The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-04-28
RECKLESS USE
OF FIREARMS
Raw MiIitiaman "ShootS Up"
Residence District PatroIIed
by the Marines.
SUCCEEDS IN KILLING DOG
YOUTH NOW LANGUISHES IN
GUARD HOUSE.

San Francisco, April 27.-The first ar
rest for alleged indiScriminate and
reckless shooting by members OF the
state militia which, it is asserted, has
made the streets in certain sections of
guard unsafe after dark, was made
shortly before midnight when Ernest
L. Wilder, a military sentry, was taken
in custody and disarmed by Captain
B. +. Rittenhouse of the United States
marine corps, who turned him over to
the police.
Captain Rittenhouse charged Wilder
who is from Visalia and a private in
company +, Sixth regiment n. G. c..
with leaving his post and shooting
up the district commanded by Ritten-
house.
Streets Became Unsafe.
The marines patrol the best residence
part of the city left untouched by the
fire and are extremely jealous of the
splendid order maintained without un-
necessary harshness or stOppage of
citizens whose business requires them
to be on the streets after dark. For
several nights there has been consid-
cradle shooting in the vicinity of Ellis,
Eddy, Geary and Fillmore streets,
where the districts of the militia and
the marines touch. 1t became so I'M
safe on the streets that the police re-
fused to go into the district patrolIed
by the militia, declaring that they were
afraid of being shot. 1t was not un-
common for the militia sentries to stop
even police officers. Policeman Bar
rett was relieved of his revolver and
handouts and at another time Iieuten-
ant OF Police Wright was held I'D in
full uniform
Heard Crack OF Rifle.
Half a dozen shots were fired about
IL o'clock last night, and half an hour
later while Captain Rfttenhouse. COM
handing officer of the Fourth section
of the Fourth district, was sittine, on
his horse in front of the Central DO
lice station at Bush and Fillmore
streets, asking a personal inspection
OF his posts, the sharp crack of rifle
was heard again. He hastily rode i'm
the direction of the shot and returned
III a few minutes with Wilder, who he
declared, had entered the district pa
trolled by the marines and Of having
fired seven shots Wilder's post was
on Geary street near Fillmore street.
He did not deny shooting, but asserted
that he had fired but twice
MiIitiaman Was Scared.
Captain Rittenhouse took wiIder,s
rifle from him and turned him over to
Lieutenant of Police Wright. The
militiaman was apparently badly
II ASnLSAASO anu SO confused that 1t
with difficulty that Lieutenant 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 wasn't certain but what II
was a man he had shot, but whatever
II was he was sure that his aim had
been true.
IF 1 have killed a man, NAV God
bless him." exclaimed the frightened
sentry In a very apologize tone he
assured the police that he was onIv 90
years of age-a mere youth, practically
a raw recruit in the service. and had
no intention of hurting any one Lieu
tenant Wright sarcasticaIly Informed
Wilder that he evidently was afraid of
his shadow.
Had Shot Dog.
Several policemen were sent with
Wilder to make an investigation and
ascertain what he had shot. On Gearv
street near Fillmore, they found the
victim of the sentry's fire, a small net
dog. Finding that he had not killed a
man, Wilder gave a deep sigh of re
lief and quickly regained his com
posture. Lieutenant of Police Wright
arraigned Wilder in acidulous Ian
Ct age, declaring that it was such reck-
less shooting at every movemenr in
the dark which had made the streets
unsafe after night. and advised the
militiaman to go back TO the farr,
Wright Intended to release Wilder and
send him back to his post, but Captain
Rlttenhouse 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 the marines Wilder was taken to
the headquarters of his company at
Cough and Suffer streets and turned
over to Corporal Harms, who placed
MN under arrest and sent him to the
gL ardhOuSe.