The evening times., 1896-12-05
SHEARS SHOT m THE BACK
Today's Inquest Throws New
Light on Yesterdays Tragedy.
EITHER BULLET WAS FATAL
One of the Missiles Sped Downward
From the Shoulder Through the
Heart-WOund on the Itinerant
, Preachers Temple Was Inflicted
by a Blow or Fall.

surprise was sprung upon the coroncr's
jury this afternoon DUNG the inveStisa-
tion into the killing of Lollon shears, the
itinerant colored preacher, by Policeman
Edward Curry, in >ousa washington. yes
terday aitrnoon, as told in The Times.
Before Shears had Teen undressed n
the morguc il was the Relief that he had
been shot thu ough the left temple, and
that the policeman OILY fiIod his revolver
once.
Nynen Morguc Master viii Schonehergcr
removed the clothing from the corpse, ne
was surprised TO find two gaping bullet
wounds In the dead mans back, Just in
the rear OF his right shoulder blade, show
ing that he had been shot twice from be-
hind during his fierce struggle with the
officer.
W len Deputy Coroner GlaZebrook Ier-
fora ed tie autopsy this forenoon, he dis
covered that the wound on Shears left
temple, a cut about two inches in length.
had been nude either by blow from
ring Oh Curry's hand. or by falling against
some sharp obstacle.
EITHER WOULD HAVE KILLED.
Either OF the two wounds in the preachers
back would have resulted fatally. One of
the bullets plowed through his heart, tear
ing u great hole through The main valve
and coming out of that organ below, show
ing that the leaden missile had taken
down ward course.
This wound was instantly fatal. The
other bullet came through the sixth and
seventh ribs, fractured the seventh and
eighth and lodged in the spine.
Coroner Hammett reached the Sixth pre-
cinct Sta ton, where tine inquest was held,
fifteen minutes before the investigation
commenced, at 2 o'clock this afternoon.
In the meantime a large crowd of colorcd
M a IA at l.Ji in
and about the station. Mrs. Shears, wife
of the dead man, was ON hand by O'Clock,
attended 10y a number OF female friends.
She did not exhibit any particular mani
fesiationS Of grief.
The police ais o summoned A. J. Darlen,
a collec or for the Metropolitan Insurance
Company They regard him as an imI or
tant witness, as tending to ST OK Policeman
Curry's right to enter the house where the
shCo ing took place.
II is stated tnat Dr. Darden was in the
Shears residence. collecting an inSur-
ance bill, when the trouble between the
preacher and his wife commenced. TWAS
he who ran up to Curry when he was
staEding on Four-and-I-half street. near
q street southwest, talking with Police
mai HarrieS and a young mar from q Georgc-
tcwl named Brown. The policeman was
requested by Dardcu to go to Shears
horse at once, as the old man was going
to kill his wife.
the iurymen were sworn over the dead
body Of Lordon Shears in the rnorgUe by
the deputy coroner. The jurors were Jo-
seph Pailey. NJ. C. Gallaher. ]. A. Thife, r.
W. Anderson, Nimrod Porter and Thomas
Manning.
1ne witnesses summoned were: Annie
Williams 2l0 q street southwest; Maria
Slaughter, 2l2 q street southwest Jane
Shears. wife OF deceased; Henry Rankin,
DR.. James I. Arwine, No. 7l6 Four-and-
a-half street southwest; James j. Hayre,
Jennie Meredith. Lawson Holmes, Rich
ard James and Isaac James.
Attorney Joseph Shi.lingeon appeared for
Policeman Curry and Lawyers Ricks and
Hewlett for tn. widow of shears.
Some delay in commencing the inquest
was occasioned by the delay in bringing
to the ssation the injured policeman from
his home in Northeast Washington
1t was at first thought he was too weak
to be present, but Lieut.. Vernon finally
sent the Fourth precinct patrol wagon for
him.
CURRY'S STATEMENT.
Curry said today that he fired two shots
into Shears back. The first bullet did not
make him deSist from assaulting him when
he fired the second.
The policeman is sure he did not shoot
the colOred man in the head, and cannot
account for the deep cash near his left
car.
Two of the six jurors, tanning and Por-
ter, are colored men.
Policeman Curry, his head swathed in
handages and his face scratched and show
ing marks OF the struggle, did not reach
the station until 2:3O O'Clock, when the
commenced.
Mrs. Jane Shears. wife Of deceased, was
the first witness.
Il was ironing she commenced, when
my yhusbandcame in and asked for something
to eat. He said he had rented a house near
the Boundary and was going to move"
Shears was talking loud, but not quar-
reling. He always talked loud. As Shears
was lighting his pipe the policeman came
running to the house.
Mrs. Shears said there was no fuss and
asked him what he wanted. !
Il have n great mind said the officer,
ITO arrest the whole - lot OF you" |
He then went out, hut came back Shears |
reiterated that there was no trouble nor |
occasion for an officer, and said to Curry: |
You are drunk |
Il am," replied the officer, placing Lis |
hand on Shears shoulder.
Then the scuffle commenced, which ended |
with the tragedy. |
a full report of the inquest proceedings !
together with the verdict. will be published |
N full in The Morning Times.