Evening star., 1901-12-13
THE SHOT WAS FATAL
Child Killed by Lad Fourteen Years
of Age.
CLAIMS GUN Was FIRED BY ACCIDENT
Large Number Of Arrests Made
During Investigation.
THE BOYS COMES SSION

THE BOYS CO \ E E S S 0 n
Carrie Corbin. colored girl. nine years
Old was shot and killed on Bruce avenue
in the colored settlement of Garfield. near
ArTacostia last evening about ten minutes
before o'clock, by the discharge of a
shotgun. fired deliberately, it Is said. by
youth whose identity has not yet been re-
Vealed by the investigation that is being
conducted by the p, Three youthful
prisoners are in CUSTODY at the police sta
tinn In Anacostia on suspicion of being i'm
pIicated I'm the killing of the girl but no
evidence that is regarded as conclusive
has been adducsd against any of them.
Those under arrest are Ernest Jones, col
ored nineteen years old son of Robert
Jones of Hamilton road. Garfield; Paul
Johnson. white, fourteen years old, said to
be a nephew of Mrs. w. n. Freeman of
Good Hope. and Arthur Norris, colored.
fourteen years old, son of John Norris of
Knoxs lane. Garfield. All are being closely
interrOgated by the police and the detec-
tives working upon the case. but they
tell ready stories and have not been con-
fused by the searching examinations which
they have undergone from the officers.
Coates Confesses.
Hezekiah Coates colored. who lives with
his mother on Randall lane. in Garfield,
was arrested ABOUT = CLOCK tnlS afternoon
on suspicion that he knew something about
the case. and soon afterward he made
confession at the police station to Det1c-
tive Lacey. He states that he passing
along Bruce avenue last evening about 80
O'Clock. with double barrel shot gun in
his hands the trigger Of one barrel of which
was cooked. He saw Carrie Corbin and
her brother come running from the house.
They We're indulging in play, and. i'll
spirit of mischief. he said. he pointed his
~rl II y IL
his finger on the trigger. and the gun was
discharged with the result already known.
The police secured the gun at his mothers
home. One barrel is empty, the Other
loaded.
The boy was taken to police hcadquar-
- ters In order that his Statement. might be
reduced to writing.
The arrest was made by Officer McCor-
mick. The lad who did the shooting is but
fourteen years Of age. and is unusually
small for that age. One cause for attach
ing suspicion To him was that the officers
found wadS- such as are usually used in
mUzzle-lOadinS guns. in the street near the
residence where the tragedy was enacted.
The accused boy was known to have had
such gun in his possession yesterday. and,
it was learned. had late last evening en-
tered the residence Of woman named
Kate Washington. on Anger avenue, carry
ing the weapon with him.
Where the Shooting Occurred.
The shooting of the girl occurred in front
of the home of Thomas Butts, her uncle.
Robert COrbin. the eleven year-old brother
OF Carrie was the only one present other
than the two principals when the shooting
occurred. He and his sister had left the
home Of their father. Richard Corbin, on
Anger avenue. Garfield, early in the even
ing for their Uncle's home to engage in re-
hearSal of their respective parts for a
Christmas entertainment which is being
arranged for by the Israel Baptist Church
of Garfield After finishing this practice
started on their way home. They had pro-
ceeded but a short distance, when they
We're accosted by boy across the street
about twenty-four feet distant. who hailed
them i'll profane language and demanded
that they halt. They did not pay much at
tention to the command. and were contin-
uing on their way. when he suddenly threw
the weapon ne was carrying to his shoul-
der and fired in their direction.
Almost Instant Death
The charge Of shot took effect in the left
side Of the girl who staggered backward
after coHyuIsiyely clutching at her brother
ami fell 20 the ground dead. Robert at once
r1H - the home OF his uncle and called
for help. The boy who fired the shot ran
hastily down Bruce avenue and. turned off
ol the Hamilton road. going in the direc-
uoE of Good Hope Messengers were sent
u notify the police of the affair which
was done shortly after o'clock. following
WHICH rigorous investigation was begun
by Sergeant w. T. Anderson of the Ana
costa station Later Detectives Peck Mil
l@i, Trumbo. Precinct Detective O'Dea and
Lieutenant NcCathran arrived and took
part in the search. The officers relied most
~ on the staterpents made by Robert the
eyewitness, in beginning their work on the
case The boy stated that the youth who
hrFd the shot appeared to be dressed in
nveralis. and that he Wore a cap 1t was
50 dark at the time of the shooting that
Rpb-rt could not say whether the boy was
white nr COlored. Ernest Jones was ar
rested by Precinct Detective O'Dea at 1915
o'clock after close questioning of large
number of boys who We're near the scene
of the killing.
During this examination Robert Cor
bin stated 10 the detective that he Thought
Jones voice sounded like that OF the one
who hailed his sister and himself be-
fore the shooting. Jones is the sexton of
the Allan Methodist Chapel at Garfield
and offered to account for MS where
abCuts at the hour when the girl was kill
ed He was in a store on the Hamilton
road al the time. he says, and subsequent
~ he went to the chapel A shotgun
found IN his house. but he claims IL be-
longs 10 his brother and asserts that he
was not out cunning yesterday.
Makes Earnest Denial.
Paul Johnson, who is an orphan. was
taken into custody at l o'clock this morn
Ing by Mounted Officer Mccormick at the
scene "f the shooting The police learned
thar he had enjoyed his half-holiday from
tn Anacostia school yesterday afternoon
by hunting in the woods at the place of
y a LOhr- They were informed that he
was In the locality where Carrie was killed
about the time Of the shooting but al
though admitting that he was out gun
Ing he denied earnestly that he fred the
1dldI shot He was wearing overalls when
hunting and also cap. He asserts that he
stopped hunting about = o'clock and that
he went directly to his home at Good
Hope. meeting on his way several persons
who recognized him and for whom the Of
hcerS seeking.
Arthur Norris was arrested by Acting
SerSt. Murphy early this morning. 1t was
denied at his home that he had been hunt
ing yesterday. but the police learned that