Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-08-15

Artiiieryn,an Had Just Returned From
Cuba and Would Have Received His
lsionorable Discharge Papers from
the War Department on August %.
Made Ante-mortem Statement.
The Daily Press Bureau.

oSIul VI. "dSbVi u tii'oN> III $50
terry +. Third United States Field Ar
tillery. who returned from Cuba oil
the transport Fitzpatrick "Wednesday.
Is dead in the Fort Monroe hospital,
while william Pickett. a fellow artil-
leryman Is under arrest In PhOebus.
charged with having been responsible
for the death Of the ar.illeryman.
Frank Rogers. another returned sol
der, Is being held on the charge of
being implicated with Picket in the
alleged murder.
Wagner, who was % years old. and
from Wyoming died In the hospital
at the fort at $3.50 o'clock this alter
noon from peritonitis due to kicks in
HIS abdomen. Pickett and Rogers
were arrested to night by the Phoelus
police authorities.
Story Of the Crime.
According to the information FUR
nished the police authorities Wagner
was kicked almost to death In the
Roseland Clubs saloon early Thurs
day morning, although no report OF
the assault was made to the Phoebus
Oficers until after the death of the
artilleryman. Wagner Is said to
have been drinking with Pickett ana
Rogers and other "casuals.. who had
returned on the Fitzpatrick, Thursday
morning, when the dispute came about.
II is charged that Pickett Is said 10
have knocked Wagner down and then
jumped upon him with his feet.
Pickett is said to have kicked the ar
tilleryman six or eight times and sue
ceeded In rendering the man uncon-
scious.
After the assault Wagner was put
TO bed. He became seriously III
Thursday afternoon and he was re-
moved to the Fort hospital between
midnight and I O'Clock yesterday morn
Ing.
Capt. Charles a. Regain. assistant
surgeon Mt the fort. took charge OF the
wounded man. Capt. Regain soon
recognized that the condition CT Wag-
ner was precarlous. He resorted To
every method known to medical sci
euce to relieve the artilierymaR but
Wagner continued to grow wsaker.
Took Ante Mortem Statement.
lust before the artillerynan died
Can't, Regain took an aEtc-morfem
statement from the dying soldier. Wag'
ner told the surgeon that he was
Kicked In the stomach Nv a fellow ar
tillcryman, but did not care to give the
name Of the man. He said that the
row started over nothing. tu, added
that he was assaulted most ynmerci.
fully.
Upon the death OF the man Capt.
Regan held a post-mGrtem cxaminh-
ton and found that three Of the in'es-
tines in Wagner's stomach had been
ruptured by the kicks and she sur
Rcou expressed great surprise thar
Wagner survived one much less
twenty-six hours after receiving the
injuries.
Cant. Regain informed the army in
yestigatioa board Of the facts In con
uection with the death of Wagner and
the army oficials Immediately began
IN investigation.
The ofhccrs from the fort came to-
Phochus and informed Sergeant WI
liam r. Williams Of the death cf Wsg-
p<v and Of tie facts so far a. the
army authorities were able TO ssccr-
tSin.
Sergeant williams detailed ihs CD
tire force To WORK on the case. while
sQuad OF uon-commis<ioncd officers
we're sent To phocbus ;o arrest every
. casual found On the street and re-
turn them TO The fort
Pickett Arrested,
From information obtained from the
cook in the Roselana ciih Sergeant
Williams sosnd that the man rcsrnlbe
ing william Pickett, was the soldier
Who commiftcd the assault upo. WaS-
pxr. Mr.. wiiiiahs and oshccr f"sn-
vud Clddsnss found Pickett a; NH
Greet bridge and Immediately pat him
usder arrest He Vas taken ." the
PSeebus station house. Pickett dc
usef any knowledge Of the crime. We
~ ~ vas horn In ireland. but came
% 0uusSa. Mas. skrn quite young
M psreats i've 20 Boston. Iic ts -
yuuvs -. Pickett said he returned
~ Cusn On the Transport Wcdnrs-
- wteh Vaxpes. who vas private