Evening journal., 1890-07-22
SHOOTING OF WALTER palNKgTT.
Conflicting Accounts OF How he Was
WnIed-Bnrber Pierce Arrsstsd.

WnIed-Barber Pierce Arrested.
Coroner Gamble summoned jury last
evening to inquire into the death of
Walter Prinkett, the little boy who was
killed yesterday by pistol shot ct No.
| 12 East Front street. The following per-
sons were on the jury: Peter A. Fagan,
J.. Clayton Hoffecker, John Wagner,
Henry Crouch. Samuel Wiokershem,
| dugh Newell, James Shields, Philip O.
Jones and John N. Carey
| The following witnesses were exam
ined: Officer Burrows, William A. Pierce,
Dr. II. M. Frist, Henry CULLEN, Peter S.
Blake, H. Goldstein and Susan Russell.
Officer Burrows testified that he was
called by Pierce to the shop, where he
found the body lying near the door he
took possession of the pistol. which he
found in the rear of the counter.
William A. Pierce, the eolored barber,
said that tie boy took the pistol from
/ the drawer and pointed it at Pierce, say
| ing: i will shoot you. On seeing that
the boy had the real and not the toy
| pistol, he at once attempted to take the
weapon away from him, but the boy ran
around the room and before he could Law
hands on him the pistol was discharged.
/ The boy made wide circuit Of the room
and fell near the door
Henry CULLEN, who left the shop Just
! bsfore the shouting, swore that when be
| left the boy was near tbs door.
DR. &. n. First testified thgt lie made
an examination OF tie wound. The bail
struck tho boy under the left shoulder
blade, passed through the heart and came
ont between the third and fourth ribs on
the side.
From the evidence It appears that
| there was g discrepancy in the story
rs told by Pie CO. the barber. The pistol
was found behind the counter ana the
boy lsy near the door The location OF
the wound made it improbable that ii
should be slfinaictod. The pistol would
hsve TO be held at 2 higher level than the
\ boy's shoulder and ia a slantinE direc-
tion, and 1t is gtrsnge that the weapon
should be held in such position.
The jury rendered the following YER
dict This jury finds that Walter
James PrinkotU came to his death from d
pistol shot wonnd received at the hands
Of some persons unknown to the ialy.
| Tha jury also recommends that William
A. Pierce be held in custody for an in.
vestigation of the case BY the grand
jury"
Coroner Gamble gave Pierce into Gus
| tody or OEioar sprrows, who took him tc
the City Hall where he was locked M.
The boay was removed 10 the home oi
his grandmother, No. 4 PIinkett'l
Court
After tho inquest a man named VIII
liam A. Freeny came to Deputy Coroner
| Barnhill and naid Lc had been sitting
on the door step waiting on Pierce fC
| give him some change, when Quiilen LEFT
the shop. Pierce went behind thu conn
ter, drew out the pistol in a careles.
way and evidsntly believing it tc
be unloaded, pointed it st th,
boy, saying: II will shoot you. 2
Immediately the pistol was discharge.
and the boy fell to the hoor Pierc,
then placed the weapon in the drawer
and ran TO raise the fallen boy. Wher
he found he was dying he appeared like
man distracted, and running out callae
0acer Burrows, who arrived on thg
scene in q few minutes This is Freeny'i
story. and 1t is found to coincide with
the testimony Of the witnesses. as til,
ball must have been held on a higher
level than the boys breass
William A. Pierce, tho colored barber
was seen by an EvEzIgG JOURNAL re-
porter this morning, in the lookup a
the City Hall H ct frst said he haC
nothing to add to what be had alread,
said, but on being questioned as TO hov
it was possible for the bullet to pass il
4 downward direction IL the pistol wa
held In the boys own hands
he admitted that he pierce
had also hold OF the weapon
attempting to take it away from the boy
when it was discharged He further
added that he (Pierce) had drawn tb,
boys hand behind his back, in which
position it was when the pistol was dis.
charged. He appeared altogether nike,
up" and told widely conflicting stor,
from that which he told the same re-
porter after the shooting occurre,
yesterday.
On being shown that It would be i'm
possible for the bullet to pass in th
direction il took, If his last story wa
correct. he refused to say anything more
and added that he would tell all befor
the court