Albuquerque daily citizen. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1895-1903, 1902-10-06
SHOT And KILLED
An Annoying Little Boy Pep
pHred With Shot.
JOHN C0lLISTER is THE VICTIM.
Alfred Vaw, Who Was Annoyed, Han
died the Weapon.
JOHN COlLISTER is THE VICTIM
THE SHOOTING WAS ACCIDENTAL

Saturday evening about $3.50 o'clock
John Collister, the 10 year old son of
Mr.. and Mrs. w. NJ. Collister living at.
1901 South Second street. was shot to
death by the accidental discharge of a
shot gun in the hands of Alfred Vaw
The accident occurred at p. Maset-
it's butcher shop. GIL South Second
street. at which place Vaw has been
employed as wagon driver and helper
the last eleven months.
The circumstances which surround
the sad and pitiful affair are peculiar
and unfortunate, and should enlist
public sympathy for those affected.
The victim, with two playmates, was
playing at the corner of Atlantic ave-
nue. and Second street In passing the
butcher shop they made some joking
remark to Jacob Padilla, a new boy
employed in the shop and who was
with young Vaw, and was cleaning up
the shop after the days business.
1t came out at the inquest that Col
lister had stepped into the door of the
shop and was saying Look at the new
butcher" Vaw, who was working over
block behind the counter, looked up
and told the boys to go away as the
shop was no play house. AS the boy
continued to stand in the door and
make joking remarks about him he
said "I'll get the whip" He went be-
hind the refrigerator, where the whip
was usually kept. He appeared in a
moment with shot gun and raising 1t
the gun exploded. The boy fell to his
knees, raised up again, took a few
steps into the shop and fell to the floor
what he had done, dropped the gun
and taking the wounded boy in his
arms carried him to the Collister home
where he died a few moments later.
Vaw, in daZed manner. returned to
the shop, cleaned up the blood on the
floor. put the gun back behind the re-
| frigerator and went to his home on
| South Third street, where he was
| found by an officer, who conducted
| him to the county jail where he re-
mained until this morning.
The dead body of John Collister
was taken to A. Borders undertaking
parlors. where it was held awaiting
the inquest.
Inquest.
The coroner's jury inquest was held
in Justice Borchert's court this morn
( ing.
The following gentlemen served as
the Jury: Charles Grant, j. 5. Beaven,
G. L. Altheimer, Leon b. Stern, Mike
Martinez and Jerry Driscoll.
Frank Fracarrolli and Joe McCaf-
ferry, the boys who saw the accident
were the first witnesses called.
The first boy would not talk much
and when he did his story of the affair
contradicted that which he told City
Marshal McMillin.
Saturday night, after the killing oc-
CURED the McCaffery boy told pretty
straight story. He said that he, with
| the other two boys. had been playing
| in the street and were on their way to
! the Santa Fe reading rooms. He said
] that he could not hear what young Col
! lister was saying to the boys in the
shop, but was sure that Naw was only
| joking when he got the gun. He testi-
! fed as to having seen the shot fired
and the boy fall.
Jacob Padilla, the boy working in
| the shop, was the next witness called
| He testified that he and Vaw were in
! the shop cleaning up and that he was
| learning the business so as to work for
! Masetti. while Vaw took a vacation
/ He said that young Collister, accompa-
/ MED by the other two boys, came to
| the shop and was joking him about be-
| ing a butcher. Collister stood in the
| door and cried Look at the new butch
err" Vaw told them to go away and
said that he would get the whip. Pa
| dilla said this morning that he did not
see the gun fired and he does not
| know how Vaw got hold of it.
Alfred Vaw was put on the stand in
| bis own behalf. He stated that he does
not know how he got hold OF the gun
and did not mean any harm TO John
! Collister. as he and John were the best
/ of friends. He spoke Of not feeling
we'll on Saturday evening and remark
/ ed the fact TO the barber, who shaved
| him a few minutes before the killing
| occurred.
P. Masetti, for whom Vaw has been
working the past year, testified to the