Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-02-16
35PERSONS IN JAIL;
CHARGE, HOMICIDE
Three of Prisoners Are White,
Two Chinese and Thirty
Colored.
NOTED CASES INCLUDED

Tn1fty-nFe persons. many OF WHoHi
have not been tried. are now at the
District Jail on charges of taking hu-
man life.
The Oldest case pending is that of
Joseph Y. Saunders. colored. indicted
for the killing of Eleanor Taylor. COL
ored. He has been at the jail since
February 9, 1917. 1t is said he has
never asked for trial.
3 White, 2 Chinese, 80 Colored.
OF the thirty-fve prisoners. three
are white, two Chinese and the rest
colored. Two are women, Julia
Brown and Annie Price. Twenty-eight
of the prisoners were received at the
jail during 1918 and four this year SO
far.
Saunders gets his meals as regular
ly as clockwork. deos not have to per
form much manual labor and his only
care is for the future. a grand jury,
some time ago, heard his case and re-
ported an Indictment for first degree
murder. conviction of such a charge
meaning the death penalty. Eleanor
Taylor, country girl. came here from
North Carolina and resided in the
Saunders home some months prior to
the finding of her almost decapitated
body in the woods near Seat Pleasant.
Tellta1e Knife Found.
1t was after some delay that her
body was identified, and it was not
until Saunders had been under ar
rest four days that he was reported
to have admitted his part in the kill
ing and told where he had thrown
knife, the weapon used in the muir
der, in a sewer at Rhode Island ave-
nue. and 18th street. The knife was
in hn nd MI of &c
handle, found at the scene of the
crime. made it's identity certain.
Two others. William Sothern and
Julia Brown. were received there in
ing sentence for manslaughter. hav-
ing entered a plea of guilty to such
q charge.
1t is believed the trial growing
out of the triple murder in the home
of the Chinese educational mission,
than two weeks ago will attract
about as much attention as any of
the numerous cases. although some
officials who are familiar with the
physical condition of Ziang Sung
Wan. confessed slayer of one of the
trio of victims, doubt if ne will live
long enough to be brought to trial.
Doubt is expressed as to the disposi-
ton of the case of Isong Ing Van.
his brother, who denies guilty
knowledge of the crime.
Case of Herbert L. Copeland.
ANOTHER case of more than ordinary
Importance is that of Herbert l..
Copeland, slayer of three-Lieut
David T. DUNCAN and Policeman
John A. Conrad of the sixth police
precinct and L H. McPharian,
deputy sheriff from Charles county,
Md Conrad and McPharlan were
shot to death in the colored mans
home, on / street northeast. where
they went to summon him as a wit
ness in case before the courts in the
Maryland county. Later Lieut.. Duni-
gan was shot to death in the home of
Copeland's brother, in South Washing
ton.
Copeland was so badly wounded the
night he was captured that il was
necessary to give him hospital treat
ment- The triple murder was COM
mitted the latter part of May, 1918,
but it was not until early in June
that the slayer reached Jail. HIS
condition was serious when he was
formally charged with murder by a
coroner's jury. and. it is stated. IL was
not until a short time ago that he was
able to make much Roadway walking
about the prison with the aid of a
cane. fssD