The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-12-10
KILLED BY A PROVOST GUARD.
SIXTH MTSsOURIAN SHOT BY A MEM
BIER OF THE FIRST TEXAS.

Private PauI J. Klein Died by the
Hand of Private II. =. LOvejoy-Thc
killing Occurred Late Night he
fore Last Beyond the ThunderbOlt
Toll Gatc-It Is Thought the Kill
ing Was Justihable-ilOard of In
curry VIII Investigate.
Private Paul J. KEN of Company G.
Sixth Missouri Regiment, was shot and
killed night before last, near the Thun-
derbolt toll gate by Private r. e. Love-
joy a provost guard and a member of
Company of the First Texas Regiment.
The shooting was in self-defense. A ru-
NOR Of the killing was printed in yester-
days Morning News. but no particulars
We're then obtainabe.
Klein was shot just in front of a bar
room on the road which leads to the
camp of the Second Division, of which
the Sixth Missouri is a part. He had
been drinking, and was in dangerous
mood. Lovejoy was stationed al the toll
gate, and he had clash with the man.
For some time Lovejoy had been having
difficulty with Klein. Al last Corpl. Mack
Davis of Lovejoys company, who was
the corporal of the guard, came up. He
and Lovejoy undertook to arrest KEN,
and were successful, though ii was only
after they had both been knocked down,
it is said. After they had him seemingly
subdued the corporal turned his pistol
over to LOYeioy and started back to Col
r,rI,~
ed, ard where Station No. of the provost
guard is located, TO get the wagon to bring
KEN into the city TO lock him up in the
cage at provost headquarters
The corporal had not been gone long be-
fore KEN made a desperate attack upon
Lovejoy sprnsing on him before he had
an opportunity 10 present his bayonet or
to threaten him with his gun or the cor
porals pistol Both went to the ground
and a furious struggle for the pistol COM
menCed. Klein tried to wrench it from
the guard and Lovejoy tried 10 prevent
him from doing so. He finally turned the
muzzle of the weapon toward KEN and
pulled the trigger. The bullet struck Klein
in the stomach, and half an hour later he
was dead.
A messenger was dispatched to the Sec
ond Division hospital tor a surgeon and
ambulance as soon as possible after the
shooting. Both arrived in about forty-five
minutes, but the man was already dead.
The body was taken to the hospital, where
it lay in the morgue until morning when
it was brought into the city and. turned
over TO the Clark and Burns undertaking
company. In the meantime the surgeons
had probed for the bullet and taken il
| from the wound.
There were several stories current about
/ tho affair ~
had been shot by the guard without
! further provocation than his fooiishly hav-
! ing thrown his hand to his hip pocket as
, if 10 draw a pistol. Then the guard shot
him, it was said. No pistol was found on
| KEN. II was also reported that he had
| been shot by the corporal. The statement
| OF the facts, 10 which the greatest credit
may be attached was that given as above.
Ii was said by those who had Investigated
the case that KEN had thrown his hand 10
his nip pocket, but that no shot was fired
! by the provost. He and the corporal sim
! ply proceeded with the arrest, keeping well
| on the defensive to see that KEN, if he
had a gun, did moi use it.
The captain of Lovejoy's company made
a thorough investigation of the matter
| and reported il to the office of the adju-
| tant general of the corps An order was
| issued for the appointment of a board OF
| inquiry 10 look mo tliS htii4llS anu ItpOi
and a thorough Investigation will be made
| to-day, probably In the meantime Love
! joy VIII be kept under arrest, but 1t ia
| thought there can be no doubt about the
board pronouncing his action justifable
and necessary under the circumstances.
one Of his comrades described Klein as a
! quiet, peaceabe German, who had a wife
and five children at home in st. Louis
He said the man was inoffensive and
| 1 fIC,- Gin 10
ments about the mans character did moi
| correspond with this, as the captain of the
| company told the guard who shot MIN
that he knew him to have been of a tur-
bulent nature. Lovejoy is said to be a
| good soldier and his captain vouches fol
him as a man who would be the last tc
| shoot another unless it should become ab
| solutoly necessary.
Lovejoy mas not been long out of the hos
pital where he was confined for some time
| by an attack of Illness. He is weak from
its effects. and it is surprising that he was
! able TO retain possession of the pistol II
| was on account of his knowing Lovejoy
to have been sick and that he had not re.
covered his strength that Corpl. Davis
left him his pistol. He understood that il
could be more readily used If Klein forced
the guard TO close quarters.
Keins body may be sent to st. Louis q
il may be buried here. Coroner Goettt
was not summoned 10 investigate the kill.
ing. as 1t was held that the case was one
in which there were none but soldiers con.
cerned and that the government would
therefore take ii in charge. surgeon
furnished certificate, but the health Off
Ger would not give a permit for the body
TO be sent away unless the request were
accompanied by report from the coroner
This may result in the defining of The
limits of the authority Of the coroner il
such cases.