Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-02-13
THE SOTELDO TRAGEDY.
CORONER'S INQUEST TO-DAY.
TESTIMONY As TO THE SHOOTING.
VERDICT THAT A. G. SOTELDO FIRED
THE FATAL SHOT.

A. NJ. Soteldo, jr., the victim OF the deplorabe
shooting affray, in the Office OF the National Re-
Duhicdn, last Thursday night, died at Providence
hospital Saturday night, at half-past ten o'clock.
After the report OF his condition in THE STAR Sat
| urday afternoon, Mr. Soteldo sank slowly but re-
talned his consciousness up to half an hour before
| hts death. At ten o'clock he turned to Dr. Ellis
Bliss, who was in attendance upon him. and said,
''Bliss, 1t is all up" Then he sank into death
died, beside the hospital attendants, Mrs Sotedo,
her brother, Mr.. H. NJ. Clement, OF Saratoga, and
| his wife, Gen. Boynton and few intimate friends.
THE AUTOPSY.
| Yesterday morning DR.. Hartigan conducted an
autopsy, in the dead house of the hospital, in the
presence of Coroner Patterson, Drs. d. w. Bliss,
Roberts, Mallen, Sewers and Bayne, and several
| representatives OF the press The report of the
| autopsy, which was signed by Drs. Bliss, Sewers
| and Hartigan, was as follows: "NoteS on the au-
psy OF nhe remains OF antonio % M seeHo
| and half hours after death: The body was
exposed in the dead-house Of Providence hospital
assisted by Drs. D. W. Bliss and z. T. Sewers, in
the presence OF Dl. D. Z. Patterson, coroner There
were, Tere also present Drs Bayne Roberts Mailen
oner DR.. Bliss recorded the facts revealed by the
| autopsy. The following facts were revealed: The
anterior surface OF the body presented no unusual
appearance. very free venous hemorrhage had
occurred since death from the wound, consider
able puS appearing In the discharge. On turning
| the body and exposing the poSteriOr surface 1t
| presented extensive suggillations; In add-
ton there was small abrasion Immediately
above the right elbow. pistol ball wound
was exposed nearly central, slightly to the
left OF the median line, four inches below the occ-
pltal protuberance and on line with the artlcu-
latlon of the four and five cervica vertebrP. The
Introduction OF the probe into the track indicated
Slightly upward course of the ball. crucial
inesion was made the first, or LONGITUDINAL ex-
tebra the transverse at joint near the junction
OF the fourth and fifth cervcal vertebre and inter-
| secting the wound. Dissection revealed extensive
venous congestion of the surrounding tissues. A
section OF the spinal column was removed, in
ciufting the entire cervical vertebr9. The lamin3
! were then sawed through On both sides and the
| section OF the arches removed, thus exposing the
spinal cord Included 6a Situ. After traversing the
fractur1ng the lamin;e OF the fourth vertebrae
little to the left of the spinous process, Griving be-
fore ii several small spicular and penetrating the
aura mater, Slightly lacerating the cord and de-
posting in its substance small Spiculum OF bOne
embedding itself in the inter-yertebral fOTdDten
tholel formed by the fourth and fifth vertebr9.'
THE JURY OF INQUEST.
During the autopsy Coroner Patterson had a
jury OF inquest empaneled who, after viewing the
body, were discharged until to-day The jury con-
sists OF John F. Tucker, j. W. Curry, VIM A.
Thompson II. c. Beers j. F. Tucker, Jr., and VIM.
X Rahlert III Ar After the aa5psy the body was taken
Soteldo's late residence, No. q Iowa Circle.
YOUNG soTElDos GRIEF.
Yesterday, about three o'clock, A. c. Soteldo
who is confined in one OF the upper cells In the
south wing Of the Jail, was informed that the au-
topsy had been made and that the ball which
caused death was very small one-not over 32
calibre. The remark was made that If his pistol
carried a heavier ball-3S or 40 calibre-he could
| not have shot his brother Soteldo broke into
paroXysm of grief, exclaiming, ''My poor brother.
My poor brother! This will not bring him back.
He has been father to me, and always looked
at fato hall
was not from his pistol, it should relieve his mind
to the extent OF assuring him that he had not
-oice choked by sobs, replied: 81 ought TO feel
thankful for the information, but, oh God! how
can help breaking down. My poor brother. 1
cannot think OF hlm without breaking down." An
attempt to get him to Subdue his feelings seemed
useless, and he was left in his cell, his hands
clutchiug the bars, and his head bowed on them,
Sobbing SO loud as to attract the attention of the
other prisoners.
The Inquest To-day.
The inquest was held at police headquarters to-
day. Coroner Patterson, With stenographer and
the members Of the jury, arrived before eleven
O'Clock. The room up stairs occupied by the de-
tectives as a sleeping apartment was set apart for
the inquisition, but as it was found too cramped
for the purpose the adjourned to the Office
OF Superintendent Miles, OF the fire alarm tee-
graph. which was placed at his disposal. Here
the officials, members of the jury and group OF
reporters waited for nearly half an hour Tor the
witnesses TO appear.
About quarter past II o'clock Senator Conger
and his son Frank B. Conger, business manager of
the Republican, appeared. Mr.. Frank b. Conger
was at once sworn and examined. he gave a de-
tailed statement of the difficulty in the Republican
Office.
About quarter past nine Thursday night, he
said, he was seated in MIR. BartOn'S ROOM with Mr.
John H. Manley. He had been there but few
moments when two men came in. [Mr. Conger
here stopped and drew diagram OF the small
Il1fQ nv r Rar and r,loip
positions occupied by the different parttesI Mr.
Conger said he was seated at the end of Mr.. Bar
reading a newspaper when the two men en-.
tered. Barton said "How are you?" or some
thing Of. Of the sort, and added Take a
seat" Witness was partially facing Mr.. Barton.
When the two men entered, witness arose and
passed through the door, and then, returning,
entered the room A. NJ. Soteldo was seated in the
chair, exactly at the corner OF the desk facing Mr.
Barton, who had paper In his hand, and asked
Mr.. S. II this was the statement, and said he had
better take it to Mr.. Gorham, as he had nothing to
do with it. \ MIS- rs said It IS for YOU and want
left hand, at the same time keeping an eye On Mr.
Soteldo Soteldo's younger brotherin the meantime
was standing or sitting at the end Of the desk.
Mr.. Barton handed the paper back TO Mr.. Soteldo
saying: "You had better see Gorham about this;
don't care anything about it,
Mr. SOteldO. just previous to this, placed his hand
on his right thigh, pushing his coat back slowly.
He then brought his hand forward. AS the paper
was handed back to him he said, ''You don't, eli ,"
at Mr.. Barton. Mr.: Barton jumped up, but the
force OF Mr.. SOtedO'S attack was SO great that it
threw him violently against the desk. They grap-
pied, and the lamp was Knocked over against wit
ness, who was about TO put the lamp back upon
the table, and turning around, stepped out OF the
door and placed 1t on table outside. As he passed
the door he looked and saw A. c. SOteldO stand
ing with pistol In his OutStretched
hand. Mr.. COnger said here that when the two
persons came in A. &. SOteldo, who entered last,
had an overcoat on his arm. Continuing his mar
rative, he said the pistol was pointed at Mr. Bar
tons head. He noticed the pistol exactly at the
moment he was passing OutO1 the door. Between
the time he saw the pistol and the time OF placing
the lamp on the table, he heard the first shot fired
AS he was returning he heard another shot. He
Immediately left his position and passed quickly
out into the hall. He thought he heard another
shot as he was passing. While in the hail he
heard two more shots. He was quite positive OF a
shot being fired while he was passing through
the hail. for he thought he heard the ball crashing
through the door, and he made as lively time as
he could out Of the hall. Witness rushed out OF
the front door, called several times for police
looked to see II he could see any
one, but could not Some cOmpositors
looked out OF the thtrd-stOry window, and he
called to them to come down quickly as possible
q summons which they Obeyed. In going out
witness crossed through the business off1ce; re-
turning he entered the main door aud had
reached the middle OF the room when Mr. Barton
and another person came tumbling down the