The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1872-09-11
TIE MEETING STREET MURDER.
Coronor's Inquest Ycsterday-The Prt-
soner, the Witnesses and tho Specta-
tors.A Verdict OF Wilful Murder.

Coronor's Inquest Ycsterdny-The FRI
soner, the Witnesses and tho Specta-
tors.A Verdict OF Wilful Murder.
The Jury of inquest impanelled on Monday
night by Coroner Taft to investigate the cir
cumstances connected with the killing OF
Henry L. Perrin by l.. 1. Woolf, assembled &C
cording to appointment in the coroner's once
at halt-past ten o'clock yesterday morning,
and answered to their names as follo"s'
John W. Miller, foreman; E. Baker, hooer6
| Graham, i. P. Wall, J. ]. Blake, Jnlius
! Mitchell, John Marco, Frank Ladson' ". d.
| Finney, Henry Cuttino, John Cuttiho anu
| William Brown.
800 THE PRISONER
was carried to the office from the Guardhouse
nv Lieutenant Chapman, of the police force.
The crowd around the Courthouse was large,
but made no demonstrations against The pris-
ouer. Woolf is a thick-set, stalwart man, win
black hair, a low forehead, heavy eyebrows,
small eyes OF light blue, q large, aqnlllne nose,
and a heavy black moustache. He was dressed
In O suit OF black alpaca. His eyes were some
what bloodshot, but he betrayed no symp-
toms Of uueasiness, and, on the contrary,
appeared as nncoHcerned as II he had saved
instead of taken the life OF o fellow-being. He
occupied the criminals seat at the head OF the
coroner's table. Immediately on his left sat
C. W. Butiz. who appeared as his counsel
Upon the table directly In front CT him lay Tue
weapon with which he had committed the
murder. It was a Smith e Wesson pistol, OF
medium size. with blue steel barrel anu
mountiprs. and comparatively new. IL con-
tanned sir chambers. All were loaded except
those from which had been fired the Two iatai
shota.
Every door and window and every inch OIL
available space that commanded = view oil the
interior of the ceroHer's office was filled with
eager spectators. During the taking OF the
testimony the Office became so filled with
spectators as to make it necessary 10 clear It,
A policeman was finally stationed In the
door to keep out the crowd. Several times
during the day Woolf was allowed to go upon
the streets In company with a constable. AT
one time he went to Trial Justice LeVy's OIL
fee, at another to a restaurant.
The first witness examined was Deputy
United States Marshal II. w. Hendricks. He
testified that on Monday evening, about eight
O'clock, he was sitting In company with Hen
nv l.. Perrin, william Reid and r. A.. Weesey
upon a.carriage step In front OF Wulberns
restaurant, on Meeting street, opposite the
Fire Proof Building. They were talking about
u difficulty which had occurred 10 the alLer,
noon between Woolf and q man named
Masseau. He remarked that If the mon had
called Woelf q certain low term the latter was
UNSUITABLE in knocking him down. just at
Ihat moment Woolf and q man named Loudo-
vic came up. Woolt said here / am now.
Hendricks told Woolf that they were talk
Ing about his difficulty with, Nassau.
words occurred between Woolf and Per
rim. Witness did not remember precisely
what they were. Woolt finally
CALLED PERRIN A BLACKBOARD.
Perrin said, 'sWoolf, do not call me a black
guard" Woolf said, Eyes, you are o ID
WOOL in the face with his hand. The witness
Jumped up and got between them. WOOL satd
ne would allow no man to strike him. Woult
was ouieted after much persuasion. Reid and
Weesey in the meantime had taken Perrin OIL
towards the fence OF the Hibernian Hall. The
witness told Woolt that Perrin was an invalid,
and unable TO cope with him, and that ne, the
witness, did not think Perrin had Intended
what he had done as On insult. WOOL replledi
{. If Won saw that, / am satisfied, and the mat
ter shall end here" Woolf then walked into
Wuibern's restaurant. The witness followed
after a little time, and commenced 10 light his
pipe. While 30 engaged, WOOL passed OUT
again into the street. The witness was stand
ing In the veslibule Of the restaurant, but
~ - tno,r In tho harrnnm Qt thA rpar.
The Witness supposed everything had been
amicebly settled between the two men. MIR.
Wulbsrn came out from the bar shortly alter
WooIf, and said, Captain, Woolt says he Is
GOING TO SHOOT PERRIN.
The witness replied he certainly would
not shoot a man like that, and Immediately
started for the door. When he got into the
street. Woolf, Weesey, Reid and Perrin were
standing on the sidewalk In trout OF MIR. Cor.
office, about fifty feet necrer Broad street
han the restaurant. He heard qnarrelllng;
could not say what the words were, but dis
Lingulshed Woolfs voice Thought Woolf was
mar. He distinctly heard Perrin say l have
pistol. Perrin about that time ran to him,
and tried TO get his cane, which he refused 10
Ioan. Perrin then went back to where Woolf
was standing, walking with both arms up
raised, and was apparently excited. Witness
towards The group, but before pro-
man steps, the first shot was fired.
not cay who fired 1t. He then ran towards
Lhe men and reached them just as the second
was fred, which killed Perrin. Saw
Woolf fire the second shot. Perrin reeled and
Iell upon the pavement. Witness left Perrin,
vent towards Woolf, took hold Of the latter's
light haud and wrenched the pistol from mis-
,resp. witness said TO Woolf, "YOn have
allied that man, and will have to go to the
policeman, who was stand
no near, and q detective, named Brayboy,
hen came up and
CARRIED wooLF TO THE ~GUARDHoUsE.
They handled Woolf rather roughly at first,
hut relaxed their hold when he signlaed his
w~iIlingness to proceed quietly. After ascer-
aiming that Perrin was dead, witness went to
he Gnardhouse and delivered the pistol 10
he officer of the day. He identified the
njstol upon the table as the one he had taken
from Woolf.
Gross-examination by the coroner:
o. How many times did Perrin strike Woolf ?
A Only once In my presence.
@. Was Perrin in liquor? A. II Perrin was
in liquor, | did not perceive IL; Perrin might,
however, have taken a drink or two. think
Woolt was in liquor.
In reply to O Question from the foreman OF
the iury as to whether WoOlf was In the act Of
q third time when he took away the
pistol, he said that Woolf was about to raise
pistol, he supposed, with the intention Of
The shooting occurred, he thought, q!
half.Dast eight o'clock. about half an hour after
first difficulty. A policeman was stand
ing near during both difficulties, but did not
until after the shooting, when he
took hold Of Woolf.
CRosS-EXAMINATIoN