Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-03-06
ACCIDENTAL SHOOTING
Verdict of the Coroner's Jury on the Kill
ing Of Reuben Foster.
The Testimony on Which the Verdict
Was Based-StOries of
Eye Witnesses.

Yesterday afternoon at the inquest held
at the sixth precinct over the body OF
Reuben Foster, or Forester, who was
shot and instantly killed by Policeman
Green in Anacostia Monday afternoon,
Mrs. Susie Miller, colored, was giving evil
dence when The Stars report closed. Con-
tinuing her testimony, the witness said
the first she saw of Foster was when he
fell, and the officer was not very far from
him when he fell. Foster was running in
the direction of the branch when the efi-
Ger shot him. Witness said she was cry
ing just after the shot was fired. and there
was great excitement about Douglass
Hall.
Witness said she did not know anything
OF Fosters character, but she knew he
had been arrested
Ibid you know that he shot crap?"
'T have heard of 1t, but have never seen
It,"
Sarah E. 8. Wills, colored, testified that
when Reuben Foster was small boy che
knew him WELL but she had not known
much OF him lately. She was at home
heard the report of the pistol she looked
out and saw Reuben fall. When she went
out to where he was lying on the ground
she remarked, Hes shot" The officer
The Reason Why.
Witness asked why he shot him. and he
replied, HE ran away from me-"
Witness remarked. "Oh. think of his
soul, hurled into eternity without a mo-
ment's warningv'
Mrs. Wills said she had often read in the
paper OF Fosters being arrested.
A colored contractor named Francis Eide
lin was called. and he said he was well
acquainted with the deceased, but wanted
the jury to understand that he did not
keep company with him, saying he did not
belong to his class.
What was his reputation?"
''Well, he was pretty bad boy" answer
ed witness; 1.-The same as most Of his
class"
what do you mean by his class?"
After some hesitation witness answered:
''He didn't care much about anything"
Witness did not see the officer when he
fired the shot, but he saw Foster when he
fell. Witness was the first one to reach
the dead man. and he heard the officer say:
Il shot him."
Witness was asked If Mrs. Willis did not
reach the dead man just after him. and he
said he really could not say.
Il had to get over a wire fence" he said.
land don't know just how she got there"
But she got there just the same" ven
tured juror.
'She got there
Didn't Intend To.
William H. West, colored, 1119 c street
southeast. testified that he was on Nichols
avenue when the shot was fired He heard
the report of the pistol and saw the dead
man after he had been shot. Witness
asked the officer how he came to shoot
him, and he said he had the man under ar
rest and he got away. Witness asked him
why he killed him. and he answered: II
didn't intend to kill him; only shot at
him.
Charles W. Pyles testified that he did
not witness the shooting, but he saw the
colored man before he died. Witness
knew Foster when he (witness) lived in
Aracostia, and he knew him to be q
dangerous man.
Tell the jury what you know of the off,
GER" said the coroner.
Il know him to be a very fine man, who
always attends to his duty"
Witness then explained that Foster had
assaulted him on at least two occasions
and had threatened witness on more than
one occasion.
Witness had heard Foster make threats
against other persons several times.
He was a young man who talked a good
DEAL, said witness, land he didn't care
what he said"
Witness said that Foster spent much of
his time in prison, and when out witness
had to keep his eye on him.
Saw 1t All.
p. ]. Henderson. driver on the Anacostia
street railroad, testified that he was seated
in his car eating dinner Monday afternoon
when he saw the officer have the man I'M
der arrest. He saw the officer pursue the
escaping man, and, while running across
the field. he drew his pistol and fired. He
was running when he fired the shot. Wit
ness thought Foster was about forty yards
from the officer when the shot was fired.
Witness was positive the officer did not
draw his pistol while on the porch, as was
stated by the colored witnesses.
Police Testimony.
Policeman ]. T. Amos, colored, of the
second precinct. who has charge of the
chain gang, was next sworn. He testified
that Foster had been in his gang several
times and witness said he was one of the
worst men he had ever had in the gang.
He needed watching all the time, and on
two occasions he had to wear chains for
twenty days. Last summer, while in the
gang, Foster said he intended to kill Po-
ltceman Mari the next time the latter ar
rested him. and witness told the officer
about what he said. Witness said that Fos-
ter was treacherous and witness always
regarded him as dangerous.
Last summer while / had him." said
Witness Il told him that he would either
die with his boots on or would die on the
gallows." r.
James Beach. colored, who lives in the
country, testified that he was well ac-
quainted with the deceased. He said that
Foster cut his throat one evening and also
threatened to Kill him.
DO you know why he wanted to kill
your
Eyes. SIR
"Why?"
Because I was a country boy and was
passing through the bottom to make a
short cut home"
Had he ever done that before?'
No, sir; had never been through there
before"
Have you been through there SINGER
"No, SIR"
Had Kept Away.
Henson Hall gave similar testimony and
amused the jury by the manner in which
ne told of how he had kept away from
Anacostia since the night Foster cut his
brother-in-law Beach's throat.
Il was afraid to go back there" he con-
Guided, after that night, when Foster
threatened to kill me-"
Edward johnson, another one of Fos-
ter's numerous victims. appeared and told
the jury that Foster broke his finger, and
had threatened his life. On one occasion
Foster drew a revolver on him and he had
seen him draw u pistol or razor on others
Witness said that all the boys in the
neighborhood were afraid of Foster