Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1905-04-08
HURT BY PISTOL BULLET
Miss SaIIie Harlan Dangerously
Wounded BY Officer Heck.
SHOT TO SCARE ESCAPING MAN
Leaden missile Went Wide and
Struck the Young Lady-W
Is Not Considered Fatal.

k9LTuCk Iuc At1AJ w DeAAA
Is Not Considered Fatal.
A most unfortunate and distressing
accident occurred in this city on Sat-
urday night between 8 aud 10 O'Clock,
when Officer Matthew Heck, while in
pursuit of an escaping prisoner, acct
denly shot and seriously wounded
Miss Sallie Harlan. cousin OF Mr.
II. l.. Doll aud member of that gen.
tleman's household.
The accident was tho result OF an
effort on the part of the officer to scare
into submission fellow named Ben
Palmer, whom the policeman was
attempting to arrest for disorderly
conduct on the street, and who was
running east on East Burke street TO
get awav from the officer, Palmer
was at tho corner of Burke aud Spring
streets, on the south side, and was in
the act of turning south on Spring.
Officer Heck was running after the
man. and bad reached point on tue
sidewalk in front of Christ Reformed
church. Seeing that his prisoner was
about to escape, the officer drew his
revolver and fired, aiming to send
the bullet into the ground in the
street about 100 feet away.
The revoler was pointed too high,
however. and the bullet sped toward
the right, first striking the water
spouting on the home of Mr.. ID. NJ.
Kilmer, at the southwest corner of
Burke and Spring streets. Passing
missile next penetrated the glass in
the window of Miss Harlaps sleep.
ing apartment, on the second floor of
the Spring street side. Miss Harlan
was sitting with her back toward the
window, and the bullet. coming from
a direction slightly toward her left,
struck her Immediately under the left
shoulder blade. passing through rib
aud penetrating the body. The i'm.
pact of the heavy bullet, which was
from 3S-ealihre revolver and
weighed 145 grains. and the shock aud
pain, caused the lady to staQger and
fall to the floor. Members of the
thonsehoid soon came to her assistance,
and DR.. MoSherry was hastily sum.
moned. The course OF the bullet was
upward toward the right shoulder,
the missile evidently lodging behind
the right breast.
An effort was made by DR.. Nc
to locate and extract the lead,
bot without success, and this opera.
ton was postponed until the injured
lady has somewhat recovered from the
shock of the wound. DR.. McSherry
STATED that the patient is resting
more comfortably than during the first
"a hours after the accident, and shows
some improvement. He describes the
wound as being a serious, even dan
gerous one. but not necessarily fatal.
and believes that. unless some un-
looked.for complication ensues, Miss
Harlan will recover. He does not
think the lung has been penetrated.
Officer Heck was unaware of the re-
suit of his shot until sometime after
ward, and went on up Spring street
in pursuit of Palmer, in company
with Officer Hollis. Palmer escaped
along the Baltimore q Ohio tracks,
aud when the policemen returned from
their hunt they were informed of the
accident. Mr.. Heck feels the deepest
regret at the unfortunate affair, and
called at the home of the injured lady
TO express his sorrow.
Many persons blame the officer for
"A reckless use of his revolver on the
8 rect. and it may be that he was en-
tirely too quick in shooting, even
though he did shoot at the ground to
intimidate an escaping prisoner
However this may be, everybody rec
ognizes the distressing affair as au ac-
cideDt- Mr.. Heck is the Oldest man
on the police force. Confederate vet
eran and level-headed man who is
not in the habit of taking such
chances as the one which resulted in
the accident of Saturday night.