The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-12-01
ONE BOY SHOOTS ANOTHER.
CHARLES HhLFSER WAS SHOOTING
WATER RATS.

He Had n Flobert Rife and Standing Bnol,
In the Doorway Of n shsnty Took Aim
and Fired just rs Albert Bassler Passed
Tho Small Missile May Cause Death.
Albert Dassler. If years old. OF 1874 East Nine
ty-third street, Manhattan. was shot and probab.
ly fatally wounded on Bcrrian's Island In the
East River of the Steinway shore yesterday
afternoon at 4 80 r. NJ. by Charles Haliner.
10 years old. OF 1913 East Ninety third street.
Manhattan. The wounded boy was sent to st.
Johns Hospital. Long Island. City and Halfner
was locked up in the Astoria police station.
Two parties OF boys started out In rowboats
from the foot OF East Ninety-third street early
In the afternoon bound for Berrlan's Island.
In one boat were Bassler and Albert Finnegnn
of11S3 First avenue and Louis Homestead OF
First avenue aud Ninety-third street. In tho
other boat were Halfner. Michael Joyce OF 311
East Ninoty-third street and another boy
known as Long Tom" who lives In Ninety
third street near First avenue. When the
boats reached tho island Bassler and his two
friends started along the shore to dig sand
worms for bait. while Halfner and his compan-
ions went up along u high BLUM on tho island
to take position to shoot water rats that In
habit n stone wall or collection OF rocks at the
base OF the blum.
The police were unable TO learn Just how
many shots were fred or who fred them all.
Halfncr. however. admitted. according to
Sergt Carroll OF the Astoria police station. that
he shot Bassler. but said that tho shooting
was accidental He stated to the sergeant that
he was standing back In the doorway OF an
old shanty on the island when he took aim and
fired Just then Bassler appeared In range OF
tho weapon. which was Flobert rife
OF 22-calibrc. and tho bullet entered
hia abdomen on tho right side, The
boy fell to the sandy beach and
was unable to get up. lIalfner did not
state what became OF the other members OF
both parties. and Sergeant Carroll refused to
allow the boy prisoner to be interviewed. At
all events Halfner said that he. unaided. carried
the wounded hoy down to one OF the boats and
started to row across to NUTS boathouse on
helped him mi Bassler out Of the boat at the
float and carry him To Ralph Paul's drug store
in Steinway avenue. near the Old Bowery Bay
road. and about thrce-puartcrs Of "A mile from
the hoathouse.
Policeman Finch rowed over to the island to
get the rifle with which the shooting was done.
Haliner says he dropped the weapon at the
h but the ma o, Tss Snses to na
on No cartridges were found on Halfner
when he was searched at the police station and
he told the police that II was his last cartridge
that wounded Bassl.r.
At the hospital last night the wounded boys
condition, was pronounced dangerous. The
small missile penetrated his body INDICATE
that the shot must have been fired at close
that he did not know whether the shooting
was accidental or not, hut he was positive that
Haliner shot h. IN. The other boy practically
polio" station. lie seemed greatly alarmed
and wanted his relatives notified; The police
sent telephone message ss, to the East Eighty,
the homes OF both boys.