Evening journal., 1902-03-27
INVESTIGATING
WINDLE'S DEATH
Police Commission Likely to
Take a Hand
JURI ACCUSES ALFRED WRIGHT
Inquest Reveals That Man Died With
Fractured Skull and Without
Medical Attention

Alfred Wright, CSlored, will have to
answer at the next term of court for
sausing the death of Howard Windie, |
OF Kennett Square, who died in the
police station yesterday morning, where |
he was locked up on the charge OF
drunkenness. This was the verdict OF
the cOrOners jury.
1t was testified by DR.. James A
Draper, Jr., who helped perform thel
pOst-mOrtem examination, that Win
dies death was caused by a fractured
skull. He sustained the injury before
he was sent to the police station.
The man was unconscious as the re-
suit of the blow, or the fall he received
following the assault, from 4.45 O'Clock
on Tuesday afternoon until he died al
$50 o'clock Yesterday morning. He was
arrested on the charge Of drunkenness
The evidence given by the police was
TO the effect that they thought Win
die was in a drunken stupOr. 1t was
brought out by the testimony that
Wintrup and Patrol Sergeant RiCel
knew that the assault had been COM
mtted. 1t also was shown that the
man was bleeding at the mouth when
arrested 1t was further testified tol
that no attention was given tine uncon-
scious man until the turnkey and thel
house sergeant visited his cell tO|
arouse him when the time came to|
change the prisoners from one cOrri-l
don to the other. Everyone connected
with the case, so far as the police are
concerned. acted on the suppositiOn
that he was drunk.
Peter Stuart, a crossing tender at
Water and Shipley streets, who saw
the assault. wanted Wintrup to arrest
the alleged murderer at the time.
The province Of the coroner's jury is
L. determine the cause of death as
nearly as possible, and, therefore. il
was not for it to inquire closely re-
garding the care the man received, and
as to- his condition during the hours
spent in the police station. However,
1T was shown that he did not get any
attention, but was left in an unCon-
scious condition for more than twelve
hours.
The inquest last night was held in
the City Court room by Coroner Frick
The jurymen were J. D. Woodward,
John Stetser. Evan d. Morrison, Will
liam H. Murphy, John Cannon, Charles
G. Guyer and James F. McIvor.
Policeman Wintrup, who made the
arrest, was the first witness called. He
said: About 44O o'clock Tuesday af-
ternoon, Officer Burohinal and l were
notified by Albert Wright that man
was lying drunk in front of his place.
When / got there Peter Stuart said
to me: If you arrest one arrest both,
as Wright struck the man. Wright
said he had hit the man. / saw that
he was bleeding. The blood was run
ming from the corner of his mouth.
had the wagon summoned and sent him
to the police station. Before that
looked at the name eyes. He looked
to me like a man in a drunken stupor
told the patrol sergeant all the cir
cumstances of the case and my SER
geant when / met him at o'clock in
the evening. I did not know the man
was dead until yesterday morning"
Peter NJ. Stuart. of No. sos South
Jackson street gate-tender at Shipley
street crossing said: 81 saw Wright
putting Windle out of his stable. He
gave him a shove and Windle struck
at him. Wright walked away and ther
came back and struck the man a back
handed blow. The man fen to tho
pavement"
Harry NJ. Wiley said he sad Windl'
an hour before the accident in Neider
IlltI > cdlOOAs lAA klAlHANg ohANNN nNal
Front. Windle wanted to see Patricl
Fahey or DR.. Shortlidge. as he mad ;
certificate he wanted them to sign
Windle had been drinking. He after
wards saw Windle lying on the pave
ment.
Annie Wiley, colored saw Wndl
go in Wrights stable and sit on a bal
of hay.
Laura Cornish. colored, said:"Wrigh
asked the man to go out of the stabl
three times The man struck at hin
and Wright nit him and knocked hir
down"
Lizzie Elzey, colored of Third an
Locust streets, employed at Front an
Shipley streets, said she heard Wrigh
tell the man to get out of the stabl,
Wright then pushed him out and
fell on his head.
John Stewart, of No. 1921 Jackso
street. said he saw Wright putin
Windle out of the stable. Afterward
he saw Wright knock the man dow
Sergeant Kelleher told of the arrel
of Wright The prisoner, he said, tol
him he knocked the man down.
Turnkey Floyd, who was on dui
curing the afternoon, said; 81 searcl
ed him. I thought he was a drunke
man. lie ulQ uOJ say any lHiuSs W
did not pay much attention to hir
There was blood in his mouth. I d
not report it as an extraordinary cas-
We have had many cases like tn
where men have slept for three or fol
hours. and then wake up and be q
right. This man was unconscious G
the time"
Acting Turnkey Hefron said he We
into the cell early in the morning al