The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-11-22
THEY DOUBT EDITH'S STORY.
AN INQUEST WILL BE HELD IN THE
CASE OF MAMIE JACKSON.

District Attorney Cutler Has Ordered mn
observation-disclosures Park People Do
Not Believe the Child Killed Herself
Tho mysterious shooting OF nine-year-old
Mamie Jackson at Lincoln Park. New Jersey.
on Saturday. Is going to DO Investigated Ma
milo was buried yesterday afternoon without
an inquest although nearly every one In the
town felt convinced that she had not killed
herself.
Willard Cutler. tho District Attorney OF Nor
ris county has determined to look into the
matter. and to-day. acting under instructions
from him. Coroner lIuehson Of Morris county
will visit Lincoln Park and investigate the
cause OF Mamies death. IL necessary. the
BODY will be cxhumed and nm autopsy made.
Edith Sloat. In the kitchen Of whose home
Mamie was shot. still insists that Mamie shot
herself. and she tells her story precisely in the
same way that sho did on Saturday when the
neighbors gathered ut the Sloat house. where
Mamie lay dead.
The kitchen. where the shooting occurred,
Is about twelve by ton feet. NAMES body
was lying on tho opposite side OF tho kitchen
from the door when Charles Hcnning. one OF
the neighbors. who was on tho SPOT few
minutes after tho shooting. saw it. There
was a gaping wound In the left temple.
where tho load OF No. shot had en-
tered. and this wound was not discov-
cred until the body was raised from the floor.
for the girl lay with the left side Of her head
on the floor in pool Of blood. Tho gun was
about twelve feet away on tho porch Just out.
side OF the open door. whore Edith says she
dropped 1t after dragging 1t from where 1t lay
near Mamie.
Edith's story is that she was sweeping out
the kitchen. and the gun. which was loaded.
was in the corner near the door. on the other
side OF tho room from where Mamie's body
was found. Tho gun. an oldfashioned single
barrelled breech loader. weighing about eight
pounds. had been left in thu corner by Mr..
sloat. who had loaded 1t a few days before to
shoot a hawk which had threatened his
chickens. The paper shell which he had put
into the chamber was stuck fast and he
couldn't get it out. He stood the gun in the
corner. thinking the hawk might be around
again and 1t would be u good plan to have the
Edith knew the gun was loaded. and when
nor little companion. who was the only one in
th hs Ss Hs fa could
there, Edith says she told Mamie not to touch
1t as 1t was loaded.
suddenly heard tho gun explode behind her.
She looked around. AMI saw Mamie lying on
@ SGE yin hf stdI 9w the nss ns
close to the dead girl. and sho dragged it away
and out to the door before going around to the
door Of Miss Hogan rooms.
Edith tells this story in q strn!Ehtforward
way. but there is strong circumstantiui evil
dence that Mani. did not kill herself. The
His neghbors say that when the gun is fired
1T mark three or four feet away all the shot
would enter circle with diameter Of an inch
and y hall. Several scattering shot were
charge entered her lett temple. but one OF the
shot was found in t he middle o. her nose and
others in the forehead. several inches away
The gun was heavy. and If Mamie, took it
from the corner to the other side OF che room
she must have dragged the stock along. the
floor. II it was discharged as she held it the
charge would haro PASSED upward: but tho
rhyscians who exam ined, the wound say that
That means that tho gun must have been held
in q horizontal position when 1t exploited;
Close by the body when it was found lay
knife and partly pared apple. which had owl
DENLY been in hIamie's hands bei3:s she was
drag the gun away. ii is argued that she would
have laid tho apple and knife on the table close
f y ns on 11
the Sppl L and knife would drop from her hands
blows t and tRsso who Eth te ers
say that Mamie must have had her right hand
sens tho In" aG S of the hSn is sS ID i
With her, and sons Of the the blood which
probably have spnttcred upon 1t. Instead OF
that the gun was perfectly lean when found.
that II tho gun was Tired across the room the
shot would have scattered in about the way
that the wounds in NAMES face and hand
There are some who think that the shot was
fred at Mamie from tho spot whore, the gun
There was no smoke in the, room when the
rooms occupied by Miss Hogan are separated
. nm n
explosion to nor did not sound unusual. as it
would have done if it had occurred in the mar
daughter did not i i'll herself. .
.hiI viii toll YOU he said ,I lat night. how
sons the floors and When she ca Mae to The gum
she piGked up and Wheeling around aimed
told to shield herself. do not believe that
Edith intended to deliberately murder my
=. Edith E. Il, was asked Yesterday how she knew
She aHswcred wien "o 1e IS. Tr 'pt on
SUNDAY she said that she didn't know any
coul ID have exploded SO easily. she said it was
cooked; Mr.. Sloat thought il probable that he
na6 eft ne Gun with the h up Sme
and would not have left the hammer up. cs-
pecial,y when he had not drawn the charge.
startled the neighhorhool a few weeks ago hy
the country ut a ckless speed. Mr.. jackson
said Inst night that the reason helShad
forbidden Edith to come, TO his house any
more was on account Of the trouble she had
made: At her last visit she chased some Of
jump fence. which Mr.. jackson said wasn't
good for the cows.
On Saturday morning she came after Mamie
and coaxed her to go around to her IEdiths)
house and help her with the chores. Miss
Hogan saw them from one Of her windows go
around the corner and en- err the house. and
she Ia sure that it was not five minutes later
when she heard tho discharge OF tho gun.
Judge Herrick Decides Against George II.
Bush.
ALBANY. NOY cl.-IudCa Harrick fn.dny