The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1894-11-16
CHARGED With MURDER
Sensational Sequel to the Killing at
Washington Court House, O.
VERDICT OF THE ooRoNER's JURY.
The Shooting by Militiamen at the Mob
of Wouid-bo Lynchers Is Declared to
Have Been Wholly UnJustifable, and
Colonel Colt In Held Liable.

The Shooting by Militiamen ut the Mob
of would-be Lynchers Is Declared to
Have Been Wholly UnJustifable. and
Colonel Colt In Held Liable.
WASHINGTON G. H., Nov. I6-Coroner
James NJ. Edwards, of this city, began his
inquest on the five persons who were shot
In front of the court house in this place on
the night Of Oct II, two or three days
after the occurrence, and obtained the tes-
timony of ninety witnesses 1t was
quite surprise to many of the citizens
when they learned that the coroner had
returned his verdict yesterday, as it was
generally understood that the verdict
would be withheld until Colonel A. B.
Colts testimony could be obtained: The
following is Coroner Edwards verdict:
After having viewed the bodies and
heard the evidence, / do find that the de-
ceased, Smith, WEIGH, MacJ ohnson, Jesse
Judy, William A. Sans and Theodore Am
norman, came to their death by being
struck while in front Of the court house on
the evening Of Oct. 10, 1894, with leaden
balls, fired from the interior of the court
house In Washington Court House, by
state national guards, who were under
command of James II. Cook, as sheriff of
Fayette county, and A. B. Colt, as colonel
of the Fourteenth regiment Of Ohio Ma
tional Guards; and do find that at the
time of firing by the guards there was no
imminent danger of serious destruction of
property or of harm to anyone inside the
court house, or the remotest danger Of the
prisoner, William Dolby, colored, being
rescued from the custody of Sheriff Cook"
Up to this time the common pleas court
has not impaneled any special grand jury
to consider the case Of Colonel Colt and
Sheriff Cook. The regular term of the
common pleas court will not be held till
the first week In January, 1896, and it Is
not known whether the case will be de-
ferred until then or taken up at once.
The coroner has turned over all testi-
mony taken in the inquest, and his YER
dict, to the prosecuting attorney, and the
action Of the court is now awaited with
intense interest. 1t is said that in case In
dictments are found against Colt and
Cook there will be change of venue, and
the trial be held in some other county. The
widely circulated story that Colonel Colt
would have been in any manner mis-
treated in case he had come here to testify
is absurd, as the city has long since re-
sumed its normal condition, and no at
tempt to annoy the colonel is even dreamed
Of. There is no disposition among citizens
to interrupt the course of the inquest, and
Colonel Colt would have received respect
full consideration i ust as any other witness.
OF course it is well known that the pris-
oners held on charges for murder in the
first degree are not eligible to bail, and
Colonel Colt, who was assistant adjutant
general of Ohio under Governor Camp
bell, and Sheriff Cook, also a prominent
citizen, will be compelled to be locked up
fill they come to trial