Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-04-27
RECKLESS SHOOTING.
First Arrest Made of Member of Stats
Militia.

SAN FRANCISCO, April 8-Tbe first ar.
rest for alleged indiscrimnate and reckless
shooting by members of the state militia.
which, 1t Is asserted, has made the streets
IN certain sections of the city controlled nv
the national guard unsafe after the earth
quake, was made shortly before midnight
when Ernest Wilder. military sentry. was
taken In custody and disarmed by Cant. r.
+. Rittenhouse of the United States Marine
corps who turned him over to the police.
capt Rittenhouse charged Wilder who ia
from f1salfa and a private in Comnanv Z
otn Regiment, N. G. c.. with leaving bIs
post and shooting up the district corr
nIahoed by Rittenhouse. The marines pa
troi the best residence part of the CITY Jeff
untouched by the fire and are extren,eiv
Jeaious OF the splendid order maintline5
Wi-hout unnecessary harshness or stcnnapa
OF citizens whose business requires them
10 De on the streets after dark
For several nights there has been consid
eTaD-e shooting in the vicinity of F,II,e
EDDY. Geary and Fillmore streets where
the districts of the militia and the marines
tE II pecame so unsafe on the streets
that the police refused to go into that dis
trfcl Patroled by the militia declaring tbnt
they were afraid of being shot IT vas pot
uncommon for the militia sentries IN ston
eNEh p9hce oi1icers Policeman Barrett was
renewed or his revolver and handouts and
AT another time Lieutenant of PoIice
wright was held up In full uniform.
iali oozen shots were fired about II
CLOCK last night. and half an hour later.
WHiIe tapt Rittenhouse was sitting on his
morse IN front of the central police statiop
at BUSH and Fillmore streets. making a
personal inspection of his posts the sbsrn
crack OF rifle was heard again He hastily
rode III the direction of the shot ard 20
turned in q few minutes with Wilder n-ho
ne declared had entered the district natrol
ieo oy the marines and of firing seT-
eIai shots. Wider S post was on Geary
street, near Fillmore street He did not
deny shooting, but asserted he had fred hut
once. = " 81 'u'
capt Rttenhouse took wilder's rife from
MIN and turned him over to Lieutenant of
as.,e roi,ee Wrlght The miiitiainan was appar-
enuy padiy frightened and so confused that
IL was with difficulty that Lieut.. Wright
got coherent tale from him. He said he
saw movement in the darkness which he
took to be a mad dog and fired. He was
not certain but what 1t was a man he had
shot, but whatever 1t was he was sure that
his aim had been true
f have killed a man may God bless
MIN, exclaimed the frightened sentry In
very apoiogetic tone he assured the po-
lice that he was only twenty years of age
a mere youth-practicall a raw recruit in
the service and had no intention Of hurting
any one; Lieutenant Wright sarcastically
informed Wilder that he evidently was
afraid of his shadow. Several policemen
were sent with Wilder to make an inves-
tigation and ascertain what he had shot
on Geary street near Fillmore they found
the victim of the sentry's bullet-a small
pet dog.
Finding that he had not killed a man
Wilder gave a deep sigh of relief and
quickly regained his composure. Lieut.
of Police Wright arranged Wilder in
strong language, declaring that 1t was such
a reckless shooting at every movement in
the dark which had made the city unsafe
after night and advised the mlitiaman to
go back to the farm. Wright intended to
release Wilder and send him back to his
post, but Capt. Rittenhouse demonstrated
and said he did not propose to have a
militia sentry shoot up his district, alarm
the neighborhood and have the blame laid
on marines. Wilder was taken to the head
quarters of his company at Cough and SUIT
ter, streets and turned over TO Corporal
Harms who placed him under arrest and
sent him to the guard house.