Daily Democrat and news. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1859-1864, 1863-01-10

| discharge OF . rifle in the hands Of Mr.. Alfred
Edwards. Upon repairing to the spot We as
csrtained that the report was too true. and
that there was no possible chance Of saving
Mr. Washburn's life. the ball having paced
completely through his body. touching vital
parts Mr.. W. had just been up to his din,
nsr, was returning 10 his store, and y hen
just opposite the Law office Of Parker d Ed
wards. corner Of Main and Third streets, he
rscsi we'd the fatal wound. Dr. Adler, who
was near by. ran to the spot aud proceeded
/ to ascertain the location and extent of tie
injury. He at once pronounced the wound
| mortal. A messenger vas dispatched Tor his
family. snd in . few moments they were
with him. MIR. W. tolG his friends that be
| was fatally wouudsd-in one hour aud
hall his words were mournfully verified. lie
retained his senses to the last, but his pain
| Was so acute that hs could only converse at
intervals. lf.rTf t4rn =
Mr.. Washburn came to Davenport In 1886,
aud opened . efs1sss store. BY skilltui man
sgsmsnt he had built mp . very large AMI
/ lucrative business. He established branch
| store in Washington. which was under the
| control Of his eldest son. Social. generous.
| and . true friend, his loss 10 deeply felt BY
| sll. He leaves . wife and several children
| to mourn his sudden death.
Capt lslmags informs US that the rAs
was one that he purchased Of Geo l. Nick
oils. Esq, sems three ysars since. lie sold II
to Mr. Edwards, and Mr. Edwsrds loaned it
TO gentleman in Leciairs. About six months
since the gentleman requested Capt TAlmags
| 10 load The gun. which he did; rince ths.
| TINE il had not been Used. Capt Tslmage
thinks that the cap mas. have SOrroded and
stuck to the trigger.
We give the evidence before the Coroner'r
jury
ERssr WINTER SWORN II cav Mr.. Washburn
| between one aud two o'clock coming down
Main street l was couiug up Main street; l
| nesrd the report OF the gun; Mir. Washburn
went about = yard forward aud then sat down
upou the Sidewalk; sous one came out OF this
| office and went 10 him = colder came out
| also, and the two carried him into the office.
Nj n. OAKLEY swoLs-I was Sitting in this
| offics At the time Of the accident, together
| With Mr.. Cooper. Mr.. Cameron aud Mr. Ed.
wards We were trsnsacting some business
with Mr.. Edwsrds, Alter we had finished our
| busiuess. Mr. Edwards stepped tack and took
| gun from case and said "See how have
been served by loaning my gun" We were
| all looking at the gun-he held 1t in his
| hands st the time. 1t was half cooked when
he took II out of the case. lie moved the
trigger up and down; while he was working
with it thus. the gun went off. We immsdi-
ate.y head come one hslioo outside. We went
out end found the deceased was sbot The
gun looked as though 1t had been discharged
| At the time he took It.. l saw no cap on The
gun and an positive that 10 cap was put on.
GKoRGE Ii. PAgKER swoRN.-Ths gun was
| purchased by Mr.. Edwards about = year ago
aud loaDed to some party 10 LIE Claire. This
| forenoon about IL O'Clock Mr.. Eiwards bro't
the gun into the office, encased 10 . leather
E ssck, and said IT had just been returned to him
| by the hack driver. l took IL out Of the sack
and looked at II, and saw that the barrel was
rusty inside aud outside, and otherwise 10 .
| very bad condition. | told Mr.. Edwards that
he ought t. have it cleaned, or have some
| one eA anime it, as it would become entirely
worthless II lett in that condition long.
ths,. ui.ssd the gun IN the case and left the
afiee. an did not return until after the ss-
c,dent. f.i. eoDhdsnt at the time | was
handling the gun u. It was not io'ded.
Dr.. j. NJ. ALDkR SWORN i heard the report
Of . gun ss l wac going into the alley 'h's
side of my house l think it VS. about
quarter past one clock p. IN. | iEmsdi:ssiy
.urnsd around and cav some one fall.
came down Immediately and recognized Mr..
Wash hurp. supported by two persons. We
brought him Into the office AMI placed him
| in y chair. NJ. Washburn remsrked-"Dr.,
an gone" Gu examination found o wound.
Ihs ball entered the upper edge OF the
oext to the lower ribs. at the point five
inches from the meridian lice. about four snc
| a half inches below the nipple. on the right
side. 1t ptssed through nearly obGqntly,
bsc wards, aud emerged at y corresponding
poin. on the fellow rib OF the left side, about
six 10 chss from the spurious process OF the
verteb.m There was but slight internai
hsmerra &c, puissles', and suffsring with great
pain running down the middle Of the bow.
els The bali may have penetrated the stom.
seh. ~ he h>d Just eaten dinner. ! gave
stimulants but he did not rally. but died
abont one and hslf hours after the accident
This took place directly in front Of the office
Of Parker d Edwards.
coRoSEa1 vEREicr.
State Of iswa' IS
ccOtt SOunyy
An ioquisition holden q Davenport. in Scott
county. on the 9th day Of January. A. ID.
1863. before J Tomson, coroner Of said
county, upon the body Of J Wash burn.
then lying dead. by the jurors whose names
srs hereto subscribed TIE said jurors upon
their oath do say. tha: the said J G Wash
burn. while passing the Law effics Of Parker
Il Edwards, came TO hi. death by the acci.
dental discharge of . riHsd gun 10 the hands
Of Alfred Edwards; and the jury further say.
that from the testimony there was no ind-
cation previous TO the dischsrge Of the gun
that Il was loaded.
GEORGE r. FREScH,
JouN L. HENRY, Jurors.
kIcHARD B. Hut,
LIEUT.. Markwalter, of the 18th Indi.