The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-03-28
IN DEEPER MYSTERY
CorOner's Jury Says Hart Did
Not Shoot Himself
KILLE0BY UNKNOWN PARTY
Detail of Funeral at Late Resi-
denCe This Morning.


The coroner's jury appointed Tuesday
20 investigate the cause Of the death Of
William a Hart. after making a person
al investigation and hearing the testi-
Hony Of three witnesses at the inquest
yesterday. returned the following YER
dict:
The jurors. upon their oath, 90 say
that from the testimony given. the de-
ceased came TO his death from bullet
fred from a revolver held in the hand or
hands Of a person to the jurors IN
known"
The members Of the jury were S. 3.
Amidon, j. r. Burton. J. h. Bellew. F.
A. Gacken5ach, George /. Pratt and A.
S. Grant
These gentlemen made every en6eavor
TO ascertain II possible the circumstances
surrounding The death of 1Ir. Hart. but
their Investigation was without any
special result and has tended To cast the
affair in deeper mystery than ever
The Investigation was conducted in
The presence OF Coroner AIcColister by
County Attorney Comfy.
-Four witnesses appeared the first Of
whom being Dr. Purdue, testified to
having been called by the officers to at
tend the case and that when he arrived
upon the scene DE found that there was
little hope for the recovery of the in-
cured man. He ordered him removed to
the Wichita hospital where everytEf1z
possible was cone TO prol0ng life and re-
store consciousness. but without avail
Or Purdue stated that the optic nerve
had been destroyed by the bullet and
t-at one of the eye balls was protruding
when he came.
The next witness TO be summoned was
Officer Fox Of the city police force. He
stated that be had been ordered by
headquarters at about $3.50 in the morn
ing 20 respond 80 a summons for an Of
hcer from the Western Milling company
and thar when DE arrived there, Night
Waterman H0lHngsworth was the only
person there Flo stated THAI as far as
he knew the body had not been moved.
FOX testified that the body was lying fiji
natural position and that the revolver
was between the knee and ankle and an
der the right leg. lie testified that when
questioned about the affair." Houings-
worth Informed him that Mr. Hart had
seen him place the revolver IN the draw
er and then inquired if the weapon was
in good condition.
when HoIir-sworth was placed on the
stand he denied having made this state
ment 10 FOX. and upon being pressed by
the county attorney. DE said that he may
have said il in moment of nervous ex-
element but the truth If the affair was
that Hart had not made a remark OF I
that character. lie said that Hart. when /
DE came IN the ofice that morning. ap- +
peared 10 be in his usual frame of mind. I
He requested him To light the FIRE so that /
the Office wouli Pee warm hy the time the (
force would arrive Before doing so, he
Iouinssworth placed his revolver In the 4
Drawer and then went to do as he had /
been bid
Continuing, Zee testified that he Just re- /
turned o. the office when he heard a shot 4
and Immediately ran outside TO ascertain (
II possible who had fired the same. AS 4
DE did so DE saw the colored man. Cald- 4
weu and both 81 them went TO the new +
mill 20 locate the shot
They peered ia at the door and then +
found Hart with O bullet wound In his .
head. Fe said that the pistol was laying .
un5ar the right knee and that the risht .
les WAS crossed under the left limb.
He testified that the pistol with which
the- deed had been committed was his
property: that DE had purchased the .
same from Hart some time ago. but SO .
lar had not yet paid for It,
IT. T. Caldwell. the colore6 man. tes-
titled Is follows. "I was walking along .