The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1889-04-16
HEDRICK IN A HOLE.
THE coRoNER's JURY FAILS TO
REACH A VERDICT.
A Select Number of Witnesses Examined
Before Justice Garvin Yesterday AT
ternoon, in Which Friends of Both
Parties In Interest Are Represented.

Parties in Interest are hepresenteo'
Tho adjourned sitting of the Coroner's
Jury of INQUEST over Thomas Corcoran, shot
nv Policeman Hedrick Saturday evening,
from which death resulted Sunday morning,
took place at 4o'clock yesterday afternoon
at Justice Garvin's office.
1t was in no sense preliminary hearing
in the case, as Judge DuBose, of the Criminal
Court had issued an order the effect oil
which was 10 prevent a proceeding OF TINS
kind.
Prior to tho investigation, Assistant
Attorney General Notebooks, who repre-
sentcd the State, addressed the jury in refer
ence to the order of Judge DuBose TO hold
Sergeant Hedrlck in custody for action Of
the Grand Jury, and cited section O. 1853 Of the
code as TO the duties of Coroner's Jury.
1t was decided by the jury to put the wit
nesses under the rule, and all withdrew after
being sworn, except
DIR. L. MILES wILLETT,
who testified to his being the attending physician.
lie was standing at the clubhouse when the hrst
pistol shot was heard and, leaving Mrs. Willeu In
the company OF a gentleman friend, went over to-
ward the scene OF the shooting. On his way over
he heard several other reports, and when he got
there found tom Corcoran lying on the gmss, sui.
fering from an ugly wound In the abdomen, leit9i
gave him a hypodermic injection Of whlskey, aud
had Stanlcy's ambulance telephoned for which
conveyed the wounded man TO - Josephs hos,
another hypodcrmc Injection OF morphine.
which he told the Sister " charge
morning be called again, in company with DR..
Rogers. They intended TO probe for the bulsi.-a--
but found Cochran sinking and he died AZ II a. m.
between the elbow aud wrist and another In tho
right thigh but the wound In the abdomen was
the immediate cause OF his death. Before he died
he told the Doctor that Pat Koran shot him, but
when told that he must be mistaken IN this, re-.
piled: Perhaps ] nm." Witness couldn't tell II
The same sized ball made all three wounds except
by cutting them out Corc0nn talked with great
difficulty prior tOdeoth
ED. coRCoIAx.
I live on Poplar street. am brother Of Thomas
Corcorln, who was killed. / witnessed part OF tho
shooiing did not see all the shots fred saw He'd.
rick lire the last dischnrse; ! was about forty feet
away from him when he fired. and looking at him;
no one was holding my brother he was standing
Capt. Ollayer was holding meat the time couldn't
say how near Hedrlck TO my brother but
pretty close; my brother made no enott 20 shoot
how the affair started, nor do know how Il ended
had no difficulty with ncdrick. AZ this point
in the testimony the witness asked. What does
all this meanl i IL necesstry' lie said he didn't
want to be bothered Just at this time, but was told
the nature OF the Investigation and proceeded.
"My brother fell nj the last shot Hedrick was not
directly In front OF my brother rather 10 his side:
| they were not face 10 face my brother made no
effort 10 shoot any one"
SERGEANT KORAN.
saw the difficulty aud I saw the shooting lint
followed: saw two shot hrrd heard one I did not
sec; Corcomn wns shot By scrgt llcdrick; was on
| the grand stand, jn,t after the last race, whom
heard racket; ran over 10 the gate whore the fight
/ was saw MOfctt with blood on his face. when |
7 they "A
twccn them; said 10 one ui Them, laying my hanl
on his arm that didn't want tosec any mon us,-
Ing iust then heard "a voice the outside cry out
| If know YOU. YOU So Of b. lloran,' aui then
| Tom Corcorau came around aud drew his pistol;
began TO back aud Corcorln hrcd at nae; iurncl
| and went out the gate aud around uiu Ticket oMcei
another slot was fred / fell but sol up again.
| saw III COrcuran coming through the gate attn "a
| pistol IN his hand. OliVcr came up and caught
him: felt sur that IIayer had him a. hc caught
| him from lchlnd. Hclnl K came w nitd
/ he and Oilayer had hold OF td lledlics
/ had hold OF Ella hand With the pht0l In a. Tom
/ C9FcOau came out with pistol pointed az us;
| HcdrCk lc' 10 Ids hand and nan around nud
started Tor lomi t9ey NsIe leelils vaen 9ih,r anu
sappOsc fcdfirk Cred 10, couldn't zee u be did did
| zee other two shots nrcd. both were intended for
| Tom. lie was iacng llcduck aud had his arm
inclined really 10 shoot Tom did tot shoot outside
| the park. didnt know him. ] laid him on tho
crass after he was thot; bis pistol had Two enl -
Capt olIaycrs testimony oorroboratod that q
HordnA
JOHN FISHER
was sitting In the rear seat Of the last car tho
| Dummy line when the shooting tOuk place. lie
| said. 1 saw Hcdrck aud Oliavcr struggling
! with q man: OHaycr held him. liedrlck mn
around them after Tom had gone ii,iio piec,e
| or risc of ground, Hednck nred az him thrce
tines moving little before each report they
| were not morc than i2or n feet apart Corcofnn
was standing silll and faced IIodflck. Corconn
/ held his hands down. didn't see pistol ~ his
hands. Ia made no demonstration; | thought u
| strange that he did not rctnrn the mt IRE He'd
rick seemed 20 take deliberate aim, a. u looking
for marx u hit dldnt sce him iall had
Nh Arthur Merriinsn, who sat with Mr. usher
on the same scat In the dummy car, cafr0bonied
his testimony
nm. GorTmELF
saw greater part Of the shooting. he couldn't go
Il all or running. as Just about that time he con-
sdcicd digit The af Of discretion aud left Tor the
shelter of a dummy car His testimony wns that
Tom corcoran had his pistol pointed al Hedrirk
When llcdrick trcd.
AMBROSE MoTFETT
didn't seem 10 know much, except the TACT that
thcrc Wa shooting done, which be heard ~ he wa.
going d5Nn the Memphis a Charleston llailrOad
JOHN o'LEARY
saw tho whole affair. inside the grounds aud on
the OutHldc, and he proved n valuable witness for
those who hold that lIcdrlck shot Corooran In self
defense.
ARTHUR TAYLOR
wns out nt the races aud look the shooting In. Ills
testimony corrspondcd with that 81 O'liaycr,
Iiomn, Oieary aud Goithclf but the surprise was
when he said be believed one oi the shots hrgd Into
C0rroan was IRON the pistol ~ the hands a.
party Ia the crowd, but who that party was no
didn't know.
COULDN'T AGREE. 4
After hearing all this testimony. whicI
consumed nearly three hours, the Jury 20
tired. Tor two hours the seven struggled
for a verdict, but could not reach a unani-
nous conclusion. About 10 o'clock nm adj
ioummrnt was taken. Five Of the members
were for pronounoing Il clear case of official
duty and sclf-lofensc. the remaining two
standing for a contrary verdict
DEFENSE or TnE coRcoRASs.
The Hon. II. A. Odlum stated 10 an ArrEAL
reporter yesterday that the chasing OF the
two Corcorlns as hoodlums was unjusiiha-
bic lie had. he said, known both Of them
for year., aud was unable 10 recall any act
or word Of thciS that could give them such
q nainc. They were sober, steady, reliable
IN business and the other relations Of life,
aud Of n quiet disposition that oven rem
dcrcd u difficult TO get them into pardona.
bic turmoils incident TO political campaigns.
Mr. Odlum says lac has seldom met better
| vounu mon. nil tltiuus rouailprpl