The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1901-05-24
JAY MCCLUNG
SHOT DEAD
on the Grand Opera House Stage
While the Audience was wait
ing for the curtain to rise
Shot Fired by Luther Moore
Who was to use Gun in Cow Boy
Astronomers jury pronounce
ed Shooting Purely Acci-
dental.

W Jay McClung was Shot dead on
the opera house stage Tuesday night:
McClung was son Of William II,
McClung, OF this city, and about ~
years OF age, At the time he was
kIlled he was a stage hand at the thea
ter. The tragedy happened about $40
O'Clock behind the stage curtain. Inc
house was pretty we'll filled with peo-
nle who had assembled to witness the
Van Dyke and Eaton Companys pre-
sentation OF "Across the Trail" AS
soon as the manager of the company
and the house learned Of the horrible
affair the show was declared of and
the house closed for the night.
Luther Moore, aged % years son OF
Mrs. Nancy Moore, Of Ben street, was
IN take part in the play that night.
he went down stairs and made him
SELF no for the part, came up again
with a small gun and expressed regret
the weapon was so small. Reed Spring
Who was standing at the south side OF
the stage with Jay McClung SAID ne
would give him larger gun whlch ne
had found. He took a revolver, -
.caltbre, from his coat hanging on the
vail and handed IL to Moore. In some
way Moore got his hand on the trigger
and as Spring was telling him 1T was
loaded the gun was discharged, the
hall entering Jay McClung's chest
McClunp threw up his arms, cried out
that he was shot, reeled and fell into
the arms of Ralph DeVaughn IN the
middle of the stage. The bosom u
McClung's shirt was atire; DeNaugnn
smothered the fame with his hanss'
laid him down and started for phy-
stefan. DR.. Halterman was summon,
ed at once, but McClnng was dead
when he arrived in very few minutes
after the shooting.
The coroner, prosecuting atrofneY'
ard a deputy sheriff, as well as the
bows father, were notified at once and
an inquisition was held on the stage
before the removal of the body.
Coroner w. R. Alexander empanel-
led M. S. Riley E. L, Stealey. Q. W.
Law. S.W. Gordon, Will Thompson ana
Hugh Morrow as jurors to make an
inouisition upon the view Of the body
of McCluug as to how he came to his
death. The examination was held on
the stage with the body lying where
it fell.
The witnesses who testified we're
DR.. w. j. Halterman, Luther Moore
Ralph DeVaughn, VIM. Triplett, car
ence Rollins, Ansel Paugh and Guy
Lanham.
DR.. Halterman made an examina-
ton, probed for the ball and then
made the following sworn statement :
Jay McClung, whose body lies here
came to his death from a gunShot
wound of the heart and lungs. The
bullet cut the left border Of the ster-
mum between the third and fourth cos
tai cartridges and passed through the
base OF the heart into the middle lobe
Of the right lung, resulting in death
in three minutes. The opening Of
the thoracic cavity would disclose the
full extent OF the injury and the ex-
act location of the bullet.
Moore's story was, ~ am . years
old. Have been working in the thea
ter and one of the men asked me to
take a part tonight. After making up
in dressing room came on stage, had a
small gun. Reed Spring gave me a
larger one. put my finger on the
trigger and it went of. McClung hol-
lowed. 1 did not know 1t was loaded.
II occurred near the door. Spring
took the gun out of his coat pocket
and handed 1t to me-"
Ralph DeVaughn said he did not see
the shot fired but heard 1t. He saw
McClung stagger across the stage and
he caught him as he fell and placed
him on the floor. He said no words
passed between McClung and Moore.
Guy Lanham corroborated Moore.
The other witnesses did not see the
shot fred but saw McClung staggcr
aud fall.
The jury arrived at verdict in a
very few minutes, as follows:
At an inqulsition taken at the opera
house in the city of Clarksburg in the
county of Harrison on the Goth day Of
May, 1901, before W. R. Alexander,
coroner of said county, upon the view
OF the body Of Jay McClung there ly-
ing dead, the lrors sworn to inquire
when, and how and by what means,
the said Jay McClung came to his
death, upon their oath dosay that Jay
McClung came TO his death, by q pistol
shot, fired accidentally, by Luther
Moore. on the stage Of the opera house