The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-03-20
Pulls Trigger of the Pistol in Play. MISS EDDIE BAYzER
 FIRES POINT BLANK
 ----s----- Clifford Murdock, the Victim, in Serious Condition.
 ---s---- sfakes statement Before Beinw Re moved to Hospital Exonsratins the Girl from Any Blame, Declaring He Knows
 st was an Accident. a

a4 -.t < ford Murdock playfuiiy handed her was not loaded, Miss Eddie Bayzer dis charged the weapon point-blank against his side as they sat in the parlor of her mothers boarding house, 2s randolph Street, at 11:so o'clock last night. and inflicted a wound from which Mir. Murdock. now in St Mar saret's Hospital. may die.
 Before being taken to the hospital Mr. Murdock made formal statement to Captain of Poiics Miles smith that he knew. that Miss Bayzer had shot acc cidentally, not knowing that the pistol was loaded.
 Miss Bayzer made similar state nent. She was not arrested.
 The bullet which wounded MT Mur- dock was discharged from s2-caliDre revolver at such close range that ms clothing and flesh were burned by the Hash of the powder. The bullet pierc- ed the forearm and then entered the hodv just below the ribs. The exact character of the wound and its proo- able effects had not been definitely as- certained by the surgeons attendant mon the injured man at o'clock. It ygar readily seen, however, that the wound was very serious and mightil prove fatal.
 Didnst Know 1t Was Loaded.
 According to a statement by MISS Hayzer. whose mother. Mrs. Y. 3. Crot- tv. is psopsistor Of the boarding house. ss Randolph street. she and hr. Mur- dock. who has been a locomotive fire man on the Central Railway of Geor- sia, were in the sitting-rcom toseth- .v No one else was in the room
 They, with party of their friends boarding with Mrs. crotty, had spent tha afternoon at Riverside Park, where 4nav had fired Mir. Murdock's revolver, Miss Bayzer said last night that they used up aii the cartridges and she therefore thought the pistol was un- loaded.
 "As we were sitting there taking. Miss Bayzer said after the shooting last night. "Mr. Murdock took his pistol from his pocket and laughingly said he believed he would shoot himself told him to let me do 1t and he handed me the pistol.
 T pointed it at him. not knowing he had reloaded it after we had fin- ished shooting at Riverside Park. and pulled the trigger and 1t went on. Then I threw 1t under his chair. He cried, My Godl You have shot me-. but I thought he was joking until saw blood on his hand. Then ran and called Mama. That was about Il o'clock"
 Almost Touched His side.
 Miss Bayzer showed how their chairs were placed when she fired the pistol They were removed perhaps two feet from each other so that the pistol. as she pointed it. must have been almost touching Murdock's body.
 Immediately after the shooting. 1t was stated by Miss Bayzer and Mrs Crotty, they tried to summon physi- elan but after making several futile attempts they notified Sergeant Rag land at Police Headquarters.
 officers Russell and Murrell at once went to- the boarding house and soon afterwards a physician arrived. Later Captain Miles Smith of the Police De- partment. who had gotten the patrol wagon ready for use as an ambulance. and Special Ofiicer Lon Taylor went to the house to assist in removing the wounded man to the hospital.
 MT. Murdock bore his sufferings he- roically. As soon as Miss Bayzer had succeeded in bringing members of the household to help her, Murdock was laid upon an improvised pallet.
 When the physician arrived. a hur- ried examination of the wound was made and shortly after midnight he was carried from the house on a stretcher provided by the police de- partment and placed in the police pat roI wagon, in which he was conveyed to st. Margaret's Hospital.
 He was at all times conscious and rational and his statements about the shooting and about himself were dl- rectly and lucidly expressed. He seemed to realize that he was danger ously hurt and to wish to do all he could to exculpate the girl who had shot him.
 Before he was removed to the hos pital Murdock was told by Captain smith that he was seriously. perhaps fatally Injured, and at Captain Smiths reouest he made the following state ment:
 Were the Best of Friends.
 'sEddie and I were sitting in the sit ting-room of Mrs. V. B. Crotty's boarding house, 2S Randolph Street. I bsd nistol in my pocket. I took it out and said, T believe will shoot my self Eddie said. No, let me do it. I handed her the pistol and both were niavinR with 1t when 1t was discharged eve had had no words, and there were no hard feelings existing be-
 ,.T know that she did not intend 10 shoot me, and 1t was purely an acci- dsnt."