The New York herald., 1866-10-12
THE SHOOTING OF A RIVER THIEF.

THE SHOOTING OF A RIVER Thief.
Investigation Before Coroner Naumann--A
Verdict Of Justihablc Homicide.
Coroner Naumann yesterday held an inquest at the
Twenty precinct station house. the body o
Bruno Enrig the river thief who was shot at pier u
North river, on Wednesday evening" by Mr. wilisai A.
Potter, reported in yesterdays HERALD. Eis was
notorious river thief and had frequently been in the
hands Of the police At the time Of ths shooting, Eg,
with an accompce who made his scapc was in the act
of hauling bale of cotton though hole in the pier
into tho small boat he I'D with him. Below will be
found copy OF the tes.mony adduced and the verdict
Of the jury
TESTIMONY OF CHARLES y. RUssRl.
Charles +. Russell being duly sworn, depoesd and
sald-I am residing at Whitney a. Sweets in Fulton
street, near South am q master mariner; have been
making account Of cargo pier Is North river, dis
charged from steamer Marmon; the watchmen ordered
by H. Hansen Co. did not come down to the pier in
time and compelled TO stay and watch two lots Of
cotton until they came was looking out for the lot that
tho bulkhead. thinking that in the dan
ger Of thieves; think it fifteen minutes past six
O'Clock when heard the report OF lrearm; thought
nothing about IT, and supposed It somebody shooting
wharf rats; short time afterwards Mr. Potter TO
and said Russell DO you know that they have stolen half
remark that could not look out for two loads OF cotton
AZ the tmc and that the owners at fault for
not sending down their wachmen sooner; he said, Ibid
you hear shootYn said heard the report Of fire.
arm he said ~ shot the fellow; he had bale OF
ton and was hauling down in the boat" he requested
to walk and look at the bac that the thieves
had been al; we walked over and there bale OF
cotton midway in the lot Of eight or nine bales 1t
aud found scattered cotton on the hawscr OF
the vesso and the bands Of tho bale cut and quite
the cotton and we're talking about ibs matter and were
walking back 10 the other lot there was largo hole in
the dock opposite to the lot that had charge Of
were walking towards the cotton discovered q boat
through this hole In the dock with cotton in M said
"Poter there is boat in itthat must be the boat that
you fred All" told him TO stop there while went
after policeman; / went 10 the ferry next to
por IL, and requested an officer 10 come with
mc-that we had becn robbed OF some cotton, and
that there boat there with cotton in Il, and
the thieves returned ana arrest them tho rst officer
told mo that his time was up and referred mo TO another
officer who went with me; showed him the boat with
the cotton IN t 4 was not very near dark at the time
person got into the boat ana discovered persoS In IT.
s rS .s sSs. .s :sin {. Sss Sss
discovered thieves and had shot at them -
TESTIMONY ~ soAy o. MORSE
John o. Morse being duly sworn deposed ana said.-i
am frs, on,ccr.ou board the stepmship Narmion; MT
Potter and came out together from TEA left him at
the cangway Of the steamer went forward to my room
and was tbere about minutes heard the discharge
OF rearus and Soon after Mr. Potter 70 my room
and said that he had shQt nj zone thieves who were
stealing cotton; he said he going to see Captain
master aud second oaicsr Coming b0sFd, who said
they had been heading up bale OF cotton tbht me
thieves had BEEN stealing from; soon anerh poice ON.
board and told ne that no wanted me to 90
TESTIMONY oy SAMUEL w. CHAMBERS
Samuel W. Chambers, being duly sworn, deposed and
saidI reside at No &c South Third street. Williams
burg keep stores opposite pers 13 and IA North rivers
recognize the body Of deceased as that OF notorious
thief; have known him 20 have been in the habit OF
stealing cotton there beforc have had him under arrest
and indictment several times before
TESTIMONY JOHN WARD.
John Ward, being duly sworn, deposed and said
reside AZ "a Cortiandt street; am seaman; heard
some noise tho dock about twenty minutes past SIX
o'clock, and heard Mr. Potter tell policeman, after
the occurrence about somebody stealing cotton; saw
bags Of cotton going across the street, don't knew
who had Them down 70 the end OF the dock and
| got into the boat through hole tho dock:
nineteen foot rowboat; saw man lying amidships In
the boat; lifted up his head aud found he was dead
saw q quantity of cotton In the boat
TESTIMONY WILLIAM A rorrER
William A. Potter, bong duly sworn, depcsed and
rad-I reside nj No So Carroll street, Brooklyn, am
emrioyed by tho Black star line Of steamships pier
No 10 North river, taking charge OF the dock aud
property about twenty minutes af,cr six o'clock last
evening came from the main deck OF the steamship
Msrmon, and was coming down the gang plank
discovered boat between the Marmion and propeller
Jane Campbell about half under the dock, head 10
II was nearly dark, but the cotton IN the boat, and
the bale the dock showed them more prom
% mo than . otherwise would - approached the BOAT
. revolver ana fred the boat: know no moro c' n
un ten minutes Afterwards when discovered the boat
hcensu while remained by the cotton ~ soon ~ the
orHcsr came man went down tho boat and found
man dead there; I then reported TO my owners, and
Afterwards delivered myself up M the static house;
was in charge until relieved by the watchman
stood on the ssngway plank when ] fred a
the boat about twenty-hv feet from u, have
known deceas~d for q long time; he has been put o.
from tho dock number OF times for stealing cotton hs
has acted captain OF the gang he noted thief "a
mo previous 20 this transaction; Immediately surrcn
dercd myself under the supposiou that had shot th'
Thomas Robinson, N. D being duiy sworn deposet
and sald--f have made post uortem examination o
the BODY Of deceased; l found . pistol shot voun.
IN the back left side, passing through the ict
scspuls; the ball passed In downward direction
through the let luse through the le sucls and rsn
yen,r,ce OF the heart through the diaphragm and int
the liver: death was the result OF the above described
pistol shot wound. - -, :.
the uYy who without leaving their seats rerdsfed n
following verdict THAT the deceased came 70 nis dent
by p,stol shot wound the hands of William A. Potter
and we think that the oosing ectly jrstisoe
on the rendition of tho voriics Mr.. Potter ws as
Deceased wss nearly twenty-five years Of age aud
native of France
couav of GENERAL SESSIONS