The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-01-02
Accuse ]. H. 0dekirk of Firing
Shot That Killed Edward
Barnes.
PRISONER ADMITS HE
WAS FIRING REVOLVER
Officers Say Fatal Bullet Came
from Weapon Similar 70
0dekirk's.

j. II. Odekirk. aged 90 years. owner
and driver OF Studebakcr car 1916. is
under arrest at the city jail and will
be charged with having fired the shot
that, early Sunday morning. ended the
life OF Edward Barnes. Is years old.
who fell fatally wounded In front Of the
Wilson hotel while celebrating the adj
vent of the New Year.
Odckirk WAS located by Patrolmen
Betz and Egbert in room in the Rex
hotel OH South State street. This was
shortly after 4 o'clock. three and one
half hours after the shooting. The
patroImen notified Sergeant Roberts.
who took the case in charge and con-
Quoted Odekirk TO jail.
Questioned by the officers. the arr
rested man admitted enough in connec-
tlon with the other evidence secured to
convince them that 1t was bullet fired
by Odekirk that ended the life of young
Barnes.
Odekirk admitted. say the officers. that
lie alone WAS firing at the time the
young man fell. and that his gun was
.32-caliber Browning automatic.
In connection with this is the circum-
stantial evidence that the wound from
steel-nosed 2-caliber bullet, and within
a few feet OF where Odekirk was stand
Ing was picked up. shortly after the
shooting. empty .32 -caliber shell. be-
longing TO an automatic gun.
Soon Secures Attorney.
Sunday afternoon Odekirk retained At
torney l.. a. Wedgwood. who advised
him 10 make no personal statements re-
earding the tragedy and TO see no news
paper men. Speaking for his client. At
| n lou nnl "a
NO one can more deeply regret this
tragic occurrence than does Mr.. Ode
kirk but 1t is not certain that he fired
the shot. Others were shooting there
at the same time. Some wild bullet took
the boys life. We do not know from
whose gun II came.
Odekirk came 20 Salt Lake from YER
nal, Utah. about four months ago. In
his horne town he is engaged in the bale-
cry business and Owls some real es.
tate Coming 10 Salt Lake for the win
past two months has been driving IL
for hire. his stand being in front OF
the Wilson hotel along with numerous
other drivers Of tuXlcabs.
Has Young Wife Here.
Odekirk is married and resides at sSf
Third avenue His attorney explained The
auto drivers going 10 the hotel after the
shooting by saying that II was too late
for him to get street car home after
putting up his auto In the Studebaker
garage. where It was usually kept when
not In use. The officers arc not MAX
ing public So far the results of their In
vestigations as to Odekirks s movements
from the time the shot was fired until
he secured q room In the Rex hotel.
There is no evidence TO Indicate. nor
any idea entertained by any one investi-
eating the case, that the shooting WAS
I'm any sense wiful or malicious. Neither
does IL apepar that Odekirk was intoxi-
Gated at the time OF the shooting. He
Is known man OF good habits and
quiet disposition. AS did many others.
he chose q form OF celebra ting the New
Year that, even his attorney admits.
amounts to criminal carlessness-
The Deadly Automatic.
As near as the officers are able TO
learn the tragedy was partly due TO the
uncertain action of the deadly auto
matte gun II is believed that Odehirk
raised his weapon TO fire into the air
Just as Barnes ducked from the side
walk into the street TO secure q handful
Of snow The gun is thought to have
exploded a fraction of a second sooner
than was intended and as the youth
stood directly in line of range. odekirk
himself refuses TO state just under what
conditions he fired.
Lieutenant Hempcl will take up with
the county attorneys office today the
question OF the charge TO be placed
against Odekirk. which will probably be
involuntary manslaughter,
The body of Barnes still remains at
the undertaking rooms of s. NJ. Taylor
& Co. Arrangements for the funeral
have not been made.