The Washington herald., 1922-06-16
PROBE OF RIOT
DEATH ADJOURNED
TO NEXT TUESDAY,
Witnesses Are Ignorant
OF Fatal Thrust in
Ship Battle.
Continued From Page one.

Continued From Page One.
thorities were mot quite ready to
charge anyone with the murder"
Ernest Joseph watson. ~ years
old, $50 street southwest. suffer-
ing from four knife wounds
through his hand. side and leg,
and Jack Hayden Lewis, 447 Irving
street northwest. afflicted with al
coholism. two of the Manchester
passengers, were released from
Emergency Hospital yesterday.
Lewis, who was charged with
intoxication by the local police
after Wednesday nights occur
renee, forfeited s25 collateral when
his case was called in Police Court
yesterday morning, by his non
appearance.
After viewing the body of the
slain boy at the moTgue of Under
taker Wheatfey. In Alexandria, the
coroner's jury. Thomas A. Chaun-
cey, foreman Fred n. Baker,
Harry w. Wade, Carroll Wolf, WILL
liam II. Thomas and J. Fred Bir-
rell. began the taking of testimony
at the Alexandria police -headquar-
ters.
Although cot shedding any light
on the blox which resulted In Me-
Cormacks dtath. the testimony sub
mitted by the witnesses lnterrogat-
ed by the jury tended to show that
the Staying may have been the out
growth of disorder which occurred
Just as the party of excursionists
were disembarking from he'steam-
er at Marshall Hall. II
The encounter at the resort was
FORGOTTEN by practically all OF the
Messengers as they boarded the boat
for rthe RETURN trip. En- route all
was duist and orderly. the Witnesses
say. until the craft was docking at
Alexandria, then the fatal fght
started.
The first witness was John Ed
ward Histon. He told OF having
heard that Ernest Watson was up
stairs with a man who claimed to
be a doctor bathing his wounds. The
doctor, he said. conveyed Watson
to the hospital. Witness did not
know how Watson was wounded.
Tells of Drinking.
According to Histon. a friend
gave him drink when the boat
left Washington Wednesday and
witness said he called Watson. who
also took drink from the same
oottle. Histon said he did not sec
any fighting on the boat but did
witness fighting on the grounds.
Only once, he said, did he see Nc
Cormack on the boat. Histon told
the jury that the first he knew Of
Mccormack being stabbed was
when he arrived at headquarters.
While en- route down the river wit
ness said he was lying with mis-
head on a young lady's lap.
According to Histon. he acted as
referee for what was supposed to
lie fight arranged after the CROW j
got TO Marshall Hall. About 20o
persons gathered about. he said.
after he made big ring and a big
man weighing about 400 pounds
jumped on his neck and while on
the ground, he said. ne received
kicks. During the melee he said
he never attempted to strike any
one. The proposed fight. he said,
did not take place. Mccormack
YES described by Histon as being
Il quiet. bright fellow"
Ernest Watson Testiaes.
According to the testimony IF
Ernest J. Watson, he was coming
down stairs when he was staSbei.
He said he had heen giv-n q drink
on the way down by fricni of
Histon's All of the fightinC ;cok
plac" At the foot of the stairway.
Witness said he did not know Nc
Cormack was stabbed until he
reached headquarters.
John McCuen. driver of Alexan-
dria Motor Truck. No. 1. testified
that he saw no fight on board the
boat between Alexandria and Mar
shall Hall. Arriving at Marshall
Hall while near the dancing pavil-
lion he heard a man remark: II am
little Jeff. who is looking for me. =
AT time the man describing himself
as little Jeff. he said. was hit Wit
ness did not see any further dis
turbance until the boat was nea--
ing Alexandria on the return pIp.
When nearing Alexandria he heard
a woman cry out that somebody
was stabbed. McCuen said the lit
tie girl he had with him faintaL
BENJAMIN Steiner, of Alexandra.
testified that there was a fight on
the lawn at Marshall Hall aft. .r the
boat arrived. He said he was
jumped on. Witness said he heard
a fellow say: II am little JEFF, who
is looking for meT According to
Steiner the boat had Just about
landed at Alexandria when the
stabbing occurred
Tried to stop Fracas.
Martin Myers. an Alexandria
youth, told of mis- futile effort 20
stop the fracas and the next thing