The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-08-03
.ABOY SHOT DEAD BY A WOMAN
MS SLAYER A DAUGHTER or BRIG.
GEN. FLAGLER

He " as III OAu anu SNeAlNn&
Fruit in Her Garden When shot
She Claims She Did Not Intend to
Hit Him, but Only Fired TO Fright
en- Him-She Surrenders 10 the PO-
lice. But the COroner'x Jury Ex-
onerates Her.
Washington, Aug. 2.-NIiss Elizabeth
Flagler, daughter of Brig. Gen. Daniel w.
Flagler, chief of ordnance. United States
army. shot and killed colored youth
named Ernest Green. who she detected
stealing fruit at the suburban residence
OF her father about noon to-day and was
discharged by the coroner's jury this even
ing on the ground that the homicide was
uuintentional.
No tragedy of recent years in Washing
ton has caused such a sensation, or been
fraught with more immediate excitement
IN the neighborhood Of it's occurrence. The
residence of Gen. Flagler is in the north
western section of Washington on Cali
sornia avenue. and the grounds surround
ing it have been carefully cultivated for
the production of fruit and flowers, and
this attraction was the indirect cause of
well as those of many who live in the
same suburban section of the city. have
been frequently despoiled by youths, ana
in many cases adult men to an extent
that has tried the patience of the prop
erty owners. and to-day a sad culmina-
ton was reached when Miss Flagler, who
is between % and 30 years of age. saw
some one engaged in breaking the branches
and gathering fruit from one of the trees
in their garden.
A demand to leave the premises not be-
ing at once complied with. the lady, with
out, it is asserted by herself and her
friends, any further intention than to
frighten away the intruder, discharged the
contents of an army revolver in the direc-
ton Of the plunderer. The bullet ploughed
through the boy, who was Is years of age,
and his death followed on the instant. The
shots brought the police, and the body
Of the boy was found.
Miss Flagler at once left the house, and
her parents being absent from the city on
summer pleasure trip, sought Capt.
shaler, also of the ordnance department,
L. S. A., and accompanied by him, prompt
ly proceeded to the Office of Maj Moore,
the chief of police, and surrendered herself
10 the civil authorities. A police ampu-
lance had been summoned to take away
the yet unidentified body and large
crowd, principally composed or coloreu
people, who were greatly excited and MUIR
muring profusely their indignation at the
killing, gathered upon the approach of
the ambulance AS many wished were
permitted to view the dead boy, with the
idea of securing his identification, ana mn
ally he was recognized as Ernest Green,
whose father is employed as messenger
IN one of the executive departments. Inc
excitement then Gained down consider
ably. Wether any demonstration
would have been made against Miss rag
Ter herself had she remained at nome is
rather uncertain; but while the excite
rnent lasted comments were loud that the
lady was safe in the custody of the chief
of police, accompanied by Capt. Shaler
and Miss West. She was outwardly
calm and dignifed and while having little
TO say beyond acknowledging that she
fired the fatal shot, and averred that It
was not aimed at the intruder nor intend
ed to have any effect beyond soaring him
away She was very quiet during the
day at the police station, where she was
detained though not under lock and key,
In the chiefs private room, awaiting the
coroners inquest late this afternoon.
II.
IS announced that he is now en- route TO
Washington and will reach here to-nor-
row evening from Canada.
The inquest was begun late this after
noon, at the morgue. and NUMBER OF
witnesses were examined. None of them
had seen the shooting, but all heard the
shots. Miss FIagler's testimony was the
only discriminating evidence offered II
She had denied the shooting, no one could
have proved otherwise.
Miss Flagler, accompanied by capt.
Shaler and Miss West. a daughter of eX-
District Commissioner West, arrived at
the morgue shortly before . p m, and
took refuge in the office of the captain
Of police Her friends were extremely So
licitous and newspaper men were deIle9
access to her. Her manner was cool anu anu
collected, and though her face was almost
as white as marble. she betrayed no eX-
element.
Miss FIagler's testimony to the jury was
brief She admitted having fired two snots
10 frighten the boys away from the Ylcih-
ity She stated that depredations by
gang of young boys had been frequent ~
the neighborhood. Time and again. she
said. the boys had gained entrance 70
her fathers property, stealing fruit ana
breaking down trees and plants. men
She heard the boys in the grouhds inns
morning, she was in the house ana 50
them from a distance. Thinking 10 IIiSH'-
ing to her father, and going to a second
story window fired two shots AT that
time the boys had disappeared from view
but she fired in the direction whence she
han seen them in the fruit trees. MISS
FagIer strenuously denied having hred
the shots to injure any one, her sole
idea being to frighten the youthful dep
redators from the place.
The jury reached a verdict within a
short time after hearing the evidence
But one ballot was taken, and it was
unanimous in the expression that the shots
We're fired without murderous or harmful
intent, and that Miss Flagler could not
ge held responsible for the unfortunate
Geath Of the little colored boy. Miss Flag
lef was thep discharged from custody and
escorted home by her friends.
ne scene in front of the police station
curing the inquest was somewhat un-
Isal The crowd was large and composed
pIhaipally Of colored people, though there
We're many well dressed white people
s1Ine Of whom came in vehicles and lin
seted about the neighborhood waiting