Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1885-10-23
OtaultOl'S Terrible Murder.
Ko1NER IN THE RICHMOND JAIL.

KoINER IN THE RICHMOND JAIL.
CRAZY or PLAYING IT WE'LL.
IEe il interviewed by "A Rich
mOnd Reporter.
Last week We gave brief account Of
the killing Of VIM. NJ. Brown, a young
farmer Of Augusta county, 10y Stuart
Koiner, another young farmer OF the same
county, Brown and Noner occupying adj
Joining farms. The murder occurred in
the ROtunda on the Fair Grounds, in
stanton, on Thursday, Oct. 10th, be-
tween and ? o'clock. A large number
Of people were in the building at the time
and the terrible murder was frightiully
sudden and unexpected, not a word hav-
ing passed between the parties. Brown
was walking with his wife on his arm and
leading his little daughter by the hand
never dreaming that the murderers bullet
would in a moment more be tearing
through his vitals and in few minutes
his soul would be winging its flight TO the
spirit land. Koinor was Immediately
arrested and the following evidence was
taken by the coroner and jury:
T. S. Brown, sworn, says was at the
grounds and saw VIM. NJ. Brown; ! had
conversation with Brown in the rotunda
and as turned my back on him heard
pistol shot; in turning around | saw
Stuart Koiner and Brown who appeared
to be in a scuiile, and soon as | recognized
the parties seized Koiner and showed him
back some distance when got TO Brown
he had sunk to the floor and men were
carrying him out.
Q. Please state if you saw pistol. and
in whose hands!
Saw pistol but didn't know in whose
hands it was. Heard the report but did
not know who fired the shot; the smoke
prevented my seeing who bad the weapon;
| was talking to Brown at the time and
he was telling me what articles he had
gotten premiums on; Koiner said to me
that Brown was damn scoundrel, he
tried to shoot me (Koiner) in my own
orchard last night; as soon as saw
Brown thought him dead man l think
Brown said TO me as soon as the smoke
cleared away, Il am shot Browns wife
when turned was pulling him (koiner);
sie aimed to grab him by the beard and
tnen grabbed his hair and held him fast,
and said to him go away. 1t was after
the shot that Mrs. Brown grabbed koincr;
when turned the two men were scuiiling
and witness had hard work IN loosing
Koners grip. The shooting a. near as ]
could guess was between one and Two
o'clock. am no relative Of the deceased.
J. +. Hanger, sworn, tcstifed.-l am %
years old and reside - miles west Of the
city. was at the Fair Grounds today
and saw the two men, who are known
personally to me- know that Wm NJ.
Brown is now dead, and at whose hands
he came to his death went in the .Ro-
tunda, looking for my sister-in-law, was
lookingo on the gallery and passed around
TO the opposite side near the door; saw
Brown standing near post, spoke 10 him
and then looked back to the gallery; heard
a click two times and looking down saw
the fash of pistol at my side. Brown
then seized the pistol by the barrel, the
pistol was in Koner's hand I seized
Koner and Browns wife did 50 at the
same time. Then he staggered back.
asked Brown, Are you hurt p lie said
yes; My Godr and staggered back fall
ing to the floor. Then turning to look
after Koiner, he (Koiner) said, the damn
scoundrel tried 10 kill me IN my OWL
orchard last night / think it was be
tween | and o'clock in tine day. A.
Koiner shot, he threw his hand down as j
to cock it the second time. BY this time
Brown pulled him mp to him aud tried t.
Jerk the pistol away from him and Brown
wife grabbed him around the chin. Sin
then took him on the top Of the head an'
hit him on the head with the other fist
At that time left him. That was in thu
Rotunda, right against the right han'
post as you 20 in the upper door Brow
and Koiner were not two feet apart. Tit
deceased had no words with him. koine
said nothing until after he had done th
shooting. Brown never opened his moutl
to Koiner that heard Koiner killed hin
without any provocatic' When koine
fired grabbed him re collar.
Capt. J. Theodore l. sworn, testified
Was at the fair ground saw the de
ceased and Stuart Koiner; was siaudin
In rotunda about four feet from wher
Brown was standing heard report G
pistol looked around and saw two gei
tlemen and lady in a scuille; both me
had hold Of one pistol; Brown had 1t b
the barrel and Koiner had it by the stock
| grabbed the pistol and took it ava
from Koiner who had it by the stock ID
would not let it 20, and had TO hit him
, make him let go Brown then SCENE
I
to have fallen on the floor while he va
living there he seemed to try TO speak
went after doctor and when ! came bac
he was lying out on the grass; didn
hear a word spoken during the scnine
After it, think Koiner said somethIn
about 'buckshot' or shooting him in b
orchard Some one in the crowd migl
! have said it. Cant say who shot; all
saw was the pistol in their hands onI
one shot | had 10 strike Koiner in Il
eye before he would LET go; there was
lady pounding him too; it was between
and o'clock.
INTERVIEW WITH THE PRISONER.
IaSt evening" i'p"i''' W INV '''
> tor, had an interview with the prisone
which, upon consultation with the She
in and Commonwealth Attorney, It
deemed best not to make public. II
0 prisoner was evidently laboring und
u great mental excitement. He said he d
not intend to kill the deceased, but th
}, 1t was the pulling of the pistol by the d
d ceased that caused the ball to inhict I
tai wound.
10 THE JAIL GUARDED.
- The excitement among tho country pc
g pie over the occurrence was most intens
Threats of lynching were heard on eve
hand, and so outspoken was the feelin
k that Mayor Gordon last Thursday swO