The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-01-24
KILLED FELLOW STUDENT.
WATsoN SAYS HE THOUGHT HIS RE-
YoLVER WAS EMPTY.

y btuue bcnuot IN Hhrht Nehue-NoToheF
Thinhs the Shooting was Net Accidental.
joseph Miller. o 17-yearold student at the
New York Trades School on First avenue, be-
tween sixty-seventh and Slxty.eiRhth streets.
was shot and killed last night by William II.
Watson, Jr., . fellow student. who IL 81 years
old. Tho shooting appears to have been aoci-
dental, but Coroner Bausch 10 inclined to think
otherwise. Watson. who is under arrest, was 80
overcome BY the tragedy that he was hysterical
for hours and unable to make any statement
other than to ~reiterate repeatedly that the
killing was the result of an accident.
Tho shooting occurred In the dormitory Of the
school at 800 East Sixty-seventh street. This
building 10 occupied by the out-of.town students,
about nifty In number. Among the students there
were Miller. who came from Lewistown. Pa, and
Watson, whose home is In Rochester. n. H. These
two youths were said by their schoolmates to
have been great friends. and 1t was reported In
the school that shortly they were to become
roommates. They both entered the school when
the term began on Dec. 8. Miller was taking o
course In plumbing.
A week ago q friend Of Watson gave him o
hve-barrellod revolver. He kept 1t In his room
for several days and then he turned 1t over to
William Youtzy. also of Lewistown, Pa, o COM
mon friend Of the two other boys. He told
Youtzy. Youtzy says, that he did not want it
lying around his room and asked him TO keep IL
in his trunk. Youtzy consented to do 90.
Yesterday afternoon after dinner Miller and
Watson went out together. They wero In the
best Of spirits. They told some of the boys that
they were going to call on a girl, but they did
not say who she was or whore she lived. About
a quarter past z o'clock they returned to the
school. Youtzy's room 10 on the ground floor,
of the main hall. The other two boys occupied
separate rooms on the floor above. As they
passed Youtzy's room Watson stopped.
"Come in here, joe" he was heard to say to
his companion. II think I'll got out my gum"
All right" the other replied, and they entered.
According to The story he told the detectives.
Youtzy was seated at his desk writing o letter
home. His visitors told him they had had . fine
walk, and then Watson asked for his revolver.
II want to show 1t to Joe." he added.
Youtzy got up from his desk, took tho revolver
from his trunk. and handed 1t to Watson. Then
he SGT down again to finish his letter. His back
was to tho other boys. He heard Watson
break" the revolver and throw from the
cylinders q number Of cartridges. They, fell on
the police that he thought he had thrown ali tho
CARTRIDGES out. but he did not. One was left
ws SiHe' rs '1 1Isi sSat e SS Msns On th wirh talk hlS w whieS
minutes, he says, he heard a Click. Then there
was another click and then q sharp report. He
backw Ard through the open doorway into the
haii: Ths hSnds of tho wounded man were
Obi my Goal You've shot mo. Bill" he
.Youtzy ran across tho room and knelt by his
side. The boy was already unconsciSns.proba-
S aSun asa ;n,s ssna III s sss iet Ts sye .riS 4onisy fs sSooe c
him and called his name. There was no answer.
w Mys . : ;,S9 ali, IIGaof Il e. q b his dying In . fr,spa With ma.
mens d rsslixation Of what he had done anne
to hin ne SSsap to weep. crying out that he
Students from the upper floors. aroused by the
shot, came running 9own the stairs. Following
school. who occupies rooms In the dormitory.
AZ soon as no saw what had happened he hur-
summon an ambulance from the Presbyterian
Hospital While awaiting its arrival. Police
i srrf IL e sS1%Sadi y whH l!y Hi, rs"r ah by icand S1 tbss
he was dead. Mangold. accordingly. arrested
Watson; who wss crying .piteously. and took
tion. Youtzy accompanied them and told what
he know OF the circumstances of the shooting.
school. including Mr.. Devine, II was an accident.
Watson was locked, up. however, and Coroner
IT was learned by them from Watson, after he
had Gained down somewhat. that the girl they
e Cad xlsit'd H aIRfit1f t II s S5s'r RSss s Tas Mlis
street. street.. ! She tod q reporter last night that the
and on the best Of terms toward each other.
Josie Fiaherty. who lives IN Second avenue.
near sixty-second street.
oner Bausch last night:
!" game TO the trS1es school in December last,
Then / hired . room outside until yesterday.
when I came back hero to take a room. The
ssgapefIatendent agreed to give Yo4tsy md me 2
he did not have 4 ready last ni!eht.
i Ss; that j would On ias ea aHG for il tG %nd take %sd L % asR Ry0 To:
sissh Strssss and josie Fiahsr. sos sh ha' lives sass q
III SSf0n1 the s''n girls '' at o '' o's Stssc0n and a'rs vent w TO
Judscns Restaurant at slxty-sixth street
Before eS ~e lni sSsaa eating wh ths aT we engines atI s" 1ams
ran out q me restaurant and after The en-.
e YOUTHS room and tod him to. give si me
saS rsSSysq The ssTtarldgea from S'ns' Z. throv, Ps
iTiaTsr, there, was a report and Miiisr' feIi out
thsSss M tpf SaiSSD nv : G,oI ! 4; ola xI mot so knS% t he was
him. / did, not even fSowt that there were any
more mo !, S art Id s:c IL it, Il, shot Miller I suppose.
s%titution, who 10 . brother Of the superintsnd.
ont. was the hrst outsIder to reach Youtzy's
down q window shade whom ] heard loud
voices. I listened. Just then some one said,
oh. my, Godr recognized MIiler's voice 4
m nhn,sS Later later. came sPn h shS report rep Of ths pistol
across the threshold covered with blood. His
a aSs fully az srs sSsi Wit With II his me Light Rsi'' ov as
the bed; ,Youtsy was kpeeling beside Miiler's
body with . towel In his hand; Watson was
and hIs hat ID; Watson did net deny 70 . he
shSas.ns' what az VIZ ii2R' *. SEs,lis aSy. '9 H. 1 1Id p SSt
say how the shooting occurred. J. asked Youtzy,
but he said he did not witness tho shooting. /
was running upstairs TO inform the superin-
%tendent when met him coming down. My
brother went into tho room and held Watsons
hand, saying: BE quiet; We know 1t was an ao-
cident.' He wanted to quiet Watson"
Among the other persons who made state
mentst TO the Coroner was u student named J.
It. Bell and another named A. Pudding. whose
homo 10 IN st. Louis. They wero In adjoining
rooms when the shooting occurred. and over
heard n loud conversation In Youtxy's room.
Coroner Bausch said In regard to tho case: ~
have taken possession of q partly written letter
which YaB lying on the fable In YOutzy'a rnnin