Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-04-11

oner said he had an indistinct recollection
of beingtin somensort of trouble on the
witness. foung had been on prolonged
spree. Young remembered that he had been
firing blank cartridges the Fourth of July
but said he did not know what had become
of the pistol
Lieut., Jordan. Who was in the regular
army for nine years. gave the results OF
experiments he made last Friday with
blank catfridges He used the pistol that
was in Toung's possession the 4th of July
and fired at an old blouse. similar to the
one worn by POLICEMAN Smith at the time
he was injured. The holes made by the
blank cartridges, at varying distances. were
shown to the jury.
On cross-examination Lieut.. Jordan ex-
planned that as soon as he notified Young
that Policeman Smith had been shot the
prisoner freely told all that had happened
and expressed the wish that the pistol
would be- found, ais it would demonstrate
that he had used only blank cartridges
Young also said he hoped Smith would not
Gle. as he was "a good old soul" He ex-
planned that as the witness was the first
person who had treated him decently since
he was arrested he would make a clean
breast of the whole affair to Lieut.. Jordan.
AT this point the prosecution announced
the close of its testimony in chief.
Opens for Defense.
Attorney James B. Archer, jr., made the
opening address to the jury for the de-
Tense He told of how Young, soldier, had
seen blank cartridges used so frequently at
Fort Myer that he considered them abso-
lutely harmless. The defendant had been
celebrating the Fourth of July by discharg-
ing his revolver. While on the Aqueduct
bridge the evening of that day he loaded
his revolver with the last blank cartridges
he had with him., Sergeant Hall, a men,
Der of Young's party, had controversy
with Policeman Smith Young had nothing
to do with the difficulty Smith ordered the
party to move on and then passed along
and spoke to some other persons. He re-
turned to the group of soldiers and again
ordered them to move on. Hall admonfshed
the officer to wait until cigarette could be
rolled Smith showed Hall and the latter
fell down. At this time, according to At
torney Archer, Young was In the roadway
of the bridge. fully eighteen feet from Smith
and the party of soldiers. Young, holding
his revolver high, fred one shot. He did
not intend to strike the officer, nor did he
think it possible to do so.
There Is. at least, grave doubt that the
shot fired by Young produced the wound
from which Policeman Smith suffered"
Attorney Archer declared. land l think
We can prove that it did not do So
Continuing, the attorney explained to the
jury that Young, realizing that he might
have been guilty of disorderly conduc.,
and thinking that. having fired at a police
man, the latter might return the compli-
Eaent with a ball cartridge, ran away.
Young, his counsel asserted, was ignorant
OF the fact that Policeman Smith had been
shot until he was informed of that fact
by Lieut. Jordan. Then the prisoner
lated all that he. knew of the occurrence.
He was not drunk, and remembered clearly
just what had taken place, as outlined.
The defendant, it was further said, has
always borne an excellent reputat ton for
peace and good order.
Trumpeter Young Testifies.
Samuel R. Young, trumpeter, Troop II.
18th U. S. Cavalry" was the name and oc-
cupation of the first witness called by ceun-
sci for the defense.
The defendant told in detail of his doings
the 4th of last July. The Declaration of In
dependence had been read 10 the men at
fort Myer in the morning and there was 4
half barrel of beer served in the quarters
of Troop H In the afternoon Young was
guest at the house of man who resided
near Fort Myer, and more beer was served
there. The defendant remem oered that he
had some blank cartridges, so he procured
his pistol and made some noise III honor of
the day While riding to the bridge he fired
his pistol from the car. In crossing the
bridge Young's party met corporal return
ing from the Presidents stables with some
horses. For Joke. Young fired point blank
at the corporal and the latter was rot
harmed The party stopped on the foot
path between 1870 and 40 feet from the
north end of the bridge. Policeman Smith
came up,r ordered them to move on, and
pushed Sergeant Hall, who fell down.
A few minutes later. witness said, the
policeman, returned Young was then
some distance from the party. He pointed
his revolver in the direction. of the police
man ndssaid: .Don't draw your club"
or something .ter that effect. He fired his
revolver, as joke. having no idea that
he could not possibly hurt any one. He at
once realized.tha as he had shot in the
direction of the policeman, the policeman
might shoot back with a ball cartridge.
So Young ran off, either lost or threw
away his blouse and got rid of the pistol.
Blue Print Plan introduced. "}
Using a blue print of the plan of the
Aqueduct the defendant explained just
how the several parties to the affair
stood.
Il didn't then know the policeman had
been shot" Young declared. He COM
planned that he had been treated roughly
at the first precinct station, and for that
reason he declined to tell the policemen
there anything. He could not learn from
them why he had been arrested.
The next morning Lieutenant Jordan, an
old soldier, called. He treated the witness
kindly. From Lieutenant Jordan he learned
for the first time that Policeman Smith had
been shot.
II was thunderstruck,' Young told the
jury. Il could not see how a blank car
fridge could have hurt him, nor could I
see how a ball cartridge could have gotten
In the revolver. tod Lieutenant JORDAN
I would make clean breast of the affair
and tell him all l knew, and said I hoped
they would find the pistol, for it would
help me by showing that blank cartridges
only had been used
Further, the witness said that the SOL
diers at Fort Myer used blank cartridges
in the riding hall every day.
The prosecution made an effort on cross
examination to secure from the defendant
an admission as to where he had thrown
away the revolver. and was unsuccessful.
As a Character Witness.
William S. Shallenberger, second assistant
postmaster general of the United States,
appeared as a character witness in behalf
of Young Mr.. Shallenberger declared that
the defendant had always borne an excel
lent reputation.
Attorney Archer read the affidavits of
eight other persons in. support of the de-
PENDANTS good reputation.
Samuel H. Stride was examined regard
ing the occurrences on the Aqueduct bridge,
but nothing radically new was developed by
his testimony.
The defense rested at this point and the
having M witnesses in rahrt-