Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-06-02
THE JURYS VERDICT.
Dock Tharle Responsible for Aaron
Bishops Death.
ACCUSED MAN COMMITTED TO JAIL
Sequel to the Tragedy Enacted
Wednesday Night Last.
TESTIMONY OF WITNESSES
ACCUSED MAN COMMITTED TO JAIL
TESTIMONY OF WITNESSES

A jury of inquest met at the sixth pre-
| cnct station at noon today and heard evil
| dence concerning the killing of Aaron D.
| Bishop, former volunteer from Gadsden.
| Ala, who was killed in the Baltimore and
| Potomac depot Wednesday night by Dock
| n. Tharpe. also volunteer, from Missis-
sippi, an account of which was published in
yesterdays Star. Witnesses detailed the
| returned verdict holding the prisoner,
Tharpe, responsible for his former comrades
| dsath. Attorney Campbell Darlington was
present in behalf of the prisoner. Policeman
Jos. Acton, who received so serious an injury
| at the hands of Tharpe, was present at the
| inquest witness. While he is still suf-
fering from the effects of a wound in his
arm, ne anticipates no serious results. Po-
| lice Surgeons Jackson and Vale, who first
| examined the arm, expressed the belief
that the bullet had passed out, but an X
ray instrument located the baden missile
| In the arm, and tomorrow an operation will
be performed
Soon after the verdict was returned the
prisoner was committed to Jail. 1t is prob
able the body of Bishop will be sent 20 his
late home.
The Wounded officer.
John D. Cranston, ticket examiner at the
testified that when he opened the gate
there was a rush, and he heard the shot.
| He did not know who did the firing
Officer Acton told the jury that he is
| assigned at the depot for police duty. We'd
nesday night, he said, there a big
crowd at the depot, and he was called to
preserve order. Tharpe had no ticket, and
witness told him to step back. He told him
| to be quiet and not cause any trouble
You have been away and going
home" he said to the soldiers. and you
ought to be satisfied"
Witness said Tharpe exclaimed: TN go
| through this gate if 1 wade up to my neck
! Tharpe showed him a small piece of pa
| per and asked If that would answer. Wit
ness told him he had nothing to do with
| the ticket or the train. That question, he
said, the railroad people would have to set
| tie. The prisoner then said he would go
through the gate If he had to wade through
gore. and concluded:
IN go through In this way"
He had hardly finished this statement
when he drew his weapon and fired Wit
ness fell back against somebody, and he
| heard five shots. Only one struck witness,
| but he thought they We're all intended for
him, for the bullets all came in his direc-
ton. He afterward saw the dead soldier
| lying on the floor.
Questioned by counsel the officer said he
did not attempt to prevent the prisoner
going through the gate. He did advise him
to behave himself. Tharpe, he said. was
under the influence of liquor, but witness
did not think he was drunk.
Sergeant Kracmer's Testimony.
Sergeant kraemer testified that he had
| officers at the depot Wednesday night. He
knew the soldiers were going away, and
as some of them We're under the influence
| of liquor he anticipated trouble, Tharpe,
| who had been drinking, disorderly, and
witness remonstrat ted with him. Policeman
Acton, he said also warned him. and he
heard Tharpe say he would go through the
gate even if he had ticket When the
bullet struck Officer Acton, the sergeant
said, the latter fell against witness and
knocked him tkraemer) over. His being
knocked over in this way, he was salts
fed saved his 0<raemers) life, for of
the bullets passed directly where he had
been standing.
Sergeant Kraener said he could not tell
just how many shots were fired. He knew
that three shots were fired, but the de-
| PENDANT. he said, admitted that he fired
| five times Tharpe, he said, was the only
| man who discharged a pistol.
| The sergeant said Policeman Payne grab
bed Tharpe and then witness assisted, and
| relieved him of his revolver Later he was
turned over to Detective Cochran and sent
| TO the station. After this had been done
| witness said he learned that Bishop had
been shot. When doctor pronounced him
dead, witness sent his body to the morgue.
When witness attempted to take the
| vover from Tharpe the latter was still in
| fighting mood, and it was necessary for
him to strike him across his hand to make
him drop the weapon.
In answer to Mr.. Carrington's questions
| witness said Tharpe was drunk and he con-
Guided he would lock him up. Afterv.ard
! the sergeant said he desired correct his
statement Tharpe was not drunk, he said
| but he had been drinking. Policeman Acton,
| he said. put his hand on Tharpe before the
| shooting was done, and told him to step
| back.
Under Influence of Liquor.
Policeman Payne told the jury of his
| connection with the affair. He was in the
| depot when he the soldiers pushing
Tharpe, he said, was very much under the
| influence of liquor. When witness heard
| the first shot fired he grabbed Tharpe to
! prevent any further firing. He thought five
shots in all were fired.
Did this man fail?" Mr. Darlington asked
witness. pointing to his client.
NO, sir" responded officer Payne.
Did he not fall when he was struck"
he did not fall"
Witness said he did not know soldier
had been shot until he reached the patrol
box.
Ticket Examiner Cranston was recalled
and he said he had made no complaint to
| the officer about the prisoner not having a
ticket.
The Railway Custom.
j. ID. Catheil, usher at the depot, was eX-
amined. He told of the practice of the
| railroad company in transporting soldiers
| He explained thai sometimes soldiers
| travel on block tickets, one being used for
| twenty-five or fifty soldiers. In such a
| case, ne said. the man holding the ticket
would have to identify all the persons
whose names appeared on the ticket
| Witness told of the trouble the railroads
| had had with soldiers, and said when one
lad no ticket he sent to the ticket
receiver. If he made Il good showing he
I would be sent on his journey, and if not,
i he would have to get transportation in
another way. The police, he said, had been
\ asked to assist in keeping order Police
| man Acton. he added sent to the de-
pot for duty because of his superior knowl-
| edge of railroad rules, and also because of
| his ability.
An Eyewitness.
Detective Cochran testified that he was
| on duty in the depot Wednesday night and
was standing near the gate when Tharpe
| used his weapon. He saw Policeman
! Acton touch HIM on the breast and say:
| Young man, 1 spoke to you before, and