The Saint Paul globe., 1904-06-05
RILEY CLAIMS GUARD
HAD been DRINKING
Prisoner Says SeatFy Was In.
toxicated When He Shot
Tony Wlsch

Sensational and unexpected testi-
mony was given at the eoroner's inquest
yesterday into the death of Tony G..
Wisch, the general prisoner who was
killed Thursday on the Fort Smelling
bridge while assaulting Private Ed
ward Kennedy the sentry, by Private
Lawrence Riley, Wiseh's companion,
who, when teStifying as to the circum-
stances leading up to the fatal struggle,
declared that all three of the partici-
pants were under the influence of
liquor.
According to Riley's version of the
incidents preceding the killing, he and
Wisch. together with their guard, Ken
nedy, had been drinking whisky in the
basement of a building on the reserva-
ton, and at the time of the affray on
the bridge all were more or less intoxi-
Gated
Riley's story was incomplete, fer,
when he reached the point in the mar
rative when he was telling of their es-
cape across the bridge, he said his
memory deserted him and that he could
not recall what had happened till after
the fatal shot was fired
"Wisch and 1 were sent out in the
morning to work under Kennedy on
liz SNNA vase Wd6OIly- Sdlu 1l1tSy, U6SlI1-
nlng his story before the coroner'S
jury. "Wisch had some money and
sent boy across the bridge to buy
some whisky Afterwards. at Kenne-
dy's suggestion, Wisch who was the
only one of us that had any money,
gave dollar and half to a civilian to
go and get two more pintS of whisky
The man brought the whisky and we
went into the basement of the officers
quarters and drank all of it. We were
getting pretty full, and Wisch and l had
had little scrap and exchanged few
blows"
Riley's Memory Fails
Riley at this point refused to give
further testimony, saying that he could
not remember what happened. He said
his mind was a blank and that he was
unable to recall anything that hap
peneds till after the shooting. Riley de-
clared, In concluding the story, that the
trouble was due to the sentry'S fault in
allowing them to procure the whisky.
Kennedy when called, repeated sub
Btantially the statements made at the
time of the shooting. He said that
while taking refuge from the rain un-
uer contractors shed, WiSch broke
= away and lodged out of a side door;
that he forced Riley to precede him in
ms pursuit of Wisch across the bridge
and into Harris saloon, on the St.
ONl SAOGs LIdI d1I0f SIrlklnR WlScn
with the butt end Of his rife, he in
uuced him to return to the reserva-
non; that when they had nearly cross
ed the bridge Wisch and Riley turned
upon him, declaring that they would
throw him from the bridge, and that
Pfter struggle in which he was BAD
" battered he fired the shot that killed
Wisch.
Men Were Fifteen Feet Apart
j. A. O'Boyle, 1853 East Acker. street.
who witnessed the fight on the bridge
Prom a distance of ninety yards, said
that he did not see the prisoners at
tempt to. throw the guard over the
Failing of the bridge, and that the men
were fifteen feet apart when the shot
was fired
Sergeant A. Won Nyvenshein, who
saw Wlsch break away and run across
khe bridge, and who pursued the priS-
pner into Harris place. corroborated
private Kennedy in as far as his tes-
timony went. He said he had not seen
the fight on the bridge, having been in
Harris place when the shot was fired.
Capt. Herman Hall, testifying as TO
the duties Of SentrieS, said that they
had standing orders to shoot all pris-
oners who attempted to escape, and
are subject to court martial in case
they neglect doing SO. DIR. Euclid B.
Frick, major in the army, said he had
performed an autopsy over the body
of Wisch and had found that death
was caused by bullet which entered
the breast three inches to the right of
the left nipple and came out near the
right scapula, having penetrated both
lungs.
The coroner's jury took an adjourn
ment yesterday afternoon and will
meet again Thursday morning at $50
O'Clock. Several of the jurors said
they were not satisfied with the testi-
mony that had been elected yesterday
and asked that more might be pro-
cured.