Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-03-16
CAVITY Held by the Coroner's Jury to
Be Criminally Responsible.
THE HEARING Was VERY BRIEF
Coroner Carr Puts in Practice His
New Policy.
THE VERDICT SUAL

death March 10, 1898 shortly after noon as
the result Of a pistol shot wound Of the
chest and aorta produced by a pistol in the
hands Of Dennis ]. Canty. We find that
Dennis ]. Canty is criminally responsible
for the death of the said George NJ. Rye,
and direct that the said Dennis ]. Canty be
held for the action of the grand jury
The above verdict was rendered by a
jury Of six citizens of Washington, whose
names are given below as a result Of the
evidence given in brief examination dur
ing the inquest held this morning by Cor
oner William P. Carr at the sixth precinct
station house.
The crowd which assembled at the sta
tior house was decidedly mixed in char
acter. There were many of the men about
town who are usually drawn by curiosity
to such places, but in this instance they
were mostly acquainted with either one
or both of the principals in the tragedy
Then the usual persons attracted by NOR
bid motives were fully represented. One
of the early arrivals after the prisoner
and the jury was Mr. A. s. Worthington
Canty's attorney. closely followed by Dis
trict Attorney Davis and Assistant Dis
trict Attorney Joseph Shillington. Lieu
tenant Kelly, realizing the meager &C
commodation of the officers room in the
rear OF the station on the first floor, order
ed that no one should be admitted except
the reporters and lawyers. The witnesses
were also excluded. Exceptions were made
in the case Of Mr. H. w. Van Sender, for
n:er partner of the prisoner, and several
other friends of his
The jury was composed of Fred. c. Gle
seking. Frank K. Raymond, G. Vernon
Knox, Henry ]. Mattern, William d.
Campbell and Charles w. Downing. Upon
being polled, the jury taken in the
patrol wagon to Speare's undertaking es-
Establishment to view the dead body of
George NJ. Rye.
Before the jury returned the officers
room was uncomfortably crowded, and
Lieutenant Kelly changed the location of
the hearing to the commodous dormitory
On the second floor. The seventeen iron
cots, with their clean white counterpanes,
were used for deposting the hats and over
coats of those in attendance. Two tables
in center of the room were occupied by
Coroner William p. Carr, Assistant Cor
oner Glazebrook and u number of report
erS.
Cheerfulness of CAVITY.
The prisoner was brought down to the
sixth precinct station house in the first
precinct patrol wagon by Officers Riley and
Kilmartain about 1890 O'clock When he
al1ghted at the curb he gave a smiling
greeting to several acquaintance who were
gathered on the sidewalk. He gave The
Star reporter the same hearty handshake
which has been his habit in the past and
In reply to question how he felt laughing
ly replied that he felt as we'll as a man
could who had spent night in jail.
Result of the Autopsy
The first witness. Deputy Coroner Glaze
brook. testified to tolding the autopsy on
the dead body of George NJ. Rye. The body
was that of a man five feet seven inches
high, in remarkably good physical condi-
ton. The clothing of the deceased was
described. The double-breasted coat con-
tanned a round hole in its lapel. There
was similar hole in the vest and in the
overshirt and undershirt. Two holes were
found in the trousers On the right side.
There were no powder marks. Two and
three-quartar inches below the collar bone
ard five inches from the media line was a
wound with inverted edges. 1t was two
and three-quarter il ches above the left
nipple. The wound was traced to the bony
structure of the body. The bullet passed
just above the third rib and through the
left lung and the pulmonary artery, thence
across the chest and cutting the air tubes
o. the right lung and passing through the
right lung to the fifth rib, which was shat
tered in about thirty pieces. A bullet was
found imbedded in a large muscle under
the right arm in the axillary space
The bullet was apparently very heavy
3s-calibcr bullet, weighing A grains. An
other wound was found four and a half
inches below the hip bore in the back on
the left side, above the left hip pocket, as
the witness illustrated with his hand on
his own person. Another wound was be-
low this in the dead mans back. The
edges of the second wound We're inverted;
the second wound had everted edges and
was found to be superficial.
The cause of death was acute hemorrhage
following the wound described first, five
and one-half pints of blood having been
found in the tubes of the lungs Dr. Glaze
brook exhibited the deadly bullet, the point
of which, he said, appeared to have been
cut off to a point before being fired.
Evidence of David Ross.
The second witness was David NJ. Ross
Of 1744 street. He testified that he was
coming down 14th street on the east side,
ard when twenty yards from F street
started across 14th street toward the Will
lard building. Witness saw Mr.. Rye COM
ing across the street, and apparently hest
tate. A street car interviewed, and witness
heard a shot. 1t followed by two
shots fired in quick succession. When the
car passed witness saw Mr. Rye lying on
the street about Is feet from the curb.
The witness stated that the car passing
prevented him from seeing who did the
shooting.
Ibid you see a knife?' asked Coroner
Carr.
II did not" was the reply.
did any one point out to you any person
as having fired the shots?'' continued the
coroner.
"a number of persons did so. They
pointed TO a large man standing on the
corner"
do you see that man in this room?
CAVITY was seated directly behind the
witness chair, and Mr. Ross surveyed the
gathering vainly until he was directed to
look around. When his eyes met those of
the prisoner he quickly identified him.
Saw Two Shots Fired.
Arthur Kellogg Of 4s2 F street was the
next, and, as it turned cut, the only other,
witness examined. He testified that he saw
Canty fire the last two shots at Rye and
that the latter fell. The witness Identified
the prisoner as the man who fired the