Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1888-12-13
AooIpExrALL snor.
Another Life Sacrificed because N
PlstOi Was Thought 60 he Empty.

Injured harvey turner, colored lad, near
Newport. Both young men worked for
Vincent =. Finn, where Turner was en-
ployed on the farm. Gaodley serves a
milkroute ia this city. He purchases his
milk from Finn but for convenience sake
he boarded on the farm aad brought the
milk into the city himself instead OF re-
quiring Mr.. Finn to deliver IT. This new
arrangement had been In effect but three or
four weeks. On Sunday afternoon Turner
and Cooley, who live In adjoining houses
on the farm, met In front of the house,
Turner has so ,calibre Ave chambered re.
yolyer which be started to empty by ehoot-
Ing It Into the air.
Ra had fred TWO shots when he gave tho
weapon to Cooley, who bsgan to empty
the remaining chambers by firing at gate
post near by. He fred one ehot when the
revolver missed fire on the next two shots,
Turner began to laugh and make fun at
Goodlay's futile attempts, when the latter,
peiieying the weapon empty, turned laugh
ingly 70 his companion and pointing the
pistol at him said: "Ill shoot you," or
words to that effect. 10 his horror, the
pistol exploded aud Turner fell mortally
wounded. Cooley Immediately summoned
Or, Finn from Newport, and the latter had
him brought 10 this city at once. He was
placed In the Homp op ithic Hospital where
he died Sunday night ct 10 o'clock.
Cooley went to his brother, George W.
Goodley of this city, and after telling him
OF the unfortunate affair. he went 10 the
police station and surrendered himself to
Special Officer Weldon. A post norton ex-
animation OF Turner'S body showed that
the ball had entered his bowels and had
probably imbedded Itself IN or near the
spine, and It could not be found. Death
ensued from Internal hemorrhage. Turner
was but 10 years old while Cooley Is only
II, although he looks no older than a boy
OF 16. He Is now detained In the chiefss
room at the police station uuttl Hfter the
coroner's inquest. Coroner GNmblo en-
phneled a jury Monday morning, which, after
viewing the body, adjourned to meet at tho
city hall Monday afternoon at o'clock.
Goodley ~ downcast over his misfortune
and says thathe would as soon lost bis own
life as to have taken that OF another's even
by an accident.
The coroner's Jury met In the municipal
court room Monday afternoon.
me circumstances OF the shooting were
relaled by John Wilmer and Alexander
Greenman, both colored farm hands on
Fiinn's farm, as given above. Wilmer and
Greenman had been In the barn where tne
former had gotten an armful Of corn cobs.
As Wilmer walked away from the barn,
Greenman threw corn-cob at him and
struck him, whereupon Wilmer threw a
stone back ut GrsenmAn. GoodleY and
Turner were then standing near the Kitchen
OF Winners house which adjoins the one
where Cooley boarded. The house Ia a
double one, which is occupied half by
whites and half by blacks. There had been
no quarrel and was none at that time. All
present were in good splrIts. After dis
posing OF his corn-cobs, Wilmer went into
his house and got revolver for the pur-
pose OF cleaning II as his wife had fire..
quently suggested to him. Wilmer re-
turned with the weapon and proceeded to
empty 1t by firing two shots In the air.
Goodley then asked for the weapon and
Wilmer gave 1t to him.
aoodley was then standing about three
or fur feet from the kitchen door with his
back to 1t, while Wilmer stood directly In
front OF him. also face forward. Turner
stood In Winners kitchen door looking at
them shooting, while Gresnmen was beside
MIN and little step daughter OF Winners
stood between Cooley and Turner. Good.
ley fired one shot at a gate-post but the
bullet struck the ground. In the next two
attempts to shoot, the pistol missed Ore.
Turner laughed at Cooley ard jokingly
remarked about his bad craftsmanship.
doodiey then turned squarely around aud
facing Turner said: "I'll shoot you," at the
same time pointing the pistol at him and
pulling the trigger. The pistol exploded.
The ball whizzsd over the chlld's head and
struck Turner.
All were dumb-founded for q moment
and no one seemed to know whether any
harr hRa ye3AI6d ii not, The FIRST anx-
ious Inquiries were directed toward the
child but n was not injured Turner. how
ever, was found TO nave sustained a serious
wound. The evidences seemed to show that
Goodley, thinking that because the pistol
had missed fire twice was empty, had
aimed ct Turner in joke. Cooley at
70 Nor 80 q -H.G.
DR.. Irvine Finn. Els manner showed that
he did not appreciate the full responsibility
OF what he had done. He was cool and
although he WAS sorry for the commission
OF the deed, he actsd as though he thought
tt an accidental MISFORTUNE. When DR.,
Finn suggested to him that he surrender
himself TO the police bis face betrayed sur.
prise and he had evidently never thought
that he had put himself within the clutches
OF the Law. He helped to bring Turner to
the Homeopathic Hospital In this city,
The deed was committed about noon AMI
Turner expired about 10 o'clock thlt Might,
Drs. l.. A. Ktttln2er, Springer, Rile and
L. W. Finn MI testified TO the lads cofdi-
ton and to the results of tho post uortem,
The bullet entered the Rbdpnen abour two
inches to the right Bnd about ono linen
above the navel aud, after rerfdrating the
bowels four or Eve times, Is supposed TO
have lodged Itself "a the muscles Of fhl
loin or hecoms Undecided IN tho spine. The
parforatlons produced hetnortha and
death resulted from interLHl hemotrhaxes.
Death was inevitable exaept through
micaele. Ii he had not d.eI from hsmofrh.
aSea death would have resulted from perl.
tonitis.
Turner and Cooley hath told Or Itytne
Finn thAt the shooting wac accidental.
When Deputy Attorney-genetal Davis at
tsmptt 10 get "a deposition from Turner at
Z o'clock on Sunday Might, the latter was
only semi. conscious, and the atsoIpt was
abandoned after seyeEal unsatisfactory
eff3rte.
Attorney.geEerul BIgFs then gave Il lit.e
advice to TIE Jury on the questians OF law
Involved. He said that thafe vayG two
Finds OF mansiaUghter, voluntary and In
voluntary. Voluntary maGalauthter Ia
where one persou kile another IA tie boat
Of passion, Intending TO Kill hin. InYolun-
taty manalGugS:ec Is whore a person +
Killed BY the careless OF rackless ae. az
another, hu, ne intention OF kiliinE axl9te;i.
Tie Called attention to tie foilnt, tnis act iIt
volume 49, ohRpaer s, section 8 III an Act
passed On Apttl Sh, 1881, which seads;
Trnt 1t shall be unlawful for auy persol oithar
N sle r. 2so IRE ies tian.$ e polnt
ptrH,n al any uiae or piSp'. ARP I'D fs3n violating
my provision q tlis section shalt uynI e1fiyirtig
more than onR hhndtsd dolars add I'LL c9st ~
prosscution,. and shunii Gest'i resllt sny per.
.on by tbs ds+cha-ss of such gun, p,st0i us ofIsr
hfeAtT wh,e 20 Ilninind, the Larson pai,tlitv The
s ,aI'e aia p suilty = m4nuaisht5r When such
kllllnS shall nos ,Nnount TO murdeI. and shall be
puifhcd accordingly.
The Jury then rendered the following YER
diet:
Resolved, That Harvey Turner came to his death
IRON ths eGei1aufA dtscga"He Of il reYuver in tho
hands Of Taylor L. tf1udiey ~ Ductlnhe- Ii. lsSS
Upon Application OF Benjamin N.elds,
Ed, Cooley was released on a writ OF
ha6eas corpus.