The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-12-03
SnOTGOI'S REIGN ON
THAT FORM OF FIRE ARM MAKING
THE ST. PAUL POLICE AND
SURGEON WORK
WILLIAM LARSEN MAY DIE
Stewart Webb, Recently From Ken
lucky, Shows How a Gun Is Used
in the Blue Grass Region, and
but for the Fact That Oliver Cor
nell Was Present Larsen Might
Now Pc Dead.


ger of a shotgun that he held leveled at
William Larsen's head, yesterday after
noon, Oliver Cornell thrust the weapon
aside, so that the charge of shot shat
tered Larsen's left shoulder, instead of
blowing out his brains. The gun was
within a few feet of Larsen when it went
off, and but for the timely interference
of his friend would have beyond doubt
killed him on the spot, thus enacting an
other tragedy, such as occurred at tho
Office of Justice Smith a few weeks ago,
when Fred Guion killed James Miller
with a shotgun. Webb tried to escape
after the shooting, but was captured
after a short chase and locked up on the
charge of attempted murder. Larsen
has frightfuI wound In his shoulder
where the full charge of shot entered.
The flesh is torn and the bones complete
~ shattered. His condition is serious,
but the physicians hope for his recovery.
The shooting took place in small fuel
Office at sos North Washington street,
conducted by w. w. Webb, father of
the young man under arrest, shortly after
o'clock Stories of the affair differ.
Webb claims to have been provoked to
do the shooting, and says that he was
in a measure acting in self-defense, while
Larsen and Cornell claim he deliberately
attempted to kill Larsen without cause.
The three men were in the fuel Office to-
gether some time before the shooting &C.
CURED. Young Webb recently returned
from Kentucky, where he lived with rela-
tives for seven years, and has since been
assisting his father in the delivery Of
small orders of wood and coal. He
claims never to have seen Larsen but
once before the shooting. He says Lar
sen and Cornell have been in the habit OF
frequenting the office for the purpose Of
rushing the can," and that when they
visited the place yesterday they were
both under the influence of liquor. Webb
says he desired to leave the office to
carry up a load of his wood his father
had shortly before delivered, and asked
Larsen and Cornell to go out. He says
the intruders declined to go and became
botSterOuS. Angered at their defiance,
Webb says, he once more ordered them to
leave the office, and, when they refused,
he reached for the shotgun that hung on
q shelf near where he was standing. A
loaded shell lay on a table near by, and,
loading the gun, Webb says, he renewed
his order to Larsen and Cornell to Vacate
At this the men started toward him,
Webb says, and he raised the gun to his
shoulder, pointing it at Larsen. He says
Larsen swOre at him and declared no one
could put him out of the office. and he
pulled off his coat. as Webb says, pre-
paratOry to a fight, Meantime Cornell
had gotten behind Webb The young
man says he Believed both Cornell and
Larsen were about to attack him, and
freely admits pulling the trigger with the
intention of shooting Larsen. AS he did
so, however, Cornell grappled with him,
and, Selling the butt of the gun, turned
the weapon aside in time to change the
course of the load.
Larsen fell to the floor with a cry of
pain. as flames from the gun. leaped al
most into his face, while Cornell and
Webb struggled for possession of the
gun. Cornell says Webb swore he would
kill him also. The gun is single bar
relied weapon, but Cornell says there We're
more shells lying on the table,. and that
Webb tried to reach them. Finally Webb
released his hold on the gun and ran out
the door. fleeing on Washington street
to Fourth. Meantime a paSSerby who
had heard the shot. ran to the central
station and Informed those in charge that
a man had been murdered in the little
wood Office Chief Goss, ACCOMPANIED bv
Sergeant Wright and Jailer Harris, rush
ed out of the station toward the scene,
wher they were Informed that Webb had
run toward, Fourth street. Chief Goss
then went over Market street to Fourth.
while Jailer Harris ran back through the
station, and Sergeant Wright went
around Washington street When thew
reached Fourth street they saw two men
struggling on the Fourth street walk,
beside Rice park. One was young Webb.
while the other was George Stein, living
at Summit and Pleasant avenues who
mad heard the shot. and seeing Webb run
ming away had pursued and captured
him. Webb put up desperate fight, but
Mr.. Stein chung to him courageously until
relieved by Chief Goss. Sergeant Wright
and Jailer Harris.
When taken to the station Webb was
greatly excited. Larsen had been assist
ed to the station, and was lying on a
bench awaiting a physician. Webb glared
at the wounded manSand, swearing vigor-
ously, declared he would have killed him
had not Cornell interfered. Cornell was
present, too, and, shaking his fist at him,
Webb declared that he wished he had
also killed Cornell
Larsen's condition prevented him from
talking at length of the attempt uDon his
life, but he declared he was shot without
provocation. Larsen is thirty years Of
age and lives with a sister at 76 Ten
nessee street. He says he Is a horse
trader. He was roughly dressed and had
much the appearance of laborer
CornelFs story of the shooting is diff
ferent from WeDb's. He says he and
Larsen met young Webb In the office.
and that the latter began berating them
without cause. remarking that he would
just as soon kill them as not Reaching
for the gun. Cornell says Webb declared
he would show them how people used q
gun in Kentucky. With this Cornell saws
Larsen backed toward the door. AS Lar
sen stepped on the threshold, Cornell says
Webb aimed the gun and fired Antfcinat-
Ing this action. Cornell says he seized the
gun and turned it aside, so that the
charge struck Larsen in the shoulder In
stead of in the head
Young Webb, in much more nossessed
mood, seen In cell an hour after tba
shooting, discussed the affair more calm
ly. He said he meant to DISCHARGE tho
gun, but that he had no intention Of bit-
ting Larsen. From his life in the Kan
lucky mountains Webb saws he bacanne-
an expert shot, and only intended IN
shoot close enough to Larsen to friehten
him. He say he meant only to set Lar
sens clothes afire, or, at worst to shoot
him in the arm, and declares that if
Cornell had not interfered Larsen would
not have been SO badly hurt.
When City Physician Ancker and AS
sistant City Physician Weirick had ex-
amined Larsen's wound it was deemed
pest to get the injured man to the hos
pitaI as quickly as possible, and he was
sent out III the patrol wagon 4 closer
examination Of the wound at the hosDita1
showed that the full charge Of shot had
bored into Larsen's shoulder. The should
er blade, clavfcle and smaller bones arc
completely shattered. It was impossib1e
10 remove the shot. The physicians are