to. see If his sand was working all
right. Witness. following an examina
ton. stated it was. He also went to
| Washington with Fornshil at 1:25
c'eiock in. the afternoon and noticed
Fornshill with stick cutting ice from
the cab window. Fornshill complained
| to him Of feeling Ill. He told Mr.. Cliff
he had trouble with his throat
DIR. Cation told the jury that he exam
ined the body following it's removal from
the creek He was Of the opinion that
Fornshill c4fne to his death by drowning.
Witness said FornshilI received cut two
inches long on the right side of his head
by a blow or fall on the head. He was of
the conviction that this SO stunned him
that he was killed by drowning.
At the inquest Attorney Gardner l..
Boothe was present in the interest of the
family Of the dead man. and the electric
! railway company was represented by At
torney II. B. Cation.
The dead man was thirty years old Be-
sides his widow. two children survive He
had been employed on the railroad for
more than a year past. He first served in
the capacity of conductor. The arrange
ments have not yet been completed.
Meet Secretary of the Treasury.
The committee of the Washington Mon
ument Association consisting Of President
Smoot. Treasurer Leadbeater. E. E.
Downham and Secretary Wedderburn, ac-
companied by Representative C. c. CarHn
and Mayor Paff. met the Secretary Of the
Treasury by appointment at $50 O'clock