The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1899-06-13
THE BELAIR
! TRAGEDY.
Graphic Testimony of Med
ical Men and Eye
Witnesses of the
.. Shooting.

Belair, Md. June 12. The unusual;occu
renee of two juries OF inquests being con-
solidatcd into one happened here this
IN orning when they met to look into the
cause OF tho death of Officer Frank Bate
Iaan and John Hays, who killed each
ether Saturday evening In tenant house
on one of the side streets Of Belair. The
hearing took place in the courtroom be-
fore Justice Of the Peace Clifford q.
Barnes. States Attorney Walter +.
Preston conducted the examination Of the
witnesses
Drs. w. r. Munnikhuysen and Il. Hall
Richardson testified to having been sum.
moned to the scene of tho shooting short
ly alter it happened. They found Officer
floor, in great agony. Bateman was in
the throes of death. Batelnan was shot in
tho abdomen and death was due to in
ternal hemorrhnges. A shot wound was
also found in his right groin. Three
wounds were found on the body OF Hays
two in the abdomen and one In the back,
hut were not sure whether his last wound
was caused by ono of the balls passing
through the body or whether IL was fired
into the back. His death was also due to
internal hemorrha 60, as he spit blood for
sometime before he died. He was con-
sciouS up to q few minutes before his
death. He lived several hours after no was
shot. while Bateman died within few
minutes after be received his wound.
Mrs. Alfred Il. Jones, wife of Bailiff
Jones. of Belair, who lives almost opposite
to where the shooting occurred, and who
saw the whole affair, testified that she
hoard John Smith tell John Hays that
Officer Bateman was coming TO arrest him
and that he had better prepare to take
care of himself. This seemed to excite
Hays, who was standing in his yard, for
he began to curse everybody he thought
of, ind declared that If Bateman came to
arrest him he would kill him, or any other
man who laid his bands OH him, for bo
had the hing to do 1t with, at the same
time putting his hand In his hip pocket.
Hays then entered his house, swearing all
the time When Bateman came up he
knocked at the door ana told Hays that
he wanted him. AT fl at Hays did not re.
ply, hut second call from the officer
caused Hays to ask what he wanted him
for. and whom told, asked that tho war
rant be read, which was done. He did not
seem to like the tone of the warIent and
refused 10 como out OF his house. The
officer told small colored boy to get 1lm
an axe, with which to break the door in.
and within few seconds afterwards Hays
suddenly half opened the door aud tirod at
Batemun, the shot taking effect in his
right groin The officer, with pistol in
hand, entered the house and fired three
times at Hays, who fell to the floor. md
while down tired u second shot upward
at tho officer which proved to be the fatal
wound
Mrs Jones further testified that Hoys
had been ac,ing in a most disorderly man
ntr for some time about his premises,
chasing tho colored people from their
homes wi h razor, curslng and making
the lives Of all tho people in tho nejrhbor-
hood perfectly miserable.
Capt. Thomas G, Forwood and r. PAGE
.lolitfn .es flied as to having passed the
Hays house Saturday evening and noticed
tine officer standing on the stems leading
to the house, and both made the remark
that there must be some trouble there.
They had not gene % Yards when thew
heard Tho pistol shots and ouickly return,
ed to tho house They found both men