The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-10-02
ADMITTED HE SHOT sCHIFsKY.
BUT INSISTS 1T WAS AN ACCI-
DENT.
so SAY BEREAvED PARENTS.
CORONER wHITCOMB WILL HOLD
AN INQUEST TO CLEAR UP THE
DOUBT.
DoNNELLY IS rNcREDuLous.
Believes That the Last Story Is the
Offspring of an Overwrought
Mind.

Thomas Schifsky, of Mounds View,
accompanied by his wife, came to ST
Paul yesterday and had consultation
with County Attorney Butler and Coro-
nor Whitcomb relative to the death Of
their son. Albert Schifsky, which oc-
| CURED last Sunday afternoon at Turtle
lake. The parents of the dead youth
stated to the officials that Henry Lepah
fifteen years old, who was with young
Schifsky at the time he was killed
had confessed to them that he had fired
the shot which resulted in Schifskys
death. 1t had been supposed up to
Wednesday afternoon that S hifsky had
been killed by the accidental discharge
of shotgun. which he had laid down
in the boat, and which had In some
manner been accidentally discharged.
Young Schifsky and Lepah went out
on the lake Sunday afternoon in
row boat with the purpose Of hunting.
Schifsky had a double barreled shot
gun and Lepah an old muzzle-loading
musket. They had been gone about
two hours when a number Of the men,
bers of the Laurel Bicycle club, who
were enjoying an outing at the lake,
we're attracted to the shore of the lake
by loud cries made by Lepah Joseph
Moshofsky Jr., of 421 Rice street, and
Charles Staus. Of IS Carroll street who
were the nearest to the boat, found
on reaching the craft the dead body of
Schifsky lying in the bottom Of the
boat, while at the end sat Lepah, who
was SO terrified that he could not speak.
Schifsky's hea d had been literally blown
to pieces, and the body presented a
sickening sight. The story as told by
Lepah was to the effect that Schifsky,
while reaching out of the boat to Sc
cure a mud hen which one of the twain
had shot, in some way discharged his
gun and the charge had struck him in
the head. Coroner Whitconb was noti-
fed and after hearing the story Of
Lepah, decided an inquest was not
necessary. There were no witnesses
to the shooting except Lepah, and as
the lads had been friends and COM
pendons. his story of the accident was
taken to be correct The funeral of
Schffsky took place Tuesday and the
remains We're brought to. this city and
inferred In Calvary cemetery.
Yesterday according to the statements
or Thomas Schifsky to the county off,
Gals, Lepah admitted under a series Of
questions put to him by the dead boys
parents. that the shot which caused
their sons death had been fired by
him, but that the shooting was acct
dental. After consultation at the
office of the county attorney between
MI. Butler and Coroner Whitconb it
was decided that a coroner's inquest
would be necessary in order to clear
up the matter and it Is expected the
investiga ton will be held this morn
Ing. A coroner's jury will be empaneled
this morning and the body Of Schifsky
will be exhurned long enough to have
the jury duly sworn. The taking of
testimony will possibly be postponed
to another date, although last evening
this had not been settled.
The parents of the dead boy said
there was no doubt In their mind that
the shooting of their son by Lepah was
| accidental. They had no reason to
| doubt the story first told by Lenah
but after the funeral, which was not
attended by Lepah, they engaged the
companion Of their son in conversation
and he finally broke down and con-
fessed that 1t was he that discharged
the weapon which caused his friends
death. The lads were neighbors and
the best of friends and Sunday morn
ing attended church together.
Assistant County Attorney Donnelly
seen last evening, said he was In doubt
as to whether Lepah had done the
shooting. From what he had heard
ABOUT the case, 1t did not seem pos
Sole That Lepah could have fired the
Sbot, II his statement as to his position
in the boat at the time was as. he
stated. Lepah has not been arrested
and will not be taken in custody until
after the coroner's jury return YER
dict.