Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-07-15
Coroner's Jury Investigates Arthu,
Wells Death.
Ez-DEqECrIVE EDELIN, CLEARED
The Testimony Taken Today and
the Cross Questions
CONCLUSIONS OF THE JURY


day from the effects of pistol shot wound
Of the head, alleged to have been inflicted
by his own hands when ex-Detective VIM.
e.. Edelin, went to arrest him on charges of
sWindling livery stable keepers, as pub
hshed in Saturdays Star. Coroper Ham
NETT held an inquest in the case at the
undertaking establishment Of j. William
Lee this morning. The autopsy made Sat
urday evening showed that the bullet from
the little 32-caliber young America pistol
had plowed its way from the mans right
temple through the brain and inflicted a
wound which was necessarily fatal.
More then two dozen persons interested
in tine dead man were about the undertake
ing establishment this morning, among
them being the father of the deceased. He
did not believe that his son committed sui
eide and the inquest was neld for the pur-
pose of determining who did fire the fatal
shot
Assistant District Attorney Jeffords was
present in the interest of the government,
while Lawyer Shillington looked after the
interests of the prisoner, Edelin,. Mr.. Wells.
father Of the deceased, wanted to cross
examine some of the witnesses, but this he
was not permitted to do.
The First Witness.
Mrs. Cullen, In whose house, at AIS 9Th
street, the shooting occurred. was the first
witness examined. She said that Wells
came to her house on the 18th Of June and
rented the room. He told her that he was
a dealer in butter and eggs, and answered
other questions such as are asked of
strangers who come to engage a room or
board. His answers we're satisfactory and
he was given the room. She said that he
went out early in the mornings and was
very quiet. On the evening of the shoot
ing she was in the adjoining house when
COIOrod servant
a man had shot himself in the house. Wit
ness went in the house and found four
men playing solitaire. They had not
heard the shooting. She saw Edelin,, whom
she thought was a detective. come to the
front door with a pistol in his nand. Fur
ther than this she knew nothing Of the af-
fair.
Did Edelin, have a pistol in his hand
when he called at the house?" she was
asked.
it, ~ ~ >-'' '- nav"
Found the Body.
Detective Rhodes was next called. He
was probably the first officer to reach the
room after the shooting had been reported.
Mr.. Orrison, the livery stable keeper. call
ed at headquarters, and told them that a
man had been shot. In company with De-
tective Gallaher. he went over to Mrs. Gull
lens boarding house, and at the front door
he saw Edelin,, VINO had a pistol in his
hand and blood stains his cuffs. He
thought Edelin, had been shot. With De-
tective Gallaher, Edelin, and Janitor King
of the health office. he assembled the steps
to the top of the house. Edelin, had said,
wells shot himself" and when the room
was reached he said. There's the man.
chair near the wall. Witness found every
thing in the room in order, there being no
evidence of a struggle having taken place.
Blood. he said, was squirting from the
wound for more than two feet. He tied a
wet towel about the head of the wounded
man, and stopped the flow of blood
On the wall. said witness. just back of the
wounded man, was the print of hand.
had been made with the left hand. There
was also an indentation in the wall What
made the indentation he did not know.
What was your first impression when
asked.
Il can't tell" answered the detective
Il was excited, and wanted to get the man
to the hospital. 1t was 4 hurry-up time.
and can't say that had any impression"
Were there any marks of powder on the
mans face?"
THAT can't say
Coroner Hammett said he could answer
this question. He saw the man al the hos
pital soon after he died, and there were
marks of powder on him. DIR. Hammett ex-
planned that the bullet had taken an up
ward course and Mr.. Shillington wanted
not have been in STOPPING position to
have inflicted the wound, but the witness
said he knew nothing Of the course of the
bullet, and he therefore could not answer.
There was blood on Wells right hand.
Witness attempted to get the wounded man
to talk but he was unconscious and could
not do SO.
Detective Gallaher gave similar testi-
mony.
Not From the Door.
Orlando King, the colored employe Of the
health office, who went to the house with
the officers, was next examined. He gave
a minute description of the room and the
position of the wounded man. According
to his ideas, the man could have been shot
by some one from the door opening into the
room.
Detective Rhodes was recalled, and he
said that man seated on the chair where
he found the wounded man would have had
to turn his face to the side to have re-
ceived a wound similar to that received by
Wells.
The witness, King, resuming his testi-
mony, said he thought Detective Rhodes
had made a mistake about the location OF
the door leading to the room.
He did not notice any blood marks on the
wall All he noticed was a satchel on the
floor and the mans hat on the bed
Witness asked Edelin, about the blood on
his arm, and he answered: Man, don't
bother me about the blood on my arm"
Detective Rhodes was shown a diagram
of the room, and he explained that shot
fred from the door could not have made
wound such as was received by Wells. The
bullet would have gone through to the
back of the head. Had the victim been
sitting erect a bullet from the side would
not have struck him in the temple, because
of the construction of the walls.
She Fell Down.
The colored servant in the house, who
gave her name as Otillia Chevis, testified
that she went upstairs to show Edelin, to
Mr.. Wells ROOM When they reached the
room Edelin, said, II want you." and Wells
said, What do you want me for?" Edelin,
repeated, 81 want YOU"
Mr.. Wells, she said, made move as II
he was going to get up from the chair, and
he said to her, What did you bring this
man I'D here for?" Just then she turned
to leave, ard the shot was fired.
Witness ran down the steps. because she
thought Wells was shooting at her for
having brought the man up to him.
when I got down the back steps," she
said, 1.-The man Edelin) was down the front
way, and he had a pistol in his hand"
Ibid You look back and see him?''
mo, sir.' she answered. land il I had
I would have died, because he had the
pistol"
She was certain that Edelin, could not
have walked over to Wells before the shot
frad II was her oDjniOn that Wal1s