Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1892-03-24
Investigated by the Coroner's
Jury Sunday.
YOUNG WALTER SMITH HELD
Full Story of the Fight in the
Pool Room.
Told by Those who Witnessed the I'M
fortunate Occurrence--Snith Committed
and Five Others Held for Appearance
at Court as Witnesses.

x,
Friday night in the pool room of William
Berger on French street above Front.
Waiter Smith, Il youth of 20, living on
east Front street, near Market, is locked up
at the police station charged with the muir
der Of Mcbride.
The story of the crime is that four young
men came into Bergers pool room be-
tween Q and Z o'clock Friday night. Two
Of them, Edward Johnson and Frank
Green, on the formers invitation started
n sparring match. 1t was arranged that
there be no hard striking. The first blow
vas q heavy one from johnson and Green
was felled to the ground. Berger and
Mcbride tried to stop the sparring. The
proprietor went out to call an officer.
Mcbride was unsuccessful in his efforts to
part the men. Meanwhile other young
men had come into the pool room. Walter
Smith and Frank Heal suggested the
sparrers go outside and settle the sparring
match there. They continued, however.
and Mcbride again stepped up and pushed
Johnson aside. smith then picked up a
chair and struck Mcbride over the head.
The latter fell down vomiting and bleed
ing at the nose. After resting n little he
recovered somewhat and Heal and Green
escorted him home.
Information of the occurrence came to
the police station. Detective Witsil, Cap
tain Francis, and Sergeants Ingram and
hand Between o. clock and daylight all
the principals in the ARRAY and all the
necessary witnesses had been arrested
The work of the officers resulted so eff
GENTLY that by 5 u. III. complete evidence
in every particular was i'll their hands.
Those under arrest are Walter Smith,
charged with murder and the following
held rs witnesses: Edward johnson,
William Berger, Frank Green, Frank
Heal, William Mcdonnell, alias ''Monck"
Mcconnell, and William Roberts. Berger
and Heal are now out on bail.
What is noticeable in regard to the sad
incident is the fact that all of those impli-
Gated are young men ranging from is or 10
to % years of age. Captain Francis and
Sergeant Chambers made the arrests of
Smith and johnson and Detective Witsil
and Sergeant Ingram made the other ar
rests.
Word was received at 1 a. m. that
Mcbride had died The attendant physi-
clan, John 9. Fahey, stated as his opinion
that Mcbride died from the effects of the
blow.
AT his boarding house. No. 313 Adams
street, the proprietor, John Arts, tells the
story that young Mcbride came home
about clock. Someone was with him. As
he passed upstairs Mr.. Arts called some
word of greeting, but Mcbride did not an
swer, and supposing that he was NOT well
A son of Mr.. Arts, who occupies the same
room, went to bed at the usual hour. He
was woke up about IL o'clock by the noise
of groans from McBrides direction. A
physician was Immediately sent for. But
at | o'clock, as stated, the young man
died.
On the bedside the dead mans clothing
lay in heap. The reporter took up the
overcoat which is of light grey material.
He discovered two rents in the back, and
also several chalk marks punched upon
| Just such as would be made by the tip of Il
billiard cue and In and around them were
several long chalk marks. All these marks
and the larger OF the two rents were be-
tween the shoulders.
Mcbride came to this city about five
months ago from Camden, Del. Mr.. Arts
telcgraphed the facts To his father.
When young Smith was informed on
Saturday that Mcbride had died he fell
back, throwing up his arms in alarm and
eexclaiming: My God, he amt, is hep
William Berger, the proprietor of the
pool room, made the following statement
on Saturday.
BERGERs STATEMENT.
-Four mon, all strangers to me but one,
Ned Johnson, came into my place between
9 and o'clock last night. The three
strangers started to play pool, while John
son went to the toilet. They had all been
| out together during the afternoon drinking
and playing pool around the city. When
| of the strangers inviting him to spar for
| fun. ] told them did not allow it in my
| place. He says it's only for fun anyway
| The stranger replied, 'Pll spar but don't
hit hard johnson agreed, and then,
With Without paying any heed to the proprietor
| down on the first blow. The other two
| then took up for their friend. | then
| fearing there would be fight 1 sent a
| young man out for an officer. He was
unsuccessful and went out on the Grand
myself. When ! got back johnson and
two other men ran by me up the steps. |
found man sitting on chair vomit-
on either side Of him. Several
other men had meanwhile come into the
] pool room. The two men who ran out
| with Johnson were Frank Heal and
| Walter Smith. | told one of the sick
mans friends that he had better be taken
out into the fresh air and he would revive
| quicker. They took him out. Mcbride,
| who is the man that is dead, walked up
| the steps with n friend on either side sup
| porting him, Before he arose from the
| chair remarked to Mclirides friends that
the first time johnson comes to these pool
rooms I'll have him arrested. Mcbride,
| while still sitting in the chair, exclaimed.
| The first time / meet him I'll lick him.
| did not see who struck the blow that
eventually caused AicBride's death"
Sunday afternoon at the city hall
jury summoned by Coroner Sparks in
vestigated the facts surrounding the
death Of John j.. Mcbride early Satur-
| day morning last with results of YER
| dict that the deceased came to his death
by blow struck by Walter Smith.
Coroner Sparks summoned the fol-
lowing jury: William ii. Quinn, fore
man; Thomas S. Pugh, secretary; John
Crawford, John B. Dunbar, John
Quinn, Stephen Winchester, William
Phillips, Webster Blakely, Joseph Pat
ton.
AT $50 the jury repaired to the resi-
dence, No. BIB Adams, and viewed the
body. The investigation at the city
hall was commenced ut 3 o'clock.
Tho first witness called was coroner's
physician, DIR. Joseph r. Smith, He
| had made q post-mortem examination
of the body. The skull is fractured at
the left temple. An ante-mortem clot
was discovered. The fracture is two
inches down the temporal bone and
there are lateral splinterngs along it.
There Is scar near the right eye but it
is only a scratch. There is no external
wound nor abrasion. The deceased had
very thick hair which probably pre-
vented any external appearance or
mark. ] have no doubt the wound was
the, cause of Mcl3ride's death | saw
him first only this Sunday morning.
BY instruction from the jury all the
witnesses, that IS those who had been in
the pool room that evening, were ex-
/ -. Ii r.. Al. -
confined upstairs and, ono at time, as
! nanand tvoc caiInd down M taet;F,,