St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-08-03
DAVID WINKLER DEAD.
The Driver of the Patrol, who
was Shot Last Week, Is
No More.
Who Killed HimS---Was it Dan Wood
the Special POlicemans
The Coroner Proposes to Make a Searching
Investigation--The Inquest Begun.

All the circumstances, which are known,
connected with the shooting of
David Winkler, the driver of the
patrol wagon, have been given the readers of
the GLOBE. The first few days after he was
wounded his condition was discouraging,
but under the care of DR.. Ames he rallied,
and the early part of the week his chances
for ultimate recovery were good. Unfortu-
nately on Friday night the deadly blood poi
son set in, and when DR.. Ames visited him
yesterday he saw that his patient could not
much longer survive. At precisely O'Clock
the sad intelligence of his death was tele-
phoned his brother officers at police head
quarters. The remains were soon after con-
veyed to the morgue of Connolly 81 O'Reilly
on Second street where post mortem ex-
animation was held last evening.
l. AN INQUEST.
At o'clock last evening coroner's
jury was empanneled, and two
witnesses were examined mainly for the
purpose of establishing the identity of the
deceased and to swear in the jury. The law
requires that the latter be done in the pres
ence of the body, and to accommodate the
family the remains were taken back to the
family residence last night.
Capt. NJ. G.. Chase of the police depart
ment identified the remains, but knew
nothing of the circumstances of the shooting
Patrick O'Reily, undertaken, testified sub
stantialy as follows: identify the remains
as those of David Winkler; saw him stand
ing in front Of the city lookup few minutes
before the shooting; / left him and when
/ returned few minutes later, to the lookup
Officer Brady came running up and said GA
man has been shot; l ran into the barn and
got stretcher which 1 handed to Brady;
then ran in advance of him to the scene of
the shooting, corner of First avenue south
and Second street; we found Winkler lying
on the sidewalk; we could not recognize him ;
we put him on a stretcher and took him to
the lookup when we recognized him. l
asked ''Dave, what has happened2"
He replied: 81 am shot"
said "Who did it," He answered, II was
running after the man who had escaped
from the lookup; fired three shots at him,
when special policeman with star on came
from the shadow Of a building and said,
Ibid you hit him!'' l replied, ''You bet l
did," he pulled out revolver and
shot me; while l was at the
lookup saw a special policeman standing in
the door; he seemed very much excited and
agitated; he did not remain there long;
took Winkler home; while on the WAY man
came running excitedly from toward Wash
Ington avenue and overlook us at the corner
of Ninth avenue south and Third street,
warned him back; he then showed me his
star and 1 allowed him to approach;
He asked in an agitated tone, us Dan
deads" answered him "no;" he wore
black round crowned hat, and had nous
tache 1 think l could identify him he
seemed wild with excitement. On the night
of the shooting visited Winkler at his home;
he again described the manner in which the
shooting came about; he said he was positive
it was the special policeman who did the
shooting.
The coroners jury then stood adjourned
until Monday afternoon at o'clock.
1t will be seen by the above that the indi-
cations all point toward the guilt of Dan
Wood, the special policeman. His statement
denying the shooting was taken at consider
able length last week and published in last
Thursdays GLOBE. He is not man of
very striking intelligence, and may have
committed the crime through sheer pighead-
edness. AS matter of course, if he was
guilty he would deny it, and he has had
time to fix up very plausible story. 1t is a
misfortune that there were no other eye wit
nesses to the shooting. The dead officers
statements will go long way toward con-
vincing the public at least. At all
events it seems absurd to
connect this man Wood in any
way with Maynard the pickpocket who es-
capped from the lookup. Those who are most
pronounced in their expressions of their te-
lief in his guilt, do not think he was in col
fusion with the thieves. Then what could
have been his motive, if he had any!
WOODS STORY
is that while on his beat on Nicollet
avenue he was attracted by shots to Second
street when at the corner of First avenue
where he saw two men regainiug their feet
as if from q struggle, one of whom he
noticed had on polceman's star. He ask
ed ''Have you got him." and the policeman
(Winkler) said, yes" He stood on the
corner. The two men came up
to him and the three started
in the direction of the lookup, Wood step
in advance. They had only taken few
steps when he heard a shot, saw Winkler
fall; two men start and run. He claims the
man who fired the shot was on the other side
of Winkler, and that it was impossible for
him to have shot Winkler where
he was struck by the bullet, as
he was on the opposite side.
David Winkler was forty years old the 9th
of October last. He came to Minneapolis
from Baden, Germany, about fifteen years
ago, being married about
the time he came here
He leaves wife and seven children, the
eldest of whom is fourteen years old. He
went ON the police force in May, 1888, be-
ing appointed by Mayor A. A. Ames. He
was man faithful to his duty; pleasant in
his appearance and general favorite
with the police force-as far as known he
had not an enemy in the world and was the
last person against whom man would hold
grudge.
The funeral will be held at the family resi-
dence, 1912 South Third street, Monday
afternoon at O'Clock, Rev. DR.. Wells
officiating Escorts of the police and fire
departments will attend.
Board of Equalization.
The county board of equalization eonsid
cred the tax upon various articles of personal