Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-02-05
EDWARD SNOOK' S DEATH.
TESTIMONY REGARDING THE TRAGEDY
TAKEN At THE INQUEST.
Miss WheeIan Denies That There Was
Any Arrangement to Have Chal-
man Whipped.

Coroner CLARK held an inquest last even
in the case Of Edward Shook, who was
shot and killed Monday evening by Peter
Chalman, waiter in the Saddle Rock res
taurant.
An immense throng gathered in the
vicinity of the Morgue, which with diff
Guilty could be kept from crowding into
the examination room.
Chalman was not summoned for exam
iuation, it being his desire not to testify at
the inquest. AS the law gives him this
privilege, no attempt was made to compel
his attendance.
The first witness called was police officer
Ash He testified as follows: lam police
officer. Monday night shortly after 8 o'clock
officer Harvey and myself were standing in
the vicinity Of the Plaza, when we heard
two pistol shots coming from the direction
OF l street. We ran up and found dead
man lying near the sidewalk. Mr.. Brissell
was there, too. holding a man whom he
said did the shooting. Officer Harvey took
charge of the body, and l arrested the man
whom Mr.. BrisselI had. On our way to the
prison my prisoner said he shot in self-de-
Tense, and that he would not have had it
happen for 81 ,000. We passed two women on
our way, and one of them asked me if Ed.
was dead | did not know them at the
time but have since learned that they were
Miss Wheelan and Mrs. Orr. I searched
the man who did the shooting and found
knife upon him. The pistol with which
the shooting was done was found about
twenty-five feet from where the dead man
lay. l did not know who the dead man
was at the timen
In answer to a question from Juror Mr..
Ash said that his prisoner had badly
bruised eye when he arrested him, as
though he had been struck by soma one
The prisoner said he had been struck from
behind.
Officer Harvey gave testimony substan-
italy the same as that given by Mr.. Ash.
John P. Brissell was the next witness.
He testified that he was standing on the
northeast corner of Ninth and 1 streets Mon
day evening, when be was suddenly startled
by two pistol shots. II turned around
quickly" be said, and saw man fall,
across the street, and heard him groan. l
also saw another man, who had apparently
done the shooting, starting to 90 away. l
ran over and caught hold Of him. I asked
him where his pistol was, and he said he
had none. Officer Ash then came up, and
found the pistol in the street. | ac-
companied officer Ash and the prisoner to
the police station, and on the way down
asked the prisoner several questions. He
said he had been struck from behind by
some unknown man, and had shot him in
self-defense. He told me, also, about hav-
ing made an appointment with young
lady, but suspected that she would have
some one there to assault him, so he went
prepared. 1 told him that he was in
pretty bad fix, and he replied that be would
just as soon hang now as any time. Right
after the shots were fired saw two women
run away from the scene, and one of them
hid behind q tree. The prisoner told me
his name was Peter Chairman"
Alfred Heinrich, an engineer, employed
at the fire-hOuse near Tenth and l streets,
testified that he was standing in front of
the engine-house, when he heard two
shots coming from the vicinity of Ninth
and l streets. He ran to the scene as
quickly as ne could and on the way passed
lady who was screaming. "Oh, my God,
Ed. is shotw
Annie Wheelan was then sworn. She
looked very pale and nervous, and gave
her testimony in a scarcely audible voice.
She made the following statement: For
the past two years l have been employed as
cashier at the Saddle Rock Restaurant.
Last evening l was in the vicinity of the
Plaza with Peter Chalman. l had asked
him to meet me there. We walked up 1
street and he was talking angrily to me-
He was walking on the inside of the side
walk. When he had got about in the mid
die of the block he stopped and raised
his hand as if TO strike me. A gentleman
at that moment stepped up, and, putting
his hand on Peters shoulder, said: See
>. ~ ofl J. , 7
heard them seuffling, and saw the gentle
mans hat 60 of. don't know whether
he was struck or not. Then l heard two
shots and the gentleman fell. l was terri
bly, excited, and when l recovered my
senses l saw Mrs. Orr holding the gentle
mans head in her hands. She said: It's
Ed. Shook; he's dead l said: My God,
let's go home We then left"
Did you expect to see Mr.. Shook or
Mrs. Orr there?" asked Coroner Clark.
81 did not" replied the witness. After
leaving the scene I went to the telegraph
office, intending to send for my brother.
changed my mind, though"
In answer 10 further questions Miss
Wheelan said that when Mr.. Shook took
hold of Chalmal he seized him by the two
arms, and seemed to be running him back
ward. Chalman was trying to get at his
pockets in front and kept saying, "Wait a
minute Wait minute ~
Mrs. Mary Orr was the next witness. She
said that she and Mr.. Sncok were walking in
the vicinity of the Plaza Monday night when
She saw lady walking ahead of them on
! street, whose figure resembled that of
Miss Wheelan. Il said TO Mr. Shook, she
continued, that the lady looked like my
friend, Miss Wheelan. He said, Yes, it
does We agreed that we would catch up
with her and were walking fast, when we
saw g man Join her. We said we would
walk by and if we knew the gentleman
would stop and speak with them. Pres
emily we saw the man acting strangely and
talking loudly. l said TO Mr.. Shook: They
appear 10 be having trouble He replied,
Yes; let's hurry up We had reached
very near them, when we saw the man
raise his hand es if to strike her. Mr..
Shook Immediately stepped forward quick
", and, putting his hand on his left
shoulder. said, What are you doing?' or
something like that The man then struck
Mr.. Shook, knocking his hat off. Mr..
Shook then caught hold of the mans arms,
and ran him backwards. The man said,
Watt man. then / heard a shot. saw
Mr.. Shocks arm go back and then forward,
as if striking the man, and saw the latter's
hat go of. Then heard the second shot
and Mr.. Shook fell to the ground dead
Mrs. Orr denied positively that she had
any previous arrangement with Miss
Wheelan to bring Mr.. Shook to the Plaza.
1t was a purely accidental meeting. Just
prior 10 seeing Miss Wheelan she said Mr..
Shook asked her if he could smoke. She
gave her consent, aud volunteered to carry
his overcoat Tor him while he was lighting
his cigar. She wss still carving it when
they came upon Miss Wheelan and Chal-
man. about O'Clock last evening" she
said, "Mr. Shook and I were engaged in
conversation on the back porch of my
house on l street, when Miss Wheelan
came in and asked me for her purse. She
always let's me keep her money for her.
We talked for a few minutes and then she
started to leave. I said, What's your
hurry? She replied that she had an en-
gagement. We did not ask her where nor
with whom she had the engagement. We
did not know which direction she took, and
were surprised TO meet her afterward when
we went out for a walk"
The statement Ct DR.. Nichols, who per-
formed the autopsy on the remains, was
read to the jury, after which the case was
submitted.
THE VERDICT.
After short elaboration the jury rend-
cred the following verdict