The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-12-11

A coroner's jury yesterday afternoon
rendered a verdict acquitting William e.
Langdon of the killing of Edward b.
Shank on the ground that the shooting
was done in self-defense.
The verdict of the jury created sensa-
ton both in legal circles and at police
headquarters. The defendant did not go
on the stand, and no details of the shoot
ing were placed before the jury.
Prosecuting Attorney McElroy, upon be-
ing informed of the nature of the finding,
stated that Langdon would be Immediate
ly arraigned in the justice court upon
direct information filed with view to de-
veloping the whole facts surrounding the
killing.
Neither Prosecuting Attorney McElroy
nor any of his deputies was present at the
hearing, but Coroner Sparkling subjected
each witness to searching examination,
which developed evidence in no way diff
fering from that published by the Post
Intellgencer on the morning of the trag-
edy.
William II. Wilson, H. w. Moore and
John Nolan each gave testimony of an
unimportant nature, describing the meet
ing of the two men before Shank accom-
panied Iangdon into his private office.
John Knowlton testified that Shank was
of quarrelsome nature and that he had
recently had trouble over gambling af-
fairs with various persons whose names
the witness did not recall
Officer Trip testified regarding the con-
versation which he had with the dying
man few minutes after Langdon fired
the fatal shot. According to the officers
testimony the following conversation oc-
Cured:
"Who shot you, Shank?'
"Langdon.'
'sWhat for7"
because / would not loan him $50"
yes"
"who shot first?"
HE did"
going to die, l am going to de- and
shortly afterwards expired.
officer Freeman testified that when he
assembled the stairs TO the gambling hall
Langdon met him and handed him his
pistol.
Freeman was followed on the stand by
Officer Hubbard.
DIR. Carl HOFFMAN, who attended Shank
In his dying moments and subsequently
performed an autopsy ON the BODY under
the direction of Coroner Sparling. testi-
fled that Shank died as the result of an
internal hemorrhage caused by a bullet
which entered his abdomen.
DR.. Wotherspoon, who was present at
the autopsy, gave similar testimony,
after which Coroner Sparling instructed
the jury, ..s.
the deceased came TO MS tedlN at lne
hands of William Langdon. you will so
state in your verdict. The evidence here
presented will suffice to determine you
regarding whether the shot was fired in
self-defense."
The jury, composed OF j. G. Muligan,
foreman; S. ]. Teachnor, James f. Ma
son. James Bogart, r. II. Walker and
Henry Fry, then retired to an adjoining
room The jury remained in conference
for five minutes, after which they re-
turned with verdict stating;
THAT the deceased came to his death
by a pistol in the hands of William
Langdon. which we find was fired by
Langdon I'm seif-defense"
Prosecuting Attorney McElrov arrived
at the morgue shortly after the verdict
was rendered, and after inquiring into the
nature OF the evidence adduced. stated:
1.-The verdict was not justified under
the circumstances with the evidence at
hand. / will cause Langdon to he ar
raigned in the justice court as soon as a
transcript of the testimony taken at the
inquest Is obtainable."