Evening star., 1922-07-22
SHACK MURDER
LAID TO BRANNAN
Woman Literally Beaten to
Death, Evidence Before
Coroner's Jury.
TWO HELD ACCESSORIES
Other Arrests to Be Made as Pris-
oners Across River Are Under
Heavy Bail.
TWO HELD ACCESSORIES

Following a rigid examination Dy
Acting Commonwealth Attorney Harry
Thomas, which included testimony OF
eyewitnesses, Thomas Brannan Of
1926 Potomac street, Georgetown. was
yesterday for the action of the grand
jury in the death of Mrs. James
Copperthite of New Cut and Canal
roads. Mrs. Copperthite's battered
body was found in a shack on the
west side of Little river near Aque-
duct bridge early yesterday morning.
L. j. Vaughn of 361S o street and
Mrs. Adelaide Rhodes, living on
Little river, who acknowledged be-
ing at the shack during the day, were
held in $10, 900 bail each as accessories
to the crime. The jury further recon-
mended that Daniel {oweth. whose
address was understood to be the
United States Soldiers Home, said to
be the owner of the shack, and John
REYNOLDS of Georgetown also be held
in the same amount and on the same
charge. Search is being made by the
local police for them. Coroner b. ID.
Swain presided at the inquest.
When inquiry was made at the SOL
diers Home today regarding Howeth
it was stated no such person was
known there.
Second Woman Arrested.
The local authorities late last night
arrested Mrs. Alice Katie Hall
thirty-two years old. who lives on a
houseboat at the DOT of s4th street
said to have been One of the party in
the shack Thursday. Mrs. Hall at
first denied she had visited the place,
but later admitted. the police say. she
had been there previous to the siay-
ing.
knock the lady down. cried William
Jones. colored. nine-year-old son of
Mrs. Louise Jones. who lives within
a hundred feet of the house where
the crime was committed. when
Sheriff A. c. Clements brought Bran
nan before the jury.
The boy had been preceded on the
stand by his mother, who, after tell
ing of having seen a man strike
one Of the women in the party at the
shack and knock her down, was some
what uncertain about identifying
Brannan. She said he looked like
the man, but that the one she saw
wore a yellow shirt. 1t was then
that Prosecutor Thomas called the
boy.
Later Mrs. Jones positively identi-
fed Brannan. She said she had heard
quarreling all afternoon at the shack,
but said she paid no attention to ii
as she thought it merely a result of
the drinking that was going on"
Saw Woman Beaten.
81 was busy with my cooking" said
the witness, land when my children
kept talking about the fighting 1 told
them to keep away and mind their
about it, and about o'clock looked
over to the house and saw a man hi,
woman three times, once at least
with his closed fist. She put up her
hands to ward off the blows. but final
ly fell to the ground" The witness
said that none of the others present
made an attempt to stop the man.
Mrs Jones declared that after
o'clock there was quiet in the shack
until about 2 o'clock in the morning
when she heard mems voices and the
barking of a dog. Il thought it only
that same old fight" said the woman
"and paid no attention to it,
Young Jones testified that he saw
another man knock Brannan down
after he had hit Mrs. Copperthite, and
also said he saw the men carry the
woman who had been knocked down
into the hut.
Contradictory statements marked
the testimony of Branpan. Vaughr
and Mrs. Rhodes. Brannan denied
having struck the woman at all. He
said he was full of corn" and reall.
didn't remember much just what hao
occurred.
Vaughn partly substantiated Bran
mans testimony by saying he did no
see Brannan strike Mrs. Copperthite
He said he had reached the shack
about noon Thursday, and that Mrs
Conperthite, Brannan and Reynold.
arrived about 4 o'clock in the after
noon.
Il saw. Mrs. Copperthite sitting or
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