The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1897-11-11
IT WAS ACCIDENTAL.
THAT is THE VERDICT OF THE
CORONER'S JURY.
Peter Penn, Colored, Shot and In
stally Killed by a Companion,
Saturday Night, About a Mile
North of Winston-InQuest.

Saturday Night, ABOUT a Mile
North of Winston-Inquest.
Peter Penn, young colored man
about II years old, was shot and killed
instantly about 1880 Saturday even
ing, near Mosstown, about a mile
North Of the city.
The ball, which was fired from an
old Derriuger pistol, entered just be-
low the right eye and went through
the skull
Penn and bis friend George Hilton,
colored boy about the same age,
were scuffi ing over the pistol when 1t
was accidentally discharged They
were alone at the time.
Hilton and another colOred boy
named Cicero Phillips, were arrested
about II O'Clock Saturday night by
Jailer Davis, and lodged in Jail. They
were tried before Coroner Linville
and his jury, composed OF Fl. f. Sink,
NJ. E Phelps. A. M. HoltOn, Scales
Earnest, P E Ledford, and Geo w.
McIver. colored, in the Mayors court
room Sunday afternoon.
The following witnesses testified:
Nancy Young, Eliza Brendle, Lace
Fries, Mat Hilton, Jim Grogan, Bill
Belyle, George Hilton and Cicero
PENDANTS.
The evidence of all the witnesses
showed that Penn and Hilton had
always been the best of friends and
they were seen playing with the pis-
tOl short time before the shooting
occurred.
Hilton made a statement. He said
he and Penn went to store, got box
of sardines. On their return Peter
took out pistol and began playing
with ii; got into scuffi when it fred
Penn fell TO the ground as soon as the
pistol went off AT first Hilton thought
Penn was playing with him. He stay
ed there five minutes trying to get
Peter up. After falling he made
curious noise. As soon as Hilton dis
covered that his friend was dead he
picked up the pistol and carried it
home and put it in the bureau drawer.
The pistol belonged to Walter Coop
er, but Hilton borrowed it and had it
at his house. Hilton said he was
scared the reason he took it back
home.
Penn fell on his face when the pis-
tol fred. Hilton said he turned him
over little. The latter had a little
blood on the back Of his coat but he
was unable to explain how it got there.
His right hand was burned by the
Phillips proved by two witnesses,
VIM. Hutchins and his wife, that he
was at their house when the shooting
occurred He also stated that he
never knew Hilton or Penn to drink
any Intoxicating liquors. They were
good friends.
The evidence Of the witnesses was
taken by chief of Police league and
j p Stanton. After all had been
heard, the coroner requested all the
spectators, except the newspaper rep
resentativeS, TO retire from the room
The jury then began to review the
evidence and discuss the case. One
luryman was OF the opinion at first
that it was case OF either murder or
manslaughter. After reviewing the
evidence, however, the following YER
dict was rendered:
I'VE the jurors in the above entitled
case find for our verdict that the dead
man came to his death from an acct
dental pistol shot while in the hands
of said George Hilton and Peter
Penn, the deceased, during friendly
scuffie over said pistol"
There was no evidence to show that
Phillips was connected with the
shooting. therefore he was set free.
Hilton, the other defendant, was also
given his freedom.
PENIS body was turned over to his
mother,