Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-05-15
CASE IS POSTPONED
Traught Charged With Assault
on Policeman Daughton.
LATTER UNABLE TO APPEAR
Shooting Early Yesterday Morning
Near the Chain Bridge Believed
to Have Been Accidental.

Charles E. Traught, a resident Of the
vicinity of Clarendon, Va, arrested yes
terday morning for shooting Policeman
Dixon NJ Daughton while near the Chain
bridge early yesterday morning, was in
the Police Court this morning. charged
with assault with deadly weapon.
The policeman. with bullet wound in
his neck and in serious condition, Is in
Georgetown University Hospital, his in
| ability to appear in court necessitating
postponement Of the hearing. Because
of his condition no time could be fixed for
the hearing.
Yesterday an x-ray picture was made
at the hospital to locate the bullet 1t
Is probable that surgeons will make an
effort to extract the bullet this afternoon
or tomorrow morning
Believed to Have Been Accident.
1t is the belief Of the police that the
shooting was not intentional. Traught,
the police say. had been drinking and
when arrested he said he was not aware
that he had discharged his pistol There
was one empty shell in the pistol taken
from his pocket. however, and witnesses
say he fired the shot.
patient. both members Of the second pre-
cinct. left the station late Saturday aft
ernoon and went to the vicinity Of the
Chan bridge on fishing expedition.
many anglers doing night fishing in that
vicinity for Mississippi catfish and rock
fish.
Emanuel and Daughton left Fletcher's
boathouse about o'clock Saturday after
noon and fished until about IL O'Clock
| without having experienced any luck.
Their boat was anchored In the deep
| water, and about II o'clock the men were
alarmed when a bullet fired from the
Virginia shore fell in the water near their
boat, One Of the policemen discharged
| his weapon in order to let the persons
on the Virginia shore know they were
there.
Not having experienced any luck the
policemen rowed to shanty on the vir-
men they met at the shanty discussed
the fishing situation with them. Traught
and Abe Veitch, two Of the number, vol
unteertng to take them to a point nearer
| the bridge. where. they stated, fish are
usually plentiful
Good Feeling Prevailed.
Before reaching the place where they
were going to fish the oil in their Ian
the lighter to borrow some OIL Edward
.
colored, were seated on the lighter, sing
ing. and one Of the policemen asked II
they could dance.
'Surest thing you know one Of the
trio responded, and the three men pro-
eeeded to give an exhibition of how well
they could trip the light fantastic.
1t was shortly after the dance was
started that the. shot was fired by
Traught, it is believed, merely for the
purpose Of creating a little excitement.
The men were all In the best of humor,
II is stated, and there was no reason why
he should have shot Daughton.
I'm shot," said the policeman putting
his hand to his neck
Why did. you do that?" Traught was
asked.
Traught made no response. Two of the
colored men carried Daughton on their
shoulders over the rough shore to the
Chain bridge. Emanuel preceding them to
summon assistance. and Traught. ap-
parently. unconscious Of what he had
done. following along behind the party
Sergt. McQuade. who was one Of the
policemen to go to the bridge in the pa
troll wagon. placed Traught under arrest
and locked him up. Capt. Schneider con-
versed with the prisoner several times
about the shooting. Traught told him it
he had done the shooting 1t was an ac-
cident.