The record-union., 1899-03-28
WITHOUT HOMICIDAL INTENT
HOW GEORGE FRANCIS CAME
TO HIS DEATH.
Caused by a Blow by John Sher-
burn, but Without Intent to
Do Great Harm.

A Coroner's jury, composed of Peter
Breckendorf, F. A. Shepherd, Robert
Parker, H. D. Nash, George Cook. d.
j. Mannix, Lee Stanley, Frank Flein-
ming, A. Graffmiller and M. A. How
ard, last evening listened to the evl-
dence of witnesses detailing the incl
dents which preceded and followed the
death of the late George M. Francis,
between whom and John Sherburn
difficulty was had at the railroad shops
last Saturday afternoon. After care
fully weighing the evidence the jury
brought in the following verdict:
I'VE, the jury, find that the deceased
came to his death by fracture of the
skull, caused by a fall from the effect
of a blow from the hand of John Sher-
burn, delivered without intent to do
great bodily HARM
William Hugo, Jr, who resides at
1907 G street, was the first witness. He
testified that he was a witness to the
trouble between Sherburn and Fran
els. He was about fifteen or twenty
feet distant from the two men. Sher-
burn, the witness said, had been to the
emery wheel to have his dies ground,
and was returning when the trouble
took place.
Witness thought Francis said some
thing to Sherburn and that Sherburn
made some reply, following the same
by striking Francis, first with the left
hand and twice with the right When
Sherburn struck Francis the latter fell
face downward upon a nail keg in
which were some long bolts
Sherburn, the witness said, stood by
his machine for a few minutes after
striking Francis, and then walked away
TO get some waste with which to clean
the machine. Francis got up and ask
ed witness what Sherburn had struck
him with. Witness told him that Sher-
burn hit him with his fist Hugo said
he advised Francis to go out of the
shop and have it OUT with Sherbllrn,
but Francis had replied: 'I cant; my
head goes around like balloon" He
told the witness that he would settle
with Sherburn later
The witness said he saw nothing in
Sherburn's hands when he stuck Fran
els, and thought he would have seen
had he had anything. Sherburn, he
said, knocked Francis down the second
blow he struck. He was not sure
whether two or three blows were struck
by Sherburn.
Irving Howe, who lives at ITO Sew
enth street, was the next witness He
testified that he was eight or ten feet
from Francis and Sherburn at the time
of the trouble between them Francis
was in the act of pulling a rod from
his machine when Sherburn passed He
called Sherburn some kind of a vile
name (witness could not recollect
whaD, whereupon Sherburn struck him.
first with the left hand and then twice
with his right. Francis fell with his
head upon nail keg in which were a
number of long bolts which extended
above the top of the keg. Francis. the
witness said, was down but a few sec
onds. When he arose he went back to
his machine and did a little work, and
then quit, walked over to the foreman,
Morris. and soon started home
In reply to questions propounded by
Attorney ]. Charles Jones. the witness
said there were eight or ten bolts in
the nail keg, and that Francis fell with
his head on the bolts. Witness was
sure that Francis spoke to Sherburn in
an angry manner, but he was not GER
tain what he said.
In answer to further questions wit
ness said the boys in the shop had been
joshing" Sherburn and Francis before
the trouble, but he did not know wheth-
er or not that had led up to the diff
Guilty
John Morris, foreman of the bolt de-
partment of the shop in which the diff
Guilty occurred. testified that he was in
the shop at the time, but did not see
any of it. After the trouble, he said,
FRANCIS came to- his desk and asked for
h {-
great pain, and could not wait until the
card was made out. He seemed almost
unable to speak, but finally said, I'm
going home" and started toward the
Sixth street entrance
Witness said he went to Sherb,1rn and
asked why he had struck Francis.
Sherburn replied that Francis had CALI
ed him name. Witness told him to go
home and stay there for ten days.
The witness described the dies used
in cutting the bolts as being about
three inches long, an inch and half
wide and three-eighths Of an inch thick.
One of the dies in question was pro-
duced and the witness demonstrated TO
the jury that a man by closing his hand
over one could not conceal it from any
person who observed at all closely.
Witness ground Sherburn's dies a few
minutes before the trouble took place.
Charles Hunt, who drives the Rail-
road Hospital ambulance, testified to
removing Francis from point near the
Sixth-street gate to the hospital Fran
els was unconscious.
c. o. Miller, timekeeper of the foun-
dry, testified that on the afternoon of
the 18th inst. he saw Francis lying
against tree behind the foundry. lie
helped place him in the hospital ambu-
lance, and went with him to the hospi-
tai. He was unconscious most of the
time, and only spoke a few words
Fred Valentine who works in the
foundry, saw Francis walking toward
the gate at the Sixth-street entrance
Francis seemed to be blind, and acted
as though he We're drunk. He seemed
unable to get out of the gate. and
turned around and started toward the
foundry and fell on his face. Witness