The record-union., 1894-01-03
CHARLES ANTOINE BERG'S DEATH.
The Coroner's Jury Charges It Upon
Thomas Eagan.
No Unexpected Developments Made at
the Inquest-The Prisoner
Was Present.

Coroner Clark last night held an in
quest on the body of Charles Antoine
Berg, who was shot last Wednesday
morning, for which act Thomas Eagan is
under arrest The latter was present at
the inquiry, accompanied by Lawyer
Hiram w. Johnson, but none of the wit
nesses were cross examined. Eagan was
very quiet, and would be one of the last
men selected by stranger among those
present as one who would wantonly shoot
down an innocent person.
The first witness called was Henry
Kemp, the man who was with Borg when
the shooting occurred. lie said he had
lived at the Scroggs building and on X
street, between trcnt and Second. He
had been railroad man, but latterly did
whatever he could get to do. He had
known the deceased, Charles Berg, since
September, when he met MIN at Menke's
hop ranch. He had been with him for
about two weeks prior to the shooting.
They had roomed together. On Monday,
the 25th of December, Berg did not work
because it was Christmas, and on Tues
day he did not work because he had been
drinking. On Tuesday night witness
and Berg slept in a refrigerator car until
near morning, when Berg said he could
not stand the cold, and they went up to
the Lafayette saloon to get warm. There
they met a man (Tom Eagan) who recog
nized Berg as one with whom he had
worked on Il hop ranch some months be-
fore Berg and the witness LETT the
saloon. and l1agan was then on the side
walk. He asked Berg TO 90 up Is street.
near Fourth and Berg asked witness to
go along with them
Arriving at Fourth and K streets,
Eagan said he wished to go to his room,
a few doors above, and asked for match
to strike a light by which to unlock the
door. Berg gave Eagan match, and
then Eagan suddenly presented pistol
ard fired shot at witness, close to his
face. Then he turned and shot at Berg,
and witness ran, but another shot was
fired at him. Witness turned and looked
back and saw Berg sitting on the outer
edge Of the sidewalk, and appeared to be
trying to raise himself up. Fearing that
he would be pursued, witness ran into an
alley, and afterward went to the police
station, where he found Berg lying. He
could not say whether or not Eagan had
been drinking. He appeared TO be sober,
and was III and out of the Lafayette two
or three times while the witness and Berg
were there.
Albert Fuller, bartender at the Lafay-
ette Saloon, could not Identify the body as
that of anyone whom he had ever seen
alive. He knew Thomas Eagan, who
was in the saloon a couple OF times on
Wednesday morning. He left there
about 4:20 o'clock. Witness saw no
pistol in his possession. After going out
the first time he peeped in, and seemed to
be looking for someone.
John Kennedy testified to having been
in the Lafayette on Wednesday morning.
He did not know Berg nor Kemp, but
saw Eagan i'll the saloon that morning.
Eagan treated witness and went out Re-
turning, he had another drink and then
went out. Witness did not see either
Berg or Kemp in the saloon. The shots
We're fired five or ten minutes after Eagan
went out the last time.
Charles Brown, an employe in the rail-
road shops, identified Eagan as person
whom he had seen standing in the door
way adjoining the New York Kitchen, on
X street, at 7:30 o'clock on Wednesday
morning. He acted somewhat Queerly,
and as he walked away witness saw
black handled pistol in his side-pocket.
A Young man named NOnetker testified
that on Wednesday morning he met
Kemp at the Lafayette Saloon, on the
sidewalk. There were two men with him
whom the witness did not know. 1t was
ABOUT I.JU o CLOCK.
Officer George Maley testified that he
was at Second and X streets, in company
with officer Alter, about 4:30 o'clock last
Wednesday morning, when he heard
tour shots fired up X street. He and
Alter FASTENED to Fourth and X streets,
where they found man lying on the
sidewalk with a wound in his neck.
Witness got out his book and wrote down
the mans name, etc., and then made a
search for the person who did the shoot
ing, but without success. He afterWard
visited the Lafayette Saloon and satisfied
himself as TO the identity of the shooter,
whom be arrested on Friday night.
The night before the shooting witness
saw Eagan in the Lafayette Saloon, and
he then had on dark suit of clothes.
When the prisoners room was searched
the pistol found there was on a shelf in
closet, and WAS not secreted.
George X. Rider testified that Eagan is
a brother Of his wife. In the absence of
witness and his wife Eagan was left in
charge of their rooms. The pistol shown
belongs to witness, and was lett on a shelf
in closet in his room.
THE VERDICT.
This concluded the evidence, aud the
Jury found that the deceased came to his
death from the effects of a gunshot wound
inflicted by Thomas Eagan on the morn
ing of the 18th of December