Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1888-10-04
1T WAS ACCIDENTAL.
AN INQUEST HELD on THE REMAINS OF
DANIEL RIB4z, JR.,
By Coroner Schultz, Ysstsrday-fhs Evidence
Tends 10 Show That the Shooting
Was Accidental.

The fatal shooting of Daniel Rietz, Jr.,
in VIM. Jeffarson's saloon, at Boggs' Ron,
late Tuesday night an exclusive account
of which was published in yesterday morn
ipg's REGISTER, caused good deal Of ex
element in tie lower end Of the city yes
terday. The unfortunate man had many
friends on tie South Side, who were great
" erieved and shocked at his sad and sud-
den end. Ed Hurley, the young man who
held the revolver when the fatal shot was
fred, was arrested by the Marshall county
authorities some time after the affair and
placed under guard, but not confined to
Jail.
The body Of Rietz was taken to his
fathers residence, 4305 Jacob street, and
a. $3.50 o'clock yesterday afternoon an in
quest was hell by Coroner Schultze.
Rietz was q splendidly formed map,
weighing over 200 pounds, rot pound
of ii being superfuous flesh. He was just
twenty-years of age last January, and was
in splendid health when he met his death
The remains will be inferred in the Red
Mems cemetery, the faneral occurring
this afternoon at 2 o'clock.
TIE Coroner did not emranell a jury,
hut examined q number OF witnesses,
au ong whom were Jere msh Mason, Chas.
Land rohn, Chas. Schrete. Albert Miller,
Jerry Newman, Dave Hnmes and Andrew
Humss. Their testimony, however, wss
more or less corrOboratiye OF that OF the
following witnesses:
WILLIAM Il. JEFFERSON,
proprietor of the saloon, being sworn, tes-
titled as follows:
II was sitting in the kitchen. I heard
the shot fred. 1t was so low that did
not ply any attention to il. 1t sounded
to me like like firecrscker under tub
The door was opsn and Kimberly hallooed
to me that man was shot. / saw Daniel
Rietz stagger and he fell into the middle
room. Before 1 went INFO the kitchen
Ed Hurley and Rietz were talking together
Ia social manner at the counter. There
was no quarrel between them. Tney wers
the best of friends. Ittiak this was about
twenty-five minutes to twelve o'clock en-
October 3D."
ROBERT NEWMAN
being sworn gave the following testimony:
81 was standing at tia bar and was talk
ing with John Brahler. When we got
through with the conversation, turaed
ground and heard a shot. DSn Rietz
came along and said he was shot. He got
as far az the door ami fell down. Some
le's1n askei who shot him, when Edward
HUXLEY said, I shot him. Hurley came
into the o I'M where Dan was lying, looked
at him for few minut -, and went into
the kitchen fJr about minute, when he
came running back after his revolver, /
saw Hurley drop the revolver on the floor
after the shot was fired, but did not see
him pull the trigger. There was no
quarrel between them. Everybody said
they were always good friends.
PHILo KIMBERLY, JR,,
Being SWORD, testified as follows:
II was in the room when the shooting
occurred. Edward Hurley and Daniel
Rietz, Jr., were talking together at the
countsr. Hurley was telling Rietz about
the trouble he had on account of fits that
he hurley was subject to. Hurley said
that his friends looked down on HIM on
account his having fits, but that he Could
not help il; that h9 had enemies by it.
He said that if anybody ever male fun of
him or made light of his having fits he had
this (pallipg out lis revolver) After
that stepped away from them, and didn't
hear anything until / heard the shot.
Hurley and Rieiz were laughing and talk
ing together aud seemed to be in very
good humOr. cid not hear any angry
words spoken. The shot was fred about
two minutes after stepped away. l
think thers were about one dozen persons
in the room. II wss light in the room.
JOHN BRAHLER
being sworn testified as follows:
~ went down to Jefferson's saloon
about 9:42 o'clock Tuesday evening, sat
there atolt ons-half hour and ] saw Ell.
Hurley come in aud he said, Hello, John,
what time did you get down here?' We
sat and talked about five minutes when a
dance was called up. He asked me if |
was going to dance and told him no.
Hurley and / passed through the bar
room and met Daniel Rietz out on the
porch. Hurley shook hands with Rietz
and said, Hello, Dan, have you got enough
to set up?' We went into the b arroom and
Rietz called the drinks up. They talked
= long while and Rietz says, Let's see
that He said it twice. Hurley then
pulled out q revolver. Rietz then asked
Hurley how the revolver which was then
h slf cooked at the time) worked. turn
ed my back and just then heard crack.
saw the revolver lying o., tie floor and
heard Rietz say, I am shot, He stag
gerei through the BARRON and fe as he
got in the next loom. Hurley said he was
sorry it had occurred; they said nothing
out of way.
DR.. ]. H. PIPES
was duly sworn and made the following
statement:
About 20 minutes to IL o'clock Tues.
day night 1 was summoned by telephone
to attend man who was shot at VIM. JEFF
fsrton's saloon in Marshall county near the
Ohio comfy line. Arrived at the saloon
about two or thres minutes before IL and
found the body of Daniel Rie,z, Jr., with
life extinct. On examination Of body found
a wound presumed to be o bullet wound,
which struck the deceased near center OF
stsrnum, passing through it. From the
location OF the wound and the direction of
the ball il probably penetrated the Ease of
the heart, from which death resulted.
THE VERDICT.
After hearing the testimony Of the wit
nesses Coroner Shuttle concluded that the
said Daniel Rietz, Jr., came to his death
from an accidental gunshot wound caused
by pistol in the hands of and fred by
Edward Hurley.
LAND EXCURSION,
Via the PENNSYLVANIA Lines,