The Washington critic., 1888-09-17
THE RESULT ON CARELEssNEss.
owen }. Clarke Tells His story to the
COroner's Jury.


Gouchcr arrested owen J Clark, aged
seventeen years, on a charge of shooting
colorcd boy named Andrew j. Rolls
The lad claimed that the shooting was
accidental; that he was handling II par
lor rifle at the bntl-rOOm of his house, at
the northwest corner of Twcnty-iist and
! Il streets, and that Rollss death wus the
result OF an accidental explosion.
The coroncrs jury, consisting of Will
lam /. Bdldus, Fritz Nicman, 5. Taylor,
! Fred. G. Calvert, Timothy Craven and
| Frank llOsmer went to the scene of the
unfortunate occurrence this morning.
and, after inspecting the premises. assem-
blcd IN the Third precinct station house
with Coroner Patterson.
Colonel u. G. IInins WINS tbc first wit
ness called He said
was passing along L street with
my son ut about half past II o'clock.
After passing Twcnty-hrst street / heard
the report OF what / supposed was some
| thing like u .parlor rifle. Immediately
| after that | heard cry of pain from
some one behind me. Turning around
| saw u little colorcd boy with his hand
to his heart crying with evident min.
AT the same time he started towards
me, | being about 90 or 80 feet from
HIM. | noticed he staggered and before
L could catch him he fell OH the pave
ment, face downward. l picked him
up aud saw that he was shot as the
blood. was coming from wound under
his shirt | inquired where he lived
and some one replied that hc lived in
the house before which he fell | cnr-
rlcd him into the house, laid him on
the lounge and told the woman who
was in the room that this little boy
had been shot, went out and told my
son to run to the nearest doctor and
bring him as quickly as possible
did not remain to see whether
he was dead or not. ] was told after
wards that he was dead. l think he
was about forty or fifty feet from his
own hOuse-.cast of il.
" Pretty good run for u boy to make
with q bullet thrugh his heart" com
mcntcd the coroner.
Well, he fell about ten feet from
me. | was about opposite the front of
the house Those distances are of
course, approximate. He was on the
brick pavement when | saw him.
heard no remark before the shot was
fired. 1t sounded behind me and to nv
right"
George jackson, a little colored boy,
aged eight years, said that he under
stood the nature of the oath, and won't
through the u.s. al formality.
" seen that boy shoot the little boy"
said George. was up by Mr.. Clarks.
fence
Did YOU sec the boy that fired before
he shot?"
Yes, sir"
Did he say anything to any of you ?"
No, sir"
Did any of you say anything to
him ?"
"gl c boy that was shot asked him was
the gun loaded. The boy said stand
there and he'd show him whether it was
or not. 1t wasn't long tEen before he
was shot"
Who was it fired the pistol?"
Owncy Clarke"
Rosa Clarke, Owen Clnrlie's sister
said: live on tic corner of Twenty
fourth and | streets. At the time of
the accident was sitting at the dining
room window, ON the first floor, and
heard the snap of the gun. l did not
know who shot, so l raised the window
and walked ont. Then l heard some
one say that Owney Clarke shot n little
boy. When l came to ask Owney
about il he was very much excited and
scared, and said he didn't intend to do
it. lie said that it was all by an ac-
cidcnt; that he could not help it. saw
the little boy; he was nearly opposite
my window
Sarah Washington, colored, living at
2l02 l. street, stated that after the shot
L.
himself on the sofa. He commenced cry
ing, and said: "Oh, My God Have
) hurt the child? If did l didn't mean
tor She was Just coming home and
!, heard him laughing and talking with the
children in the street After she entered
! the kitchen he came down stairs
Ella Johnson, colored, residing at
! 2105 l. street, testified to the incidents
of the shooting.
DIR. Tyler stated that the examination
: of the boy showed Il gun-shOt wound in
the left chest, the missile passing through
the lower portion of the heart and pro
ducing death by shock and hcmorrhage
: The shot seemed to be nearly on level
.. SO far as the points Of entry and ext
were concerned.
DIR. Patterson here introduced lee
turc to show to DR.. Tyler that as tht
apex of the heart defects toward tho
chest the ball, in order to go straigh
|, through it, must be fired from above
Quite lengthy medical discussion en-
sued, DIR. Patterson maintaining hi
: ground with natural professional te
nacity.
: Owen Clarke was then asked whcthc
, he desired to make a statement. ii
T. had been sitting with his counsel Camp
/, bell Darlington, throughout the heal
k ing, and would every now and the
break forth in uncomfortable sobs. \
$ he appeared then, he is IL rather slight
f built youth, clothed in u neat suit G
v black with frocll coat. DIR. -pattcI
: son said that any statement was to b
II entirely voluntary, and the lad pre-
: cccdcd firmly:
d Yesterday morning. at about l
! o'clock, / walked up stairs to change m
i undcrclothing Having done so, | wen
d into the bathroom to arrange my toilet
Y Having finished, l looked around an
), saw lying against the side of the window
e sill, parlor rifle.
l. sat down on the window-sill an
@ took hold of the Darrell with my rigl
d hand. Before examining it ] locke
l. out of the window and saw a womn
v named Sarah Washington, who is j
c my fathers employ as II servnI
II started to enter the gate and a cOlOrc
d boy named Geo. Jackson, seized hold
her dress She turned and looked
&C the opposite side OF the street and call,
: to her mother, mamma look at George
is She called thus the second time. whC
g. he released his hold. lie started NJ Il
ic street and as he did 50 ] pointed Il
&c rifle out of the window TO examine
ID 1t attracted his attention. He stoppC
i. then ran few PAGES and Immediate
d returned coming by the other litt
l. boy When the two drew near an
ic were very nearly opposite, / started
V, take the rife in to lay it aside, and
N doing so the weapon was accldently d
ut charged in my hands. At the renort
Il. the rifle the little fellow threw his lunt
z. in his left broast and started to II
I'd crying as if he was in pain. lie III
o, | suppose, about thirty feet. and Il
I'd forward on his face.
rll Il then realized that had shot hi
AS and FASTENED down stairs 10 tell n
asf.t hnI npn It,ttp