Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1843-04-07

ss
ton before the Mayor, 10 be held this morning al the
Court House al 10 0 clock.
P. S. Since writing the above, the Inquest, which
was engaged TIL four o'clock the afternoon IN ex
aiming witnesses, having adjourned have been Ia
vored with copy OF their verdict which we sup
The evidence was a. near as possible IN accordance
with the statement gwen above The evidence now
ever, 10 the fact that the pistol was IN possession
of Mr.. Cooke and that he pulled The trigger, wheh
1t exploded, does exactly harmonise nir Cooke
himself solemaly atiirms that II was not 'heh uhaer
his control. Tne pistol snapped at one o: ITS tubes
before It fired: At the III 1meht vi Swapping The
muzzle was at Mr.. Cooke ; breast
Norfolk Borough, 10 wit
Inqus,lion inden,ed, taken at the Store of VIM. 5
Drummond IN the Borough aforesaid, on the joth day
of March 1913, before me, JOAN T. Leigh, an Alder
man of sad Borough, upon the view OF the body OF
Mezar Gardner, late OF the town OF Portsmouth, then
there lying dead; and upon the oaths OF William
Chapman, Miles Davis John d. Ghselin, William
knight, WIN. DENLY, +. P. Tahb, A. a. Maurice,
Charles Reid, Archibald Brlggs, Joseph Decorms,
Joseph c. Add,ngon, J Il. /. Marsden, and Charles
G. Williams, good and Lawful men oil the Borough
aforesaid, who being sw"rn and charged u inquire
on the part the Comm wealth, when, where, low,
and after wha, manacr the said Gardner came TO his
DEATH DO say upon then oath, that TIE sad Hieza
Gardner 10 MS death on thus 3oih day OF MaTcn,
1913, 4 scufis with Mordcca Cooke, lr, oil said
Borough, the ferry house III sac Borough, oy
the discharge Of pistol winch the sad Gardner drew
from his breaches pocket, and which was taken from
him BY said Cooke aud fred Oft by sad Cooke IN the
scufle, the ball from which pistol entered the lett
side of SAID Gardner near his heart In witness where
of as well as The aforesaid Alderman as the Jurors
aforesaid have, this inquisiton put their seals, on
the day end year aforesaid.
An examination was held yesterday at tie Cout.
House before John Z. Lsigh, Esq, an Alderman of
this Borough undo. the warrant ISSUED by hm against
Mordecat Cooke, IT,, ana after paten, and aboTous
,nvestg CATION Mr. Cooke acquitted and discharged
from custody -.Nogoih Beaco", IF Sa:"Fdag
The examination of the testimony in relation to the
deplorsble affair between Mr. Cooke and Mr. Gardner,
of which gave account ~ our yesterday paper,
was held at HE Cour, House. presence OF Alderman
i.ctgh-thc Mayor Miles klng, Esq, not beng aoe,
IN consequence OF recent indsposl,on 10 bear
the fatigue. The room Was crowded st an early
hour and continued during the examination oil wit
nesses which lasted over ioGr houts- Inc testimony
IN one or cases, admitted The probability that !Hr
Cooke might have held the pistol at The time 1t was
fred SO as have sprung the hammer bat III no IN.
stance that fact clearly proved Not one o! the
witnesses could that h. the pistol when II
snapped or VIXEN exploded NJ general testimony
leaves doubtful! winch Of the parties caused The ire,
md leaves for the presumption that the spr'nng
of the hammer by whichever hand II was done, was an
involuntary act. Mr.. John jack vino gave very
clear and distinct statement Of the affair, deposed that
he was IN conversation with Mr.. Gardner al the time
the ferry boat came up They Standing on The
font bridge leaning against the ra on The West SIDE
As The boat struck the bridge, r Gardner excla'iasd,
comprehend the time; and Mr.. Cooke on leaving the
boa, came directly up 10 MIR Gardner, aud thus al
dressed him "Slr you have grossly lnsuited me, ard
| demand apology. To which Mr. Gardner re-
Piled, "fou can't have 1t, TIL you Eecant' Mr..
Cooke manner accusting Mr.. Gardner was urbane
and polite pom receiving air Gardner reply, how
ever, he raised the walking stick winch tic held III ms
hand if with the Intention to strike Mr. Il, but
dropped upon the ground on perceivIng Mr. Gardner
draw pistol from the pocket of his panaloons; aud
eIyad mis- =
wrist with the other. Then commenced the struggle,
IN which MIR. &. succeeded wrenchng the pistol
from Gardners hand--the struggle still continuing
Mr. Jack thinks Mr.. &. had control OF the pistol when
At went off, But most OF the witnesses who the
aatay leave questionable whether te pistol not
again seized 3y Mr. Gardner, rs the position OF the
parties and their motions seemed 10 indicate, al The
moment the report was heard Indeed the Whole AFFAIR
occupied so short n space that may well conceive
the difficulty the n'd,l ut the excitement It Produced
ofmaking correct observations Of wha. passed Pro
badly not more titan minute elapsed !'om the lime that
Mr. Gardner drew The pistol until lie corpse!
After the hearing oil The testimony closed hlessrS
r Taylor and alillson, argued upon it in defence Of
Mr. Cooke, himself member Of TIE harD until late
hour OF the day. when the DECISION discharge
comm, for further examination by the cour., sub
united the acting Mayor who cec'aed that the
sed be discharged.
The deceased Mir Gardner, though stranger in the
community which he had recently settled himself,
had gathered around HIM mony friends, who espoused
his political writer and warmer and truer
friends no man could desire, to cheer HIM Their
rympahies powerfully excited might naturally
be expected, hy th,s most deporaGle catastrophe; anu
for moment cricl .eeped 10 have been absorbed by
a stronger PASSION But, alas, i not the friends
of the dead than those OF the ssrvivo that are
afflicted The sympathy which has been called forth
from our whole community on this most melancholy
OCCASION is less than that which felt by the
immediate circle OF the friends of the deceased but
it sympathy which looks with kindred feeling 10
10 the bitter anguish OF the surviving sufferer
.NortoH He5atd, .i0rj /.
Mn. COOK coNMiTTEp.-We stalled in paper Of
Saturday hat MIR Cooke discharged by the sitting
magistrate before whcn. The examination Of witnesses
was held Frjay the day after his unfortunate rem
contre with MIR. Gardaef. On Sunday afternoon, an
application was made 10 an Alderman Of the borough,
10 renrrest him the ground that there other
and important witnesses who had not been summooed
al the previous hearing G! evidence. The application
was made to VIII am / Hardy, Esq, who upon con
sul,aoa with judge Baker, ISSUED hiss warrant 20 ar
rest Mr. Cooke. TIE warrant served by the Ser
gean, OF the borough, Nj Cooke beng At his fathers
residence Al his request, the magistrate attended al
the la to cnnlut him. whittier he immediately accom-
panied the Sergeant aud duly committed for fur
Their examination. At Mr.. Cooke special request. the
formaty and trouble Of another examination before
single magistrate waived, aud his will BE-
brought before TIE csamning Court Of Alderman on
Tuesday neXi, the Han inst.-.Sorioih Hereid.
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