The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1889-07-16
FERGUSON DISCHARGED.
THE KILLING or RuNGE WAS CLEAR
LY ACCIDENTAL.
The corouer's Jury Think the Nhos was
ffred without waftec-Jusst~c Crutch-
aeId Could Sec y q Evidence Against
the Accuscd-tssc Dssmtxsed

shop No. 3OS north seventh street. APP
pearcd la this paper Sunday morning
MIR. Ferguson. as the law requires
spent the night in his cell and most OF
Sunday.
The c0roner's jury met at the Second
police station Sunday morning at Il
O'Clock The Coroner swore in the
jury. and the jury. Coroner, aud Bepa
~ Constable Jack Redwood proceeded
to the barber shop. above which Mr.
Rungc and his family live. Or. Tay
lor, IN the presence Of the Jury. cpeneo
the boy : shirt and exposed the breas
TO view. He pointed out where the
bullet had entered. After replacing
the shirt over the little boy. who looked
Just as though lac had fell asleep
the Jury then went TO the scene d
shooting, No. 1914 east Broad street
There they saw the hole made by the
bullet through the One-inch plank. The
caiIbre OF the gun was %.
The Jury returned TO the station
house. where Captain Angle had pre-
pared in private room ample accom-
modations for the jury, witnesses, and
others whose business 1t was TO be
there. lie gave orders that the curious
should not be allowed 10 thr0ng the
stati0n.hous
EXAMINATION OF WITNESSES.
The first witness was Tmonthy
J. Doyle. who lives on Fourth
street between Marshall and Broad
and ,. employed at the Tredega'
Works. He said he was coming up the
street and heard a gun fired I'm the
shooting gallery. lie walked IN and
some one said a bOyswas shot on the
outside. / went 10 the boy and picked
him Up. He was outside the door stag
geriDg sat him on the door sill.
I told Ferguson that this boy
was shot. He WAS dumb
founded. Don't recollect whether he
said ANYTHING or not. He was. as 1t
were. paraiyzcd. lie turned pale and
did not seem able 10 say anything. lie
did not think that Ferguson acted like
a man who bad shot any one until nc
had been told II IL. Some one sent for
"A doctor. and the doctor asked witness
10 get some " nIslv. which he did.
Ferguson did all he could to assist.
He got something soft to put under the
boy = head The impression on my
mind was that Ferguson Cid not think
he har shot at or hurt any one until
told. For some time witness had
shop next door To Ferguson \ shooting
gallery a month or mofe-and. as far
rs he bad seen. he WAS careful and
prudent in handling guns. and often
heard him caution men aud boys to get
away while he was loading guns.
Arthur Fisher lives at No. 62i Broad
street. was inside of shooting gallery
with Jim Stanley. Afterwards Fer
gusOn said he could not make any
money while Stanley stayed IN there.
Ferguson picked up "A basket and threw
II at Stanley iH playful manner. as
was his habit with boys. The basket
hit way Up above his head. Jim then
went out. | could not see him OF
Charley after they went out. After
they went out / saw Mr.. Ferguson
have "A gun IN his hand. Some way or
another the gun went off. and ! heard
Charley Ruuge say that he was shot.
The gun was not 10 the shoulder. Did
not know whether lac pulled the ting
ger. II went oil in his hands. | could
not see Runge. and don't know whether
Ferguson could see him or not. Stan
lev ran IN. and addressing Ferguson.
said: You have shot him. This was
after Rungc had cried out:
GAM SHOT"
Ferguson asked me to help Stanley
pick hun up. / did not hear Ferguson
say he intended to shoot any one.
The Coroner here remarked that ms
reason for asking the question about
Fsrguson's intending To shoot at any
one. was because Ferguson had told
him he said II intend 10 shoot YOU, m
a i,ke. Did not think Ferguson had
any intention of shooting anyone. The
explosion of the gun was a surprise To
me. and Mr.. Ferguson looked surprised
when II went OF. Mr.. Ferguson Is "a
ioviai man. and always running on
with the boys. Every boy who visited
the gallery was fond Of blm. l nave
never seen. him mad with but one boy
vet, and that TOY does not iun with our
crowd.
James Stanley next testified. lie
lives at No. 1902 east Broad street. lie
said that he, young Runge. Charlie
Fisher. Arthur Smith, AMI Spencer
Jackson were in the gallery. A colored
man came i'm and shot twice. MI FER
guson then took the gun and put an
other cartridge IN IL. The colored man
said ne did not want TO shoot any more.
whereupOn Ferguson land the gun on the
counter. Ferguson said 10 u, boy gei
out of here. I'll never make any
money while you are IN here. This was
said in fun. He had little grape Das-
ket under the counter. lie picked 1t
np aud threw il over my head. 1t was
IN fun. lie did not throw It hard.
stopped down and picked mp the basket
intending To throw IT back. Ferguson
reached down as If TO pick up some
Thing. | turned and went out. Every
thing was still IN fun. Charlie
Runge said give the basket and l VIII
throw il back in there. / told HIM II
WAS no use 10 dOlt. | sat down ON the
stone IN front of the door on the curb.
Runge and Charlie Smith went out al
the same time that did. While was
sitting on the stone the gun went OH,
Runge and Charlie Smith were right To-
gether behind the plank. Kunge slapped
both hands TO his breast and mol
lowed I'm shot. ~ thought he
was fooling. He went up the
street about five steps, when Mr.. Doyle
went N the door. Ruuge staggered
back TO the door asd fell. lie layed
there about two seconds hallooinR | IN
shot. got oil The stone and pitched
the basket inside the door. l caught
hold of his hand and said, Get up
Runge; YOU amt hurt much.
lie NEVER SAID ANYTHING
but the remark. I'm shot. l unbut-
toned his vest and saw the blood i
looked up to Mr.. Ferguson and sand,
you We shot him sure enough. aud
MIR. DOYLE picked him up. \ doctor
came in and SAID put him on The
counter. MIR. Ferguson said go FOR
doctor. and the gentleman sand IN
one. then went out and saw no
more. Ferguson could not soc HIM un- I
less Runge's head was pokiug round To-
wards the eide Of the door. tie had no
,pitc; was laughing when he drove Us
)ut. /
Charles Smith cOrroborated most OF /
he above. and said that he Vas stand
pg in front of Runge when the shot
M. ........l flrAtsnrt. |