Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-11-15
Joseph c. Squires Killed, Prob.
ably by Accident.
CORONER TO INVESTIGATE
Shooting Occurs in Woods Near 18th
and Adams Streets.
VICTIM PENSION OFFICE CLERK
Was on His Way to Clubhouse to
Get His Breakfast-Police
Without Clue.


Joseph c. Squires. Familiarity known TO
many Of his associates as Judge Souires
and TO some OF his more intimate
friends as 'Uncle Joe," a veteran ~ the
civil war and an employee of the pension
Office. was shot through the heart and
instantly killed shortly before noon yes-
terday. while passing through a stressh
OF woods near 18th and Adams streets
1t is the belief OF the police that hs
was struck by a bullet from a weapon
used at target practice. while a few OF
his friends think he was the victim Of
an assassin.
A big chestnut tree near where thu
veteran fell has been used as a pIaca
for attaching targets. although the bull
lets and holes found In the tree ve.ter-
day indicate that no shots had bee,
fired there recently. It is a fact. how
ever. that much shooting has been done
in that section Of the county lately. and
some OF the resident. tell OF narrow es-
capes from a fate similar to that which
befell squires.
a room in the house OF B. F. Edwards.
in stable at the Wine View Club, sew
eraI squares distant. He had also been
in the habit Of taking some Of his meals
at the latter place. Yesterday he left
the house OF Mr.. Edwards. carrying his
whip and smoking cigar. and when
his body was found near the chestnut
tree the whip was clenched in one hand.
while the partly smoked cigar was on
the ground near his body.
Discovery Made by Boy.
Many reports Of pistol shots had been
heard yesterday In the vicinity OF the
place where the fatal shot was fired, but
no particular attention was paid to them.
William Sartain. about fifteen years old.
was passing through the woods on his
way to his home at l346 Franklin street
at the time the veteran was killed, and
says he heard five or six shots fired, and
also heard the sound of a voice. He be-
lieves II was the voice Of Squires as he
fell to the ground.
Sartain went in the direction of the
says. and discovered the body Of Mr..
SQutres q few feet from the chestnut
tree and near the pathway leading from
the direction Of 18th street to the club.
Uncle Joe" had been in the habit of
passing through the woods twice eaon
day. He was driven to the pension office
from the stables at the club each morn
ing.
Friends had warned him that it was
dangerous thing for him to do. Some
OF them suggested that he might be
assaulted and robbed. it Is stated, while
others feared he might be accidentally
shot. as 1t is believed happened yester-
day. After leaving the house OF Mr..
Edwards the elderly man had to cross
a field and pass through a belt Of woods
In order to reach the place where he
kept his horse. and 1t was near the edge
Of the woods that he was killed.
The path traversed by him leads around
the big chestnut tree, and II is thought
the shot was fired from the west In the
direction OF the tree. the bullet striking
him lust as he cleared the tree. He stag
gered a little to the southwest and fell
face downward. The Sartain boy was
the first to reach the body.
Police Take Charge Of Case.
Policeman Owen Cooney. who was do
ing post duty not far away. was sum-
moned. and a few minutes later Capt.
Daley OF the ninth precinct was there
with members Of his force, Detectives
O'Brien and Burlingame coming later. A
crowd OF persons living in the vicinity OF
Langdon and Brookland soon gathered
about the place where the body was ly
ing and discussed the tragedy.
Many OF those who were attracted
the practice OF target shooting which
has been permitted In that vicinity. much
OF II. they declared, having been done
Sundays. when gun firing Of any kind Is
prohibited. 1t was stated by some OF
them that boys had been shooting at rab-
bits recently. and surprise was expressed
that yesterdays affair was the first fatal
shooting that had occurred there.
William Sartain told the police and de-
tectives what he knew OF the shooting
and gave descriptions Of two young men
he had seen running from the woods.
They were between seventeen ana twenty
years old. he thought. and went in the
direction OF the BladenSburg road. he
saw no weapons.
II am certain there were fve or six
shots fired" Sartain told Star reporter.
although I really did not pay much at
tention to the sounds. There are SO
many shots fired in the woods that they
don't attract much attention"
Sartain said he had been near nth and
Adams streets talking with some COM
panions about cunning. He left them
and started home, going over the road
leading to Rhode Island avenue. and he
was not great distance from Mr..
Squires at tho time the shot was. fired.
AS soon as he heard the sound Of a
believing there was trouble.
Fail to Find Suspects.
Capt Daley and the detectives made as
tQOIOuSn I'll luNeotl8dtlOn kn6y COul0,
persons in the vicinity of
tho scene OF the shooting and endeavor-
ing TO get on the track OF the young
men who were seen running from the
woods. They learned that two young
men answering the descriptions OF those
mentioned by Sartain had been seen run
ming along the Bladensburg road In the
direction Of the city, but have been I'M
able to ascertain who they were.
The deceased was nearly seventy years
OF age. He was Pennsylvania. and
his relatives live in Philadelphia, one
brother. William SQuires. 1t is stated.
being a well-to-do man. After serving
throughout the war In the Union army.
Mr.. Squires came to this city and en-
gagged in business a short time. after
pension office. He had been In that Of
fee for considerably more than thirty
years.
His wife, who was Miss Ella Brown
before her marriage, died about eighteen
months ago. their only child having died
many years previously. In July OF last
year Mr.. Squires went to the home Of
Mr. Edwards to live. He had become
well known in the vicinity Of Langdon
and Brookland and was highly respect
ed. Each morning he arose early, at
tended to his horse and drove to the
pension Office, leaving his OUTFIT at Q
stable during the day.
Coroner to Hold Inquest.
Sundays he usually slept late. took
breakfast about noon and went out to