Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1889-11-14
DOUBLE MnRnER.

A COi0red Wan hiIis Two Other
ColOred Men in GhesScrJOvn, ND
Special correspondence t Gazette and journal
CHEsTEBTowa, MD, Nov. ga serious
shooting affair occurred in Chestertown
about ii o'clock last night, at negro en-
.ertainment held at Perkins Hall, pub
lic negro entertainment hall of the town.
The greatest excitement prevailed during
all Of last night which has continued
during the day among the negroes OF the
town, and indeed the whole town was
startled at the shooting and instant killing
of two men in the public streets.
Exaggerated rumots were in circula-
ton this morning, but SO far as the evil
dence has been taken at the inquest
which commenced at $3.50 q. M, ard is
not at this writing half finished, the
facts are substantially as follows:
About IL O'Clock last night, while the
entertainment was In progress, Frank
Harris, q coloHed waiter on the steamer
Emma A. Ford of the Chester River Co.,
while in conversation with several other
pegro men, deliberately fired at and killed
AL. Trusty and Edwin Brown.
About 80 witnesses were summoned
and some were lodged in jail. The case
| is a peculiar one since the closest investi-
cation so far has not ELECTED any cause
| for the shooting.
A boy came out of hall and fred two
shots from small pistol which was to be
used in the evenings entertainment,
| whereupon Harris drew n large pistol
and said, "Those are only pops, why
| don't you shoot something that will
] make noise" Harris fred three shots
and the two men fell dead.
Harris Immediately went to his quar-
ters on the steamer, where he was arrested
and then placed in jail.
The pistol cannot be found and Harris
is silent in regard to oil questions, and
refuses to make any statement in regard
to it, and neither scknowled ges or denies
the shooting.
1t is rumored that woman is at the
bottom of the affair, and il ID rather ex'
peoted that several women who are now
in Jail will in their statements cast i'm.
portant light upon the subject.
There is DO doubt as to who did the
shooting. Trusty lived for about II
minutes, and repeated that Harris had
shot him, and when asked whether or moi
it was intentional, could not speak but
shook his head, indicating that it was
intentional.
The witnesses who are yet to be ex
amined are expected to throw important
light upon the subject and to assign
reason for the shooting.
Brown was shot in the forehead crush
ing the skull and fell dead upon the spot
| Trusty was shot between the eighth
and ninth rib and it is thought that tn
ball defiscted and entered the heart.
. -
A further dispatch states that Harris
, the tprlsoner, was seen In his cell Oh
Friday. He was lying on his cot an
seemed to be perfectly calm, replyin
to questions with much deliberation. d
said; 81 went TO the hall with Bob Salter
) John CLANCY, Jim Blake and AL Trusty
The band came about that time. wen
there from the boat, stayed In the hal
till the concert was nearly over. cam
! out and was In the crowd when the shot
I were fired. Irusty was near me when IN
: shots were fred. We were singing at tn
. time. did not see Ned Brown last might
l never had trouble with Trusty, Brown O
: any one else. did not have a pistol las
. night. Tilghman was at the boat when
/ got there. had been drinking but wa
! not drunk, aud knew we'll what was goin
!. on. l heard four shots fred, and 1t sounde
like small pistol. | have been Cd tn
boat four years, and never carry an
At the inquest Friday 20 witnesses wei
v examined. The glst of the testimony ma
4 be found In that Of William Edward Grave
4 as follows: "After AL Trusty. Frank Harrl
y Jim Blake, John CLANCY and Joe Chris
i came out they were drinking and tusselin
A boy ran out OF the hall and fred tv
% shots against the side Of the wall. hmm
K dIately Frank said: That's nothing but
a pop. Why didn't he fire something tn
a would make noise,' and he fired.
"a Trusty was standing with Harris at Il
y time. 1t was bright moonlight. W
within 10 feet OF Harris. he fred the thii
~ and fourth shots in quick succession
Trusty fell after the fourth shot and sal
ID Harris has shot me- Edwin Brown W
l. seen shortly after lying in the road. I
b had made no outcry. Harris, after Il
Il shooting, said In reply to the remark th
~ Trusty is shot, oh, no, they are Just pla
ing monkey msautng Trusty and Brow
The third shot was the one that kill
Brown; the fourth killed Trusty. The m
IN fell about 10 feet apart; Trusty came
en- ward witness, fell and said, Frank b
ie shot me-" Witness lost sight OF Hari
IN after this.
w The verdict OF the jury was that Edw
ID Brown and Alfred Trusty were shot a
n, killed by Frank Harris.