Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1884-03-03
THE SECOND ACT
OF the Saturday Night Tragedy
Passes OFF.
The Inquest, Yesterday important les
timOny Elected - Post Mertem
Examination - The
Verdict.

Verdict.
At the coroner's inquesG, yesterday after
noon, we were given the second act of the
tragedy of Saturday night and the sworn
testimony taken entirely bore out the story
given by the SUNDAY REGIsrER. The in
quest was held at the lats residence OF
Charles F. Dick, No. 1873 Seventeenth street,
under conduct Of Coroner Schultze. The
body of the murdered man lay on
Stifel, Baird, Hogs and other physicians
onducted a post mertem examination,
while the Coroner took testimony in the
next loom. The jury was already empan.
eled and about 3 o'clock.
THE INQUEST BEGUN.
Charles Elig was the first witness to tes-
tily. He said: II was coming up Market
str, ct and had got as far as Armstrong,
Coen & Co.'s planning mill door. l saw
man come out of Millers saloon, with a
NAN following him. The first man turned
and faoCd the one who came last, drew
revolver and fired, the last man falling on
his face on the pavement. The first man
turned and looked about him several times
and then ran rapidly up Market street.
Two gentlemen who were coming behind
me, passed me and picked the man up from
the sidewalk. Some men then came out OF
the saloon, picked the man up ano took
him into the saloon. l saw no scdtHe or
tight between any Of the men,"
Mr., Jordan asked Eeveral questions to
draw out further particulars, to which the
witness said the man who shot had only
taken two or three steps from the saloon,
before the second man appeared. The wit
ness heard no words pass between the men.
| The shot was fred as the man who Was hit
had put his foot on the last step COM
| ing out.
MURDER PREVENTED.
BENJAMIN Combs testified: ~ was in
| Miller's saloon Yesterday, having gone
| there about 2 o'clock. l went there with
/ Boettler, Dick and Britt, Boettner and
( being behind and arriving after the others.
| We were sitting there drinking and playing
\ q sociable game of cards. Before this.
Boettner had difficulty with Lou Cook,
| pulling his revolver and threatening IT,
Shoot him. We all got Ep and around nim
and Dick took h"iEI. Of the r.Tolyer Just as
Boettner r:uled the trigger. The hammer
! CAM uown and caught Dicks finger. A
few words resulted and peace was restored,
when Cook went away. Dick got to telling
Boettner about pulling his revolver and
said he would have shot him, ii the ham
mer had not come down on his finger. They
began to quarrel, on thi", and then went
into the barrOom, leaving me there. fol-
lowed them and saw Dick juss getting up
from the floor and Miller, the bartender,
was putting Boettner out. When came
in, Britt came in the FROM door aud ssid
Dick was stot. Dick had followed Boett-
ner out, and had gone Just as soon as the
door closed on Boettner. did not go out
until Dick was shot and then found him
On the pavement. l could not say what
me it was, other than it was after dark
Did not hear Boettner
| MAKE ANY THREATS TO DICK,
ard don't think he did. 1t was rot over a
tslf minute after Boettuer went out that
| Dick was shot"
What was the conversation between
Dick and Boettner" asked Mr.. Jordan.
"Dick shamed Boettner about pulling
his revolver on Cook, and Boettner al
lowed he'd pull it on anybody"
do you know what caused Boettner to
shoot Dick?"
"As far as know, it was because OF this
wrangle about the revolver. | saw and
know Of nothing else to cause the shoot
ing"
| THE STORY OF THE GAME.
Louis Britt testified: About two o'clock
| in the Afternoon me ard George Boettner,
Charles Disk, Louis Cook, Ben Combs and
| John Gasmire went to Miller's saloon and
sat down to game OF cards and some beer.
| During the game Boettner and Cook
had q few words together, Boettner claim
ing Cook had something against him for
about two week., and saying he could take
/ A., 81 IN, rt,hF h. lI, Inn, cd mn
| and pulled out bis revolver, and allowed
he could whip any Cook in the family.
| Combs caught Boettner and threw him on
| The floor and here | went into the yard
and saw nothing more of tire fuss. When
returned, Cook and Gasmire had gone
and the Others were.haring a glass of beer
at the bar, Boettner wanting to play a
game OF euchre for the drinks. We had
Two games, with the beer and they wanted
10 play for money and | refused. Combs
and Boettner played one game for quar-
ter a corner and held stakes. BoettRer
and Dick then went to the bar, leaving
| Combs and me there. In five minutes we
two started home, and going out saw Mil
Ter putting Boettner out Of the house.
There were no words, but Boettner had
THE REVOLVER IN HIS HAND.
Dick followed Boettner out and 1 started
to follow, thinking we were all going home.
| Just as had my hand on the door O shot
was fired and Dick was standing on the
step. l shut the door and went back in
side, calling for glass of beer. A man
| put his head in the door and saiG a man
was killed outside. / went out found
Dick lying on his face and helped to pick
him up and carry him into the back
| room."
Mr.. Jordan asked questions which drew
I - H.
| pavement above the door when he fired. 1t
was not over ten seconds after Dick vent
out that the shot was fired. The witness
| would not say that he saw Boettner fire,
| but he said he saw the flash come from
right where Boettner was standing. He at
| once closed the door, saying he "would not
| go out there where id fool was hand
| ling revolver"
| THE DIFFICULTY WITH COOK.
Louis K. Cook, Jr., testified: "Ahout 2
| o'clock Saturday afternoon | went t. Mil
| itr's saloon with a party, where We had
SOciable game of cards. l went out for
moment and when | returned Bcettner vas
excited and angry about something, and l
tod him to keep quiet He said: You -
| -, you've had it in for me for near
week. I'll ex you, d-n you With that
| Combs threw him to the floor. When he
| Iut up | said: 'Boettner, what the helrs
| the matter with you" He said: I'll show
| you,' and pulled his revolver again. then
| left the house. didn't wait for further
developments, and can't say who caught
BOettner's arm. know of no quarrel be-
| tween Dick and Boettner other than once
| they played game of cards il which
BoeItrer said Dick cheated him
THEARREsT.
| Capt. Bennett gave Tire particulars Of the
| arrest Of Bosttuer When he first went to
| the scene of the murder when LNa Britt
| old him George Boettner had done the
| shooting. The Captain, accompanied by
| officer Morris, had then gone to 30 ettner's
and made the arrest as detailed In full 10
4 he SUNDAY REGISTER
| When Capt Bennett concluded Dr.. .S:ifel
csme in 10 give the result OF the post
ortem examination. He reduced the re-
sult 10 writing, and it is found as follows:
THE CAUSE OF DEATH.