Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1901-07-13
CHARLES ALLEN DIES.
The wounded Man Died In Baltimore
Hospltai-Coroner staub1y summons
Jury for am Inquest.

1
Jury for am Inquest.
Charles Allen, the young merchant
OF AlleEsvllle, tins county, who was
shot with IS calibre revolver in
the hands OF David French on the
evening Of the Fourth of July, as told
in this paper, died in the University
Of Mary land Hospital, Baltimore. Fri
day at 10 a. IA. His body was
brought home on tain No. o over the
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Friday
night
The affair was at first thought by
all to be an accident, but the dead
mans brother came to Prosecuting
Attorney Pltzer with story to the
contrary Saturday land requested
that the facts in the case be .nvesti-
gated. From all reports the crowd
around the village We're celebrating
the Fourth with keg of beer and
some whiskey and all were feeling
pretty good. ''TAllen, S brother states
that French had been recklessly hand
ling the revolver and in his lalf
drunken state had said that he wanted
to kill man and If one would just
step ont he would do it.
My brother. he continued, with
tears beginning to creep down his
cheeks, "arose to go into the house.
Just then the revolver went off and
bullet entered my brothers. body. =
The bullet struck the breast bone
and took a downward course through
the abdomen II, resulting in his death.
1t is understood that the diving man
stated TO DIR. Sponsellor, who accom-
paniedhim to the hospital that it was
purely an accident and that he and
French had been like brothers.
Coroner Staubly went to the scene of
the shooting Saturday afternoon to in
vestigate the shooting and to hold an
inquest. If it develops at the inquest
that the shooting was not altogether
an accident French S arrest will fol-
low
DAWN French Exoneratcd.
The corners jury Saturday afternoon
declared the shooting of Charles r.
Allen to be accidental and exonerated
David French from all blame for his
death.
The following composed the jury:
J. f. Roberts, foreman; w. II. Har-
rison, George Davis, George Craw
ford, Charles S. Eyersole and James
r.. Robertson. There were four wit
nesses examined. David French, by
whose hands Allen met his death.
made the following statment;
On the evening of July 4 last, at
O'Clock. / was at the house OF Mr..
Whiting with several other persons.
Myself and John O'Leay were fooling
with revolver. O'Leary said he was
going to take the revolver away from
me. After we stopped struggling for
the revolver / went to break it for the
purpose OF taxing the loads out. Just
at that time Charles II. Allen walked
right in front of me. l suppose
must have had my finger on the trig-
ger, and it went off. | did not know
was shot. He went into the house.
followed him into the house. l said
My God, Charlie, i did not shoot
you, did l?' He then sat down on
the porch and did not say anything.
/ then sat down beside him and
asked him if he was hurt much and
he replied Yes, am baudly hurt
| then discovered blood ON his shirt
on the right side. There was no ami
mostly between Charlie and myself
as / considered him one of the best
friends had in the world. Someone
then went for a doctor. / went in
and sat down near him and famed
him. Someone called for whiskey
got some. / then went back and
helped to move him down TO his
fathers and stayed with HIM part OF
the night, until 10 O'Clock. AT IL
O'Clock that night someone came af-
ter me and said Charlie wanted to see
lme. / came over, found him on bed
near the tracks of the b. and Q. rail
road. / found him asleep, but In a
few minutes his sister called me and
said that he was awake He reached
out his hand to me- | took him by
the hand and said Dave it is no
fault of yours. No matter what may
happen to me / do not want you
blamed for it, as it is no FAINT OF
yours. Lucy Whiting, the sweetheart
of the dead man, in harsh words told
that the shooting was premeditated.
The evidence Of John O'Leary and
Phoebe Whiting eorrorborated the evil
dence of French.
The verdict of the jury was tThat
/ Charles r.. Allen came TO his death