New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-11-26
EXONERATES MRS. NOBLE.
SHOOTING IN ACCIDENT.
Coroner's Jwy's Verdict-Erpect
WOmdns Release on Bail To-day.

Mrs. Josephine Leighton Noble. of No. 152
Twelfth-st., Long Island City. whose husband.
Patton Noble. brother of Surrogate Noble of
Queens County was killed the night of Sat-
urday. November II. by two pistol shot wounds.
was last night declared by coroner's jury at
Long Island City to have accidentally killed her
husband. The verdict which reached at
$50 o'clock, follows:
We find that Patton Noble came to his dea tn
by pistol shot wound. accidentally inflicted by
MS wife, Josephine L. Noble.
There was affecting scene in the courtroom
when the jury rendered its verdict Mrs. Noble
then, for the first time, raised her veil. She
was crying. She said: "It a good YER
chance to explain
Then. turning to her counsel Charles E La
Barber she said "Oh, when can you have
baied. Mr.. LIE Barbier?"
snail apply for bail tomorrow morning"
replied her counsel. II shall appear in the Su-
preme Court and seek your release in habeas
corpus proceedings. The District Attorney can
not oppose the application under the crcum-
stances. and you will be out OF jail tomorrow,
I hope"
Mrs Noble wept upon her sisters shoulder as
she was being led from the courtroom. Earlier
in the day her sister had tainted under the
strain of the inquest. Mrs. Noble will be taken
before Magistrate Smith next Wednesday morn
Ing, and the question whether to submit her
case to the grand jury will rest with him.
DIR. BUMsTER'S TESTIMONY.
DR.. Patrick H. Bumster the first witness.
His testimony. in effect, that he arrived at
the Noble apartments. at No. 152 Twelfth-st.,
few minutes before IL o'clock on the night OF
Saturday. November II. He was accompanied
by Edward Doyle and Patroman John Deboe.
He examined the body and found two gunshot
wounds one just below the right nipple and the
other line with the first shot and the left
breast, and seven inches distant. Noble was
dead. The doctor met Mrs. Noble on the stairs,
but held no conversation with her.
DR.. Benjamin G. Strong, the corOner's physi-
clan, Who with DR.. T. J. Flynn. per-
formed the autopsy. was the second wit
ness. He testified that bullet passed be-
tween the fourth and fifth ribs. through the
right lung the stomach and liver, and lodged
about three inches from the spine. The shot
that killed Noble entered the left side, passed
through the fourth cartilage at the left of the
sternum, and downward and backward through
the right side of the heart. finally lodging
the other bullet Either wound would have
surely proved fatal. he said. The wounds did
! not aid in determining the position of the body.
SAYS THEY HAD NOT 0UARRELLED.
Miss Lottie Burnell, an actress, VINO nVes
with her parents on the floor below the apart
ments occupied by the Mobiles. said Noble re-
turned to his apartment at HAS o'clock Satur-
day night and that the two shots followed ten
minutes later. She heard no quarrelling prior
TO the shooting. She and her mother heard Mrs
Noble on the stairs crying. Mrs. Burnel! Mrs
Burnell!" The mother opened the door and
found Mrs Noble on the third stair from the
bottom crying, ooh! Mrs. Burnell! Patton,
Patton Paton!" She fell forward and half faint
ed in Mrs. Burnelrs arms, and was thus borne
into the Burnell parlor, where she became hys-
tercal. While Mrs. Noble waving her arms
distractedly about Mrs Burnell revolver
in her hand. She took ii from her
Mrs. Helen Burnett. the mother of the pre-
ceding witness. gave valuable testimony for
Mrs Noble. She testified that Mrs. Noble had
told her, disconnectedly. that she had been UNI
packing trunk of summer things, and that in
a satchel she found the revolver, and held il
up. Then. she said. the following was repeated
TO her by Mrs Noble
Il had 1t (the pistol in my hand" said Mrs
Noble. My husband said. Josie put that down,
or you'll hurt yourself.
struggle for possession of the revolver fol-
lowed. and Mrs. Noble said. payfully: "Oh,
can shoot we'll you can.
Then followed q report, and a second. My
God" said Mrs. Noble. in describing the scene
to Mrs. Burnell, Patton was dead