The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1894-09-06

THE FATAL SHOT FIRED BY ADAM
NORRIS, COI.ORED.
Verdict of Coroner's Jury Was That
He Shot in SelfDefence-Baried
in the Strangers Graveyard

! Verdict of Coroner's jury Was Tha,
He Shot in selfDefence-Baried
in the Strangers Graveyard
| Daily Sentinel, Saturday, Sept 1st
Edward G. Bryan, one of the mana
gers in Griffith g. Bohannon's tobacco
! factory, met with a sad death about
1880 last night.
He was shot by Adam Morris, col
ored, in the latter's house on II street.
The fatal ball was fred from shot
gun and entered tn e left eye. passing
| through the brain.
When a SENTINEL representative
| reached the scene of the tragedy,
about 30 minutes later, the body had
| not been touched but was lying on it's
right side just as it fell when the fatal
shot was fired, across the door between
the front room and shed.
DR.. Bynum was summoned as soon
as possible and arrived soon after the
reporter. He turned the body with
face up, but did not make any exami-
nation. A glance was sufficient to
SHOW that death was instant.
The bed in the room was diSar-
ranged, showing that it had been occu-
pied, and part Of the bedding was on
the floor.
Adam Morris, the negro who COM
mitted the deed, gave himself up to
the officers and was lodged in Jail to
await developments.
The coroner summoned a jury and
visited the scene before the body was
removed at an early hour this mOru-
ing to the residence of the dead mans
mother, Mrs. E. r. Bryan, near the
cemetery.
The details as to the cause of the
unfortunate affair &ere revealed in
the cOroner's court which convened at
10 o'clock. The verdict of the jury
was that the deceased came to his
death by gun shot. fired by the hand
of Adam Morris, in defense of his per-
son and home. Morris was given his
gun and set free.
A number of witnesses were exam
ined. The defendant and his wife
also went on the stand. Some of the
principal witnesses were DR.. John By
mum, the attending physician, Will
Thornburg and Wood Richmond.
Also the following colored witnesses:
Jim Patrick, driver for Griffith & Bo-
hannon, Tom Roberts, Will Edwards,
Ed King. Laura Crump and Francis
Green.
DR.. John Bynum testified as to the
condition of the body when he was
summoned.
The gist of the evidence by All wit
pesses was that Bryan had been drink
ing yesterday afternoon and was rath-
er wild" He went to old man Nor
ris' house and demanded admittance
which was repeatedly refused. The
demands were made in a very insolent
and abusive manner.
He declared that he would burst
open the door and kill Morris with
yard paling which he carried in his
hand. Bryan did break open the
door, rushed into the room and receiv,
ed the fatal shot.
The evidence of Jim Patrick, color
ed, revealed the most definite particu-
lars. He testified that he was with
Ed. Bryan, (deceasedl, his brother
Bob, Will ThOrnburg aud Wood Rich
mond, last night soon after the arriv
"a of the 9:15 O'Clock Southern train.
Ed was very boisterous and unman-
ageable and the boys were trying to get
him back up town. Thornburg had
been called in passing to assist the
other two. They began to quarrel
and Ed. became abusive Bob Bryan,
Will Thornburg and Wood Richmond
left Ed. and Patrick (the witness)
alone.
ed. Bryan, the deceased" said the
witness, went on toward Adam Nor
ris' house, commanding me to follow
him. At the gate he picked up pal
| ing and stepped upon the porch. He
| knocked at the door, commanding
| that 1T be opened. Morris refused to
| open the door. Bryan declared that
he would break open the door and il
he did have to he would beat h out
Of him (Morris). He also used very
| admittarce. Mr.. Bryan broke open
the door and rushed toward hack
room through which Norris fired the
shot as Bryan was attempting to
force the inner door OPEN"
| Patrick testified that he got assist
ance and went in to see what had beer
done. He then went after doctor.
1t appeared in evidence that the
house was occupied by two young
negro me1, Tom Roberts and Will
Edwards, in addition to Morris ano
his wife. There was also young
girl there from Wilmington. Roberts
and Edwards were sent by Morrl:
for an officer when the disturbance firs1
began. The two women ran uu
through the back lot as soon as Bryan
began his efforts to push open thu
front door, and old man Morris wa
left alone.
Adam Morris is about SO years ole
and suffers from neuralgia of th'
| uCdI LIS dIUOI uCJ, SIClhCDu uAhhAy
proved for him an excellent characte
by the testimony of Messrs. f.
Brown, j. @. Bessent. Frank Martin
DIR. r. H. Hay, j. w. Bradford, J. J
Adams, j. p. Stanton and w. II
Woodward.
Ed. Bryan was about % years ol'
and has resided in this city for quit
number of years. His employers
Messrs. Griffith & BOhannOn, say tina
he was splendid tobacconist and j
every way truSt-wOrthy-his Onl
!. drawback" being that he would G
, off on a spree whenever there was an
special event in town.
, The coroner's jury that ''sat i
Judgment" this morning was CON
posed Of the following gentlemen
1T. w. Nading, S. 0. GoOde, w. II
White, ]. 0. White, Jerry Recpas
and E. 0. Curtis. p. w. DaltO
served as coroner.
The court room was thropged wit
spectators eager to catch the test
mony of the various witnesses.
Tue remains Of Mr.. Bryan weT
buried at $50 this afternoon in TIL
strangers" graveyard, between tn
| Moravian graveyard and Salem cen
i, etery.
The Coming Man.