The Hawaiian gazette., 1884-11-19
A FATAL FRACAS.
[. R. PATTEN KILLED BY H. A. BRIDGES.

L. R. PAIIEh KILLED BY n. A. bhlU6es
shortly after O'Clock on wednesday evenin
the attention of people on Fort street In the VIC
nifty Of Hotel street was attracted BY the report
two pistol shots in quick succession. Bookin
toward the spot from which the noise proceeded
close to the sidewalk In front Of the Ten Cent store
two men were seen TO separate from each other onl
Patten, who was easily recognizable, being well
known, stepping on the sidewalk and proceedin
At lesurely gait uirlui; the other man, afterwaru
ascertained to be H. A. Bridges, Ia former residen
OF HilO running rapidly Up Fort 10 Hotel street
and thence TO the baker shop Of F. Horn, which b
entered. One or two of the bystanders who hal
seen the shooting, followed after Bridges shoutinl
stop him. attracting attention Of other people
who following after, reached the entrance q
Horns bat brief moment behind the fleeing man
In the meantime friends of Patten had ran acros
the street and asked anKiously il he was hurt
Patten replying no." Hardly however had tn
words left the unfortunate mans lips before
deathly pallor was seen to spread over his coun
tsuance, his body began to reel and he fell for
ward saved however from falling to the ground b,
the protecting arms Of persons near him. Pattei
was Immediately conveyed TO the drug store o.
Messrs Benson, Smith & Go. and physician
sent for. but Pdtten died before his arrival
within five minutes after being brought into th,
establishment and without having said any
thing TO indicate the cause for the deed
side of Horn s bakery and were clamoring for thu
man Bridges, who had committed the shooting
their violence heightened perhaps by the coward
ice exhibited by three native police officers who
showed no desire t. enter and effect the capture
of the purity wanted. Finally however the man
came from an outblilding and gave himself up to
persons in authority, asking " Is he dead:n 70
which, answer was made that the prospects wert
quite favorable that way. He was then taken "a
the Police Station and booked on charge of muir
der. The crowd which followed the homicide
we're very expressive in speech, threatening the
life OF the prisoner and there is but little doubt
had there been one amongst them that dared to
lead, Bridges would have received severe injuries
safely escorted to cell in the Station House, re-
moved later on 10 the Prison.
STORY or Az oS-LooKER.
One OF the bystauders who SAW the whole affair
states that, at a few minutes past he saw Patten
cross from the store of j. L. Waterhouse No. 10
Fort street where he p. was employed as sAlesman)
to the opposite sidewalk, walk briskly along for
few PAGES and then, with stick which ho had in
his hand strike twice over the shoulders man who
was walking in front of him. The man Bridges
turned and caught at the stick, which became
broken, and the two struggled together for few
seconds, no outcry being made, when suddenly
Bridges threw his hand behind him, drew revolt
and fired two shots in rapid succession at Pat
ten neither seemingly taking effect. ore of the
two balls passing across the street, narrowly es-
Gaping the head of a lad standing on the opposite
sidewalk, and embedding itself in the woodwork
of J. Williams &sCo.s photograph parlors,
NuCTe IL was dllEENhTuS 1OuQu. tAIteu AFTER
the first shot wheeled little TO the right and after
the second Immediately turned and walked, quite
erect down the street until opposite Lycan %. Is
store, distance Of eight or ten PAGES from the spot
where the shooting occurred. Here friend ap-
preached him, spoke TO him and put out fire
smOuldering on Patterns vest. Patten then stag
gered, was falling but held up by persons near
and quickly conveyed to the drug store but with
the result above mentioned. Noblood was noticea-
BILE ON the outside Of the clothes but on removing
Tho rlnfhIf1w a lurua hOla hisgprnahfa in the
about two inches directly above the
navel, from which OOzed the dark purplish blood
showing that IN artery was severed and which was
most probably the death wound. On the body and
partly concealed By the left arm was another
wound, blackened and powder-burned, showing
the closeness at which the firing accomplished,
and still another wound further back; these last
two wounds were explained at the post mortem TO
have been caused by the one ball, which enter
ing had glanced along a rib and passed out not
creating a very serious wound. piece of the
stick with which .he dead man had struck his
slayer was lying close beside him, and examination
showed that it was by no means a dangerous
weapon, being Of pine, crossgrained and easily
broken, about : inches in diameter
Many and various were the rumors assigned rs
he immediate cause for the fatal fracas and the
conflicting nature OF them only served 10 rouse
public curiosity the more to satiate which the fol
owing story Is gwen, being statement by
THE INQUEST.
The following jury we're duly sworn ~. H. Pa
", G. W. Smith, J. L. Warehouse, Jr., ]. II.
Fisher, W. b, McAllister, Chas. Hasselman. Mr..
!. Brown acted as corOner's clerk.
W. NJ. Gibson, being called and sworn, testified
Is follows About half-past five p. m. 18th inst
vas seated in my carriage near the door of Wen
ler ~ Co.'S iewelry store, and while there obser-
red Mr.. Patten, whom know very we'll, standing
lear Warehouses; door. / observed him partic-
llarly because had been listening to a great deal
If talk about him and other parties, calculated to
lttract unusual attention. After watching him
Tor some time, saw him enter the store and reap
)ear shortly on the street, with stick in his
iand, which | noticed particularly because il was
stick Of white wood. piece Of stick produced
md identified by witness.) Saw him then run
lcross the street but did not think anything IN
particular was the trouble. Saw him rapidly ap-
roach short mau; could not say it was. Bridges
Then saw Paten raise the stick to strike the other
nan, and called the attention of my family to
What seemed to be serious ARRAY. Saw Pattel
trike the man said TO be B.idges on the back with
he stick Then saw their hands up in a struggle,
md shortly heard two pistol reports heard dis
inctly two reports. After the second report, saw
'atten walk away as If nothing was the matter.
This struggle took place opposite the Ten Cent
tore. When Patteu got opposite Lycdn's music
tore / saw his face change and saw him sta0ger,
nd friends caught him as he fell Thought 1t
vas Bridges. He had been proposing to sell
be Board Of Health house and lot in Hilo for
ranch hospital. Could not tell from seeing the
fray that 1t WAS Bridges but on the strength of
THAT knew about him and Patten. Drove ut
nee TO Mr. Horns shop, and said to Mr.. Horn,
He is unqucsti0uaby inside this bHiiiiIiy, and
lad better surrender" The building, was looked
through and he was found in the woodshed, he
'as told him he might we'll surrender, as it
'ould be futile for him 10 20 escape. He came
ut then, asking, as he dead p After coming
rom the station house. / asked at the len Cent
tore if anything was found, and was given hat
imposed to be Bridges. The ARRAY happened
'itiin two minutes: Bridges was arrested within
en- minutes. Could not say, without further
nowledge beyond what | saw, that he was the
lan.
ftsr the shooting | found Bridges in Horns
lace. Was probably 30 to 40 PAGES from the af-
ray when it happened. Heard two shots distinctly
nd saw the flash of one. Immediately after the
ash Patten, rs it were, disengaged himself, and
said to my daughter, 81 He is not hurt" After
e walked about ten PAGES, | saw him change in
Ountenance, stRgger and fall. When / saw Pat
IN start first did not know what he was going
ig of the circumstances l should not have gone
ny further, but feeling satisfied that the man run
ing away was Bridges l proceeded al once to
Iorn's Bakery.
By Jurors When Patteu was outside the door,
did not see him cOnversing with anybody, but /
scOgnized one face in the group which was fami-
ar. Do not recognize that hat as the one worn
y one of the men, but believe it TO be the same.
!: What did Bridges say p A. Said /.
Bridges, you shot Patten." He said, els he
cad p He is, saw him carried into a store.
on had better surrender yourself, as the people |
re threatening to lynch YOU
tAside-I heard a we'll known citizen call for a |
Ipe to hang him, and told him he had better be |
lreful or be would go to jail with this man, As
e went along he asked What will this be cal
d - and the Deputy Marshal said it would be |
altered as murder. Bridges came out Of the |
oOdshed bareheaded.
Further question: did not see anything in Pat |
ms hands besides that stick. There was no other |
'utte on the street at the time. Bridges ran up |
lie sidewalk Fort street. ] snE the pistol dis
nctly at the second shot.
Fred. II. Hayseden was called and sworn. He |
as in the carriage with Mr.. Gibson, and his evil
snce agreed with relation TO the afray.
James F. Noble being sworn, testified as fol. |
Tvs Was on Fort street this afternoon about |
n minutes past five. Was standing close by |
'illiam's photograph gallery on t lie side
ak, and saw Patten and Bridges struggling. / |
now them both Patten was looking up the |
rect and Bridges down. When | saw them first /
ley were in a wrangle, Patten with a stick
his hand They had their hands on each
e had his left on Bridges left shoulder. This
ruggle lasted perhaps about a minute, neither
itting the advantage. Just then | saw Bridges
1t his hand behind him, draw n revolver and /
20. When heard the first shot ran across the
rect. They were facing each other, very close
'gether. When got halfway across the street
e second shot was fired. They we're then stand
ross the street, towards Ihrum's store. Bridges
as facing makai. After the second shot Bridges
N up Fort street. | noticed his hat on the
round before he fred the second shot, and / 1
ink before any shot. 1t was a hat like the one
reduced. When Patteu ran in fact he walked
fire and put it out with my thumb and finger,
N said Lon cuup with n a nhvsirian |