The Washington herald., 1922-06-21
JURY RETURNS
VERDICT IN
RIVER STABBING

1k1 C1S ~ 1AADA4NS
Continued From Po1e One.
andria. Both were carried to ante
rooms, where, after being treated
by physicians, they were revived.
The twenty witnesses who were
examined during last nights ses-
sion of the coroner's inquest pCac
tically ali established that the fatal
knife wound had been inflicted De-
fore the steamer had arrived at the
Alexandria wharf but after 1t had
passed to the north Of Jones' Point.
As the foreman of the jury,
Thomas Chauncy, droned out the
findings. indefinite and without set
tling the crime. the spectators in
dicated their displeasure. for many
who had heard the testimony sub
mitted during both hearings be-
lieved that at least the fundamental
elements had been firmly estab-
lished.
slain Boys Friend Testifes.
Another important witness was
Joseph Murtaugh, 406 Seventh street
northeast. who asserted that he had
known Mccormack for more than
ten anu Aidl hshu OSC"
with him the greater part of the
night on which the murder oc-
Cured.
He recounted several fist fights
which occurred at Marshall Hall.
during which he stated that a
short, black-haired fellow" hao
displayed a knife. and that this
same fellow had been annoying
Mccormack during the boat trip
back toward Alexandria.
"Jpst before We arrived at Alex
andria." he said. Mccormack told
me that he felt as though some-
thing was going to happen to him
and that he was going to try to
keep out OF the fights which had
occurred from time to time. He
left me then and said that he was
going down to the lower deck to
meet a girl.
"A short time later he rushed |
back to me and asked me for his |
coat and hat. and then ran down !
the stairs. / started to follow him,
but as a pop bottle whizzed past
my head I was grabbed from the |
rear and held by several men. III
saw a tussle, but could not see any
thing else"
In describing Mccormack to the
jury. Murtaugh said he was a |
''good-natured boy" and did not
deliberately seek trouble.
Saw Blow struck.
One of the principal witnesses to
testify last night was d. L. Justice,
an insurance broker. OF Alexandria,
who. accompanied by his wife. a |
sister and a brother, were on board
the death-boat on the night of the
Staying.
ing a blue sweater had reached
another man while they were pre-
pairing to leave the boat when It
docked at Alexandria
After the blow had been struck, |
he says, he pushed the striker fnro
the crowd which stood back of him, |
and then stepped forward ana |
grasped the wrists of the man who |
had been struck, urging him not 60 |
start a fight.
Says Waters Protested.
Justice then declared that Waters |
now under arrest on a charge of |
In connection with |
the slaying-came up to him and |
said. You are n fine Alexandrian. to |
hold the hands of an Alexandria boy,
when fight between Alexandrians
and washigtonians is going on"
With this. Justice states. he re-
eased the man who had been struck.
md at the same time other person.
who had been holding the man WHO
had done the striking. and immedi-
itely they began to fight.
The crowd of persons standin.
around rushed around the fighters.
he says. and he was busily engaged
IN assisting his wife and relatives
10 place of safety. so that he did
not see any more OF the fight nor
he stabbing. He stated that he Gid
not know either the lad who had
been struck nor the one who did the
BoNnd wnters' Cut Finger.
That Waters. now under arrest.
had his hand cut during the fight,
was told by Mrs. Elenor Martin, 214 I
North Royal street, Alexandria,
who bound up the injury-on the
index finger. She told the jury
she saw the fight. but that ther.
was SO much of a crowd she could
not see who the participants were.
Recalled to the stand. Mrs Mar
in said Waters told her he had cut
his hand during the fight, as she
was binding II.
Miss Mary Harrison. of Del Ray,
Va, said she saw Devine-held for
nvestigation-with a knife in his
,and back of an automobile parked
rear the Alexandra wharf, after
'he had left the steamer. When
isked how she knew the man she
Jaw with the knife was DevIne. she
stated that the same man had "in-
Iulted her on the boat earlier in
he night" and that a friend had