The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1895-08-14
Quick with Her Gun.

WASHINGTON, August 2.-N1iss Eliza
beth Flagler, daughter Of Brigadier Gen.
eral Daniel ". Flagler, chiefof ordnance,
U. S. A., shot and killed colored youth
named Ernest Green, whom she detected
stealing fruit at the suburban residence
of her father about noon to-day, and was
discharged by the coroner this evening
on the ground that the homicide was un-
intentional.
No tragedy of recent years in Washing.
ton has caused such a sensation or been
fraught with more immediate excitement
in the neighborhood of the occurrence.
The residence of Gen. FIagler is in the
northwestern section of Washington, on
California avenue, and the grounds sur
roundingit have been carefully cultivated
for the production of fruits and flowers;
and this attraction was the indirect cause
of to-day's fatal accident. The premises,
as we'll as those of many who live in the
same suburban section of the city, have
been frequently despoiled by youths and
in many cases adult men, to an extent
that has tried very much the patience Of
the property owners, and to-day sad
elimination was reached when Miss
Flagler, who is between 25 and 80 years
of age, saw some one busily engaged IN
breaking the branches and gathering fruit
from one of the trees in their garden. n
demand to leave the premises not being
Immediately compiled with. the lady,
without, it is asserted by herself and her
friends, any further intention than to
frighten away the intruder, discharged
the contents of az army revolver in the
direction of tho plunderer. The bullet
ploughed through the body of the boy,
who was about Is years of ago. 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
q summer pleasuring, sought Capt Sha-
ler, also of the ordnance department,
U, s. A., and accompanied by him
promptly proceeded to the Office of Maj.
Moore, the chief of police, and surrender
ed to the civil authorities. An ambu-
lance had been summoned to take away
the unidentified body and large crowd.
principally composed of colored persons,
who were greatly excited and murmuring
profusely their Indignation at the killing,
gathered upon the approach of the ambu-
lance AS many as wished were permit.
ted to view the dead boy with the idea of
securing his Identification, and finally
the body was recognized as Ernest Green,
ger in one of the executive departments.
The excitement then calmed down con-
siderably.
Whether any demonstration would have
been made against Miss Flagler herself
or not had she remained at home is rath-
er uncertain, but while the murmuring
and excited comments were loud, the lady
was safe in the custody of the chief of
police, accom- panied by Capt. Shaler aud
Il Miss West. She was outwardly calm
and dignified. having little to say beyond
acknowledging that she fired the fatal
shot, and averring that it was not aimed
at the intruder nor intended to have any
effect beyond soaring him away. She
was very quiet during the day at the po-
lice station, where she was detained,
though not under lock aud key, in the
chiefs private room, awaiting the coro-
ner's inquest late this afternoon. Gen.
Flagler was telegraphed for, and it is an
nounced that he is now en route to Wash.
ingtcn, and will reach here tomorrow
evening, from Canada, where he has been
outing. The inquest was begun late this
afternoon at the morgue, and nun Der OF
witnesses were examined. None of them
had seen the shooting, but all had heard
the shots. Miss Flagler's testimony was
If she had denied the shooting no one
could have proved otherwise.
Miss Flagler, panied by Capt
Shaler and Miss West, a daughter Of OK
District Commissioner West, arrived at
the morgue shortly before three o'clock
and took refuge in the office Of the cap
tain of police. Her friends were extreme
Iy solicitous and newspaper men were
denied access to her. Her manner WAS
cool and collected, and though her face
was almost as white as the dress she wore,
she betrayed no excitement. Miss Flag
ler's testimony before the jury was brief.
She admitted having fired two shots to
friehten the boy away from the vicinity.
She stated that depredations by baud of
Young boys had been frequent in the
neighborhOod. Time and again, she said,
the boys had gained entrance to her faith
er's property, stealing fruit and breaking
down trees and plants. When she heard
the boys in the grounds this morning she
was in the house and saw them from
distance Thinking to frighten them, she
procured revolver belonging to her ia
Their, and going to second story window
fired two shots. At that time, the boys
had disappeared from view, but she fired
In the direction where she had seen them
in the 1fu1C Lr6oS. MISS IdPloT Stl ouN-
ously denied having fired the shots to in
lure any one, her sole idea being to fright
en- the youthful dePredators from the
place.
The jury reached verdict within
short time after hearing the evidence.
But one ballot was taken and was unani-
nous in the expression that the shots
we're fired without murderous or harmful
intent, aud that Miss Flagler could not
be held responsible for the unfortunate
death of the boy. Miss Flagler was then
discharged from custody and escorted
home by her friends.
The sceno in front of the police station
during the inquest was somewhat unus.
ual. The crowd was large, and imposed
principally of colored people, though
there were many we'll dressed white peo--
ple, some of whom came in vehicles, and
fingered about the neighborhood waiting
for the verdict. Dissatisfaction in looks
and manner, rather than speech, was ex-
pressed by the -colored people in waiting,
when the result of the inquest was made
known. There was little outspoken COM
ment, but the colored peoples muttertngs
of discomfort at the result showed the
sentiment of disapproval. There is some
talk of bringing the matter before the
grand jury despite the verdict.