The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-07-15
PRIVATE KELLY CHARGED.
A Coroner's Jury Formally Ac
cuses Him of Numbering
Joseph Quinn.
DR.. Wells Says He Found Blood
Stains on the Hands Of the
Accused Man.

A Coroner's jury impaneled to sit in
the case of Joseph Quinn, the United
States soldier whose throat was cut at the
Presidio on the night of July 10, returned
a verdict Yesterday formally charging Pri-
vate Joseph Kelly with murder. The in
quest was conducted by Acting Coroner
Kerrigan.
The first witness called was Captain
Wedges, commander of the post. He knew
nothing of the affair except what had been
reported to HIM. DR.. Wells, the post ply
stefan, testified that he had picked up the
razor with which the bloody deed had been
committed on the scene of the murder. He
also swore to having found bloody stains
on the hands of Kelly, who upon being
questioned said he did not know how the
stains came 10 be there. DR.. Wells also
said that he examined Private Ramp
schmidt at the guardhouse and found
blood on his hands.
Then followed many privates, their tes-
timony being mainly OF the secondhand
Quinn, Whelan, Kampschmidt and Sulli-
van had been engaged in war of words,
enliyehed occasionally by a few blows,
throughout the day.
John Whalen private, was probably
the most important witness of the day.
The row started, he said, early in the
morning between himself, Kampschmidt,
mills and Kelly. They we're at the can
teen about 7 80 o'clock. where the quarrel
was renewed. After the canteen closed
which was about II o'clock, several of the
soldiers started in the direction of the bar.
racks.
He and Kampschmidt were fighting and
Mills, Kelly and Quinn were quarreing
Quinn struck Private mills blow which
stunned him and he lay on the ground fol
some time. While Quinn and Mills were
| struggling he saw Kelly hit Quinn on the
| shoulder or Whereabouts, and suddenly be
heard Quinn shout that he was killed, and
at the same time be (Whalen) saw Kelly
run away in the direction OF his quarters,
| Quinn fell into his arms and cried out
Jack, I'm killed" Quinn died shortly
afterward-
John O'Donnell, a private, said he wa.
! in his bunk when the trouble occurred
but he was on the scene before Quinn died
and thought he heard MIN say, kelly cut
me-" Quinn died few moments later.
Private Kelly, who was present during
the INQUEST, refused to testify, say ing thai
as his attorney was not present, he did MOI
| think it wise to say anything.
After being out about thirty minutes thu
Jury returned verdict which failed tx
charge any one with the crime. Acting Cor
oner Kerrigan refused TO accept the verdict
the jury being sent out again with 1nstruc
tons to bring in a report showing who die
the killing or telling in some way how
happened. The jury then returned thu
following verdict:
"And we further find that Joseph E
Quinn came to his death in drunken quar-
rel at Fort Mason, California, on July 10
1896, and it is the opinion of the jury, &C
cording to the evidence submitted, thai
James Kelly is guilty of the murder"
When the verdict was rendered, Kell,
apparently unmoved, was taken in charg
by a police officer and removed to tn
Central Station.