New-York daily tribune., 1865-09-27
DIsTREssING ACCIDENT.
A Policeman Fatally Injured b! the Ac'
eidentaI Discharge OF His He'eiver-
Coroner's Inquest.

Shortly after 3 o'clock yesterday morn,
ing Oaicer William ]. Witty of the, Eleventh
OF Suffolk and Delaney -sts. While STOPPING, hls
pistol fell from his pocket. and striking me WmA
exploded the ball entering tho forehead Just DIV Wv
right eve He wus conveyed 10 the Thirteenth ffe
cnet Station House in the immediate vicinity OF Where
the accident occurred and medical AID sent io uu' NC
died in few moments. The body was conveyed 10 his
late residence No al AtOrneyst and later 10 the DAY
Coroner Cover held an inquest. The following is the
mos, important part Of the tes,imony'
John Crowley testfed-Deceased wns attached 10
the same platoon OF police In the Eleventh Precinct as
mvself; We walked together in the drectiDn of home
.his morning; he complained OF feeling sick at hs
stomach and had complained Just before coming on
post; advised him 10 take little brandy. as that
| might settle his stomach went into McAlesrs, al
the corner Of Sheriff and Rvir rgtonsts, and there he
toos glass Of brandy soon after coping out be yon'
tied we then went "a my residence at No. IL Hester
| st. and there tool of my uulfofm We then sat on
the stoop for abou, ten minutes after whNh started
with him bis home; when we reached the corner OF
Suffolk and Delnnceysts, tie deceased Tent 20 the
gutter, and leaning over hydronf yomited for some
moments stJod about four or six feet non HIM ana
while engaged heard the report Of pistol ana sooI
deceased fell backward; j went up 90 him and iound
thai he was shot: In short time Rddndsman Brown
aud two or three officers came up and the Roundsnan
picked up pistol where deceased laid winch
rrcoe nizeG a. belonging 10 deceased he carried In
the breast pocket. We then removed him 70 the Ihir'
teonth Precinct station House.
John Beach W u. testified thst he had made
post moTtem examination Of the BODY Of deceased and
found pistoHshoi wound sbort inch from the
medium line. ana about one h-if inch from aboTf
the fight eye brow; half inch to the night OF this
wound was superficial wound, around these wounds
were thickly studded powder marks; on tie bach o
the head another superficial seIpwound; upon re
moving the scalp portion of the right occpi,al bone
was fonnd fractured and rased up aud portion Of tn,
ball was extracted without removing the covariurn
after removing the top Of the skull and exploring tbs
brain the other portion Of the ball found under the
dried matter about half inch posteror o tho open
ing made through the mater by the former portion
! Of the BALL found superficial wound of the righ
| hemsplcrc OF the brain three inches length
the blll entered the frontal bone about and hal
inches TO the right OF tho median line. and made ia
exit through The right paJieal bone, facturing /.
iensyey IN my opinion death resulted fsom tho frac
tire Of the skull and injury 10 the brain. tie result
the above described wound. verdict IN accordance
with the facts rendered by the jury Deceased
native Of this city aged 81 years. and had been
nected with the force since s6i. lie boN good repu
| tat!on for courage and efficiency.