The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-08-07
The Coroner's Jury Says it Was Not
Suicide.
BUT FAILS TO FIND THE MAN WHO DID IT
The General Theory is That High Shot Priwt
Accidentally While They Were Scah1-
ing For the Possession Of
a Pistol.

elgh Saturday night, is still a mystery.
1t is certain that he did not kill him
self. either on purpose or accidentally,
as the bullet went in just behind the left
ear and ranged in such direction as would
hardly have been possible had Privett
held the pistol in his own hand.
Dona High, the boy who was with Priv
EFT at the time of the shooting, disap-
peared Immediately and cannot be found.
This leads to the belief that he did the
shooting. But the fact that no bad feel
ing existed between the two boys, togeth-
er with the peculiar circums tances of
the homicide, lead to the belief that Priv
EFT was shot accidentally by High while
they were scuffling for possession of the
pistol which belonged to High.
The coroner, DR.. j. L. Moore, of Apex,
arrived here yesterday, impanelled
jury and investigated the affair. They
visited the scene of the homicide, viewed
the body, took the testimony of all the
witnesses and returned the following
verdict:
I'VE, the jury, for our verdict say that
Dennis Privett, deceased, came to his
death from pistol or gunshot wound from
the hand of some person unknown to this
jury"
The jury was composed of w. 7. Wom
BILE, r. P. Lewis, ]. G.. Strickland, John
r. Upchurch, NJ. B. Barbee and c. II.
Beine
Six witnesses, all colored, were exam
ined by them, as follows: Luther john
ston Madison Shaw, Frank Gibson, Ma
son Privett, Randall High and James
Sanford
Luther Johnston testified that on Sat
urday night he was at Dukes corner for
half an hour with the deceased, Dennis
Privett, Madison Shaw and Dona High
Then Dona High proposed that they should
all go home. They had gone half block,
on Davie street, when Dennis asked Dona
for his (Dona's) pistol Dona declined
to give it to him and they had a seuf-
fle over it. Madison Shaw cautioned them
against getting shot Then Denis said;
Look out Dona. Let me go over here
to the light and see if it is loaded"
He went, and when he came back he
said it had two balls in it. He then put
in his pocket, saying, Lets not prank
with it any more
The witness said this was in front of
Mollie Trimhle's. They then went on to
Reuben Hintons store, and there Dona
demanded the pistol. Dennis declined TO
give it up and they had another wrestle
over it.
when we got to Madison Shaw's home
on Swain street, he said good night and
left us. Then when we got to my home,
on East Lenoir street, | said good night
to Dona and Dennis and started toward
the house. Before reaching the steps
heard the report of a pistol
Immediately l turned to look and ran to
the gate When ] got there l heard Dona
say to Dennis, Lord have mercy, did it
hurt you
after l got into the street Dona said
You have shot yourself.
when l got to Dona l asked what
was the matter. He made no reply. Then
/ ran to Dennis's mother and told her
Dennis had shot himself.
''She came back with me, but when
we got to the place where Dennis was
lying he was dead and Dona had disap-
peared.
Ills mother told me to go for doctor.
/ telephoned for one, but none came. We
examined the body and found bullet hole
just back of the left ear. No pistol was
to be seem
On crosse examination, the witness said
Dona nor Dennis seemed to be mad He
saw but this one pistol in the crowd.
Madison Shaw's testimony correspondent
exactly with Johnstons up to the time he
(Shaw) left the crowd at his home on
Swain street.
"A few minutes later" he said, Luther
Johnston came running by and said
"'Come and go with me for the doctor
Dennis has shot himself
I'VE both went and telephoned for
doctor. but none came. When we got
back Dennis was dead. Someone said he
was shot just back of the ear
Frank Gibson said he was in Luther
Johnston's house at the time of the
shooting. He heard Luther tell the
other boys goodnight and shut the gate.
A moment later he heard the pistol fire,
and went out He found Dennis lying
in the road, shot just behind the left
ear.
at was said by some one that he had
shot himself, and | examined to see if
he had a pistol. There was no pistol,
either on the ground or on his person,
He was not dead, but he never spoke
and died in few minutes after we took
him into the house.
Mason Privett, mother of the dead boy,
said that SO far as she knew her son,
Dennis Privett, and Dona High, were
close friends, being frequently together
and often coming in late at night.
Il have never known my son to have
a pistol, nor have l ever heard him say
anything about having Dona Highs pis-
toll"
This witness told about going out into
the road and finding her son lying there
with bullet hole behind his left car.
Il did not recognize all the people
that were around him in the road l did
not see Dona High at all. The boy
did not die until after he had been taken
into the house, but he never spoke"
Randall High testified that about three