The Washington herald., 1912-06-29
MYSTERY SHR0UDs
VICTIMS CAREER
Strange Youth, Shot Dead in Boys
Camp, Buried in Virginia
Potter's Field.
YOUNG FLAHERTY ExoEERATED

With his identity enshrouded in q veil
OF mystery the youth who was shot and
killed Thursday afternoon In a boys
camp on the Virginia shore OF the Poto-
mac, near the Highway Bridge, by four
teen-year-old Andrew Flaherty, OF los H
Street Northwest, was yesterday laid
in a lonely grave in the potter's field
near Luna Park.
All efforts to trace the identity Of the
young man OF mystery proved futile, and
with not a friend to claim his body or
mourn his tragic end, he was borne from
the bank OF the placid Potomac to his
final resting place among the unknown
dead. After carefully searching the body
for some clew to the identity Of the VIC
tim Of the shooting and finding none
there, the Alexandria County authori-
ties, following an inquest yesterday, de-
cided to inter It at once, in view Of the
fact that there were no facilities at
hand for the keeping Of the body.
Knew Little of Youth.
Efforts Of Coroner Sutton, OF Alexan-
drIa County, to penetrate the veil OF mys-
terry with which the youth had clothed
himself. probably, purely from q boyish
love OF mystery, were futile, all Of the
Witnesses QuGsllOnEQ DN commonwealth y
Attorney Crandal Mackey saying they
knew little Of the youth.
About a week ago, 1t was testified,
the youth appeared at the boys camp.
After that he seemed to regard the camp
as his home. He slept in the boys tent
IN the day, but always left in the even
ing, and stayed away throughout the
night. He told none OF the hve boy
campers his name, and never hinted
where he came from.
When asked what kind OF work he did
the strange youth pointed to a bent
screw driver which he carried inside his
shirt and said: That is what do" The
screw driver was found near his body
on the straw under the little shelter tent
with the trusty revolver which snapped
out his life. The bent screw driver bears
resemblance to the burglars favorite tool
the Jimmy.
The initials H. K" on his collar and
shirt are the only clews OF Identification
which have been found.
At the inqdest held yesterday in the
open on the Virginia bank Of the Poto-
mac near the Highway Bridge over the
body Of the young man young Flaherty,
the boy who did the shooting, was ex-
onerated OF all responsibility for the
death.
Shooting Was Accidental.
DR.. Richard y. Sutton, Of Clarendon,
Va, deputy coroner Of Alexandria Coun-
ty. presided at the inquest. After hear
ing the testimony Of the boys who
W ere members Of the camp in which the
occurred, the coroner's jury re-
turned a verdict OF acqUittal and un-
Intentional shooting.
The testimony was to the effect that
Andrew had been in bathing and that
upon returning to the tent found the
young stranger wrapped up in a blanket
sleeping. Andrew is said to have picked
Up revolver and twirlsd IT around his
finger by the trigger guard. Lloyd Alex
der, eighteen years Of age, OF % X
Street Northeast, who was in the tent
at the time, warned the youngster
against continuing such dangerous play
Andrew then began to revolve the
cylinder. Suddenly the hammer came
down upon the single cartridge in the re-
Oliver and exploded It. The bullet en-
tered the right frontal region OF the
head Of the young man in the blankets.