Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1891-01-02
Dlstssss.ng and Fata! !a.scident.
a YOUNG CADET KILLED BY THE EXPLO-
SION OF A COMPANION IS PISTOL.

a YOUNG CADET KILLED BY THE EXPLO-
SION OF A CoMPANIoN's PISTOL.
A sad accident, the first that has occurr-
ed at the Staunton Male Academy, took
place there last Saturday afternoon
about 2 O'Clock. James w. Whit
worth, cadet from Sulphur Springs,
Texas. aged seventeen, was sky
larking with A. K. Hathaway another
cadet from Dennison, Texas, aged fifteen,
and presented pistol at him which he
thought was empty. 1t was the old story
all the chambers but one were empty, but
the fatal one had a bullet in it. The fol
lowing is the story given by the witnesses
at the inquest held by DR.. G. S. Walker,
coroner, and before a jury composed of
Messrs. J. w. Splitter, E. w. Stewart. J. M.
Johnston, Jno. 3. Hoge, W. M. Eake and
Thos. A. Dawson:
| d. II. Stokes, cadet, sworn-I am ten wears
old, and student at Rabies School. saw
the shooting. was coming out of Holstein S
room. Mr.. Jim Whitw0rth had a SiX-shooter
pistol. They were playing with each other.
WhitWorth was clicking the pistol. Hatha-
way was standing in front OF Mr. Whitworth' 8
door. Whitworth was standing in his door.
They were standing in the same door face to
face. Whitworth was playing with him, and
| clicked the pistol at him four Or five times
and the last time it went off. Hathaway fell
as soon as he was shot l left the instant
! after he was shot. They were both laughing
and playing at the time. l think it was an
accident.
S. Hoistein, cadet sworn. Am student at
Rabies school. Am sixteen and half years
old. was in my room and heard a noise and
coming out into the hall saw Mr.. WhitWoTth
playing with pistol. 1t was a Colts revol-
yer, to judge from the long barrel. Heard
Whitworth clicking the pistol and talking to
Hathaway, but don't exac ly know what he
was saying. l next saw Hathaway run into
Kennels room. Not thinking of anything
rose, went to the front part of the hail..
Was standing there moment when l heard
the shot. Turned around in an instant and
locked and saw hathaway in the act of fall
ing-his knees appearing to give way. 1 didn't
hear him say anything. The last thing | saw
him do was to wave his hand three times. His
face got very black and a stream of blood
came out Of the wound in his face. [ didn't
know he was dead until L returned to my
room. These young men were friends and
were on the best terms. | am positive it was
an accident. WhitwOrth looked like he was
taking cartridge cut of the pistol at the time
Hathaway went to Kennels room. The pistol
looked empty as far as | saw@of it. When
sake come and help me; this boy is shot,
Saw Hathaway run across into my room.
WhitwOrth was running after him and looked
as if he had a roach in his hand and was
going to put it on him. Hathaway grabbed
hold of me. told him to let go, which he
did. Whitworth who had been standing in
the hall went into his room. l was in the
hall and saw him raise up his mattress and
take out pistol. Then [ went back in my
room. When was in there | heard a pistol
shot. 1 stuck my head out of the door and
saw Hathaway fall. Whitworth went back
in his room and looked as if he put the pistol
back in its place and then came out of the
down the hall. Then he tried to pick up
Hathaway didn't hear them say anything.
They were both playing. Both were laughing
when Hathaway came to my room minute
or two before the shot. AS far as l know they
were on very good terms. | know of no rea-
son for them to have unfriendly feelings to
each other. l ran past Hathaway as he was
lying on the floor. and came down to tell
Capt. Terry. By the rules of the school fire.
arms are prohibited 1t has not been custom
airy for the boys to carry firearms.
Or. y: 81: r. Gs5son.-I have examined the
wound in the face of young Hathaway, The
ball entered about the middle of the right
cheek and passed just back of the back tooth
of the upper jaw bone, and passed on through
the base of the brain, fraciuring the skull on
the opposite side just back of the ear. There
was profuse bleeding from the wound where
the ball entered, and from the left ear. The
suited in very short time. The marks of
exploded powder are on his cheek, showing
that the muzzle of the pistol was very near
the cheek. The young man who is said to
have had the pistol in his hand at the time of
the shooting, is now in very Frustrated con-
Edition and could not now be properly exam
ined by the jury.
z. Ierry.-I am teacher at Kable's school
and have charge of the military department
and of the building in which the accident &C
CURED. | reached Halfway a few moments
after he was shot. He did not speak, up to the
time of his DEATH ASfar as | am able to
! Judge the relations between the two young
men were friendly. There is nothing within
MY knowledge to lead me to believe that this
was anything but an accident It is rigidIv
against the rules of the school for the boys to
have firearms in their possession
The coroner's jury gave as it's verdict
that the death Of young Hathaway was
''purely accidental By Geographic di-
rections from his family in Texas, the body
was sent by the G. & 0. Ry. to Illinois to
their old family home before they removed
to Texas. Y Dung Whitworth who was so
Frustrated by grief that anodynes had to be
administered to him, has returned home to
| Texas with his mother, who was boarding
at the kalorama here in order to be near
| her son. Capt. kable had two official
| transcriptions Of the evidence and finding
of the cornoner S jury made, to be sent to
the parents Of each Of the parties to the
tragic accident.
|