The record-union., 1891-03-02
WHAT DOES IT MEAN
The Verdict of the Jury in the sesma
Inquest Causes Surprise.
They Profcssed Not to Know Who Shot
Young Sesma-The Witnesses
Were There.

considerable comment was heard on the
streets yesterday regarding the remarlla-
bic verdict rendered by the Coroner's
Jury Saturday night at the conclusion Of
the inquest in the case of little Yilopa
Sesma, who was shot and killed by
playmate named Cyrus Meyers.
As stated in the SUNDAY UNION, the
jury's verdict was TO the effect that death
resulted from a pistol-shot wound in the
forehead fired from n pistol ''in the hands
of some party to the jury unknown"
Surprise is generally expressed that the
identity of the party who did the shooting
should be unknown, or that it was not
presented to the jury, when as a matter
of fact it was well known that the
Meyers boy was in the custody of the
police, and had made complete state
ment of his side of the afflir-all of which
had been
FULLY PUBLISHED
In the newspapers. Persons to whom
the Meyers boy had made this statement
were in attendance ut the inquest, but it
appears they We're not called upon for any
information regarding the matter. The
Meyers boy had stated to the police and
newspaper reporters that he killed the
Sesma boy accidentally. At the inquest,
however, he was represented by an at
torney. but upon the latter's advice-the
law permitted it, however-did not re-
peat the statement. But there were plenty
of other witnesses present who could
have enlightened the jury regarding
Meyers story.
Besides. neither the District Attorney
nor the City Attorney were present at
the inquest TO care for the interests of the
people.
Sufficient testimony could have been
had which would have enabled the jury
to determine at least who did the shoot
ing, even if the jury was unable to agree
as to whether the killing was accidental
or intentional.
As the result of the verdict, the Meyers
boy has been discharged from custody.
The jury was composed OF the follow
ing-named persons: q. y. Royal, Robert
Webb. c. II. Ingham. q. w. Nielsen, w.
f. Ward, Thomas kirkpatrick, c. NJ.
Cornell, J. Brandt, c. SCHNEIDER, 7. L.
Clark and G.. L. Watson.
THE POLICE PARALYZED.
81 think il was outrageous the way the
inquest was conducted last night" said
Captain Lee to RECoRD-UNIoN reporter
yesterday. Il was surprised when l
learned of the strange verdict of that jury,
and / don't hesitate to say it was a loose
way of handling such case. The idea of
two OF the jurymen leaving the room
NullS Inc lSSllillOlly was DellS taken,
seems to me TO be a strange way of eX-
ainining into the facts of an affair that
might probably turn out TO bea murder"
Chief Drew was equally indignant, but
remarked that nothing more could be eX-
pected from jury composed, for the
most part, of boys
81 wanted TO testify to the fact that the
Meyers boy had made a confession to
me- said the Chief, ''but was told to wait
until the boy himself was examined as Il
witness. l waited, and when | learned
that he was not going TO be required to
testify [ went away. Even the bare state
meut from any OF us, who had heard the
confession of the Meyers boy, would have
been sufficient TO locate the person who
did the shooting"
The witnesses who testified at the in
quest Were Chief Drew, Captain Lee, Off
Ger Wagner, Ramon Sesnla, the father of
the boy, Francisco REYES, the Spaniar,i
who claimed to have seen the shooting,
and George, Louis and Josie Meyers.
Lincoln White acted as counsel for Cyrus
Meyers.
To CONTRADICT REYES.
The testimony of the Meyers girl and
the two brothers was introduced for the
purpose of contradicting the story Of the
Spaniard, who Swore that ne saw the
little Meyers boy hunting with shotgun
about four hours before he shot and killed
the SeSma boy.
All three swore that Cyrus was at
school, and that Louis Meyers, who is
about q foot taller, was the one who was
out hunting at the time mentioned by the
Spaniard. They al agreed, however, that
several hours atterward, or about the
time the Sesma boy was shot, Cyrus was
not at home.
Josie Meyers said she heard the four
shots, and afterwards saw her brother
Cyrus come into the house hurriedly and
put the pistol in the drawer of the bureau.
The father OF the deceased swore that
he heard the shots, and found his boy
lying on the ground with bullet-hole in
his forehead. He also found several
empty cartridges at his feet.
Officer Wagner testified TO having ar
rested Cyrus Meyers about O'Clock in
the evening. The first time he called al
the house he was not at home, but on Wis
iting the place an hour or SO later he
found the boy.
The statement of DIR. Nichols was read.
The bullet was located in the back of the
head of the deceased, and upon entering
the forehead had ranged downward
through the brain. The doctor gave it as
his theory that the pistol could not have
been within three feet of the Sesma boys
head when it was discharged, as there
were no powder marks on the face of the
deceased or on his hat, the rim of which
was penetrated by the bullet.