Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-12-26
KILLED BY CORPORAL
Artillery Private at Fort Wash
ington Is Shot.
QUARREL ENDS FATALLY
Men, With Others. Had Had Trouble
Over Gun Earlier in Day.
SAID TO HAVE BEEN DRINKING
Col. Allen Notifies Civil Authorities
and Verdict of Coroner's
Jury Is Awaited.

Private Eric A. LARSON Of the 18th
company. Coast Artillery, United States
Army, was shot. later dying of his in
Jur1es. yesterday afternoon by Corp.
I1mbrook Collins. of the 10th Company,
Coast Artillery. on road just outside of
the military reservation at Fort Washing
ton. following a quarrel over a shotgun
during Christmas morning hunting trip
In which these and two other artillery
men We're concerned
AS a consequence of the shooting Corp
Collins, with Privates Collingsworth and
1ngle, the latter also members of the 18th
Company of Coast Artillery, are held un-
der arrest at Fort Washington pending
the verdict Of a coroner's jury as to eX-
actly how Private LARSON came to his
death, although Corp. Collins admits
firing the two shots that killed him. He
claims that he acted in self-defense.
Col. Samuel f. Allen, commandant at
Fort Washington, today said that he had
notified the civil authorities of Prince
Georges county. Nd. of the shooting. as
1t had happened outside of the military
reservation. and that no decision as to
whether Corp. Collins will have a
authorities is to be made until the coro-
ner's jury renders it's verdict which prob
ably will be tonight.
Col. Aliens Version.
The shooting is said by Col. Allen to
have been the result of an unfortunate
quarrel between the four men, provoked.
probably, he said, because they had all
been given Christmas liberty, which re-
suited in too much drinking.
1.-THE tragedy happened yesterday after
noon about a quarter past D." Col. Allen
said today, ION a public road near a
small unnamed settlement outside of the
fort. This road is the one leading to-
ward the city. The men were on liberty,
because it was Christmas day.
lone of the four men had borrowed a
shotgun, I do not know which, and he
went hunting with 1t in the morning.
The four of the mmet accidentally while
on this trip, and an ill-natured remark
was made. resulting in an exchange of
personalities Private Collingsworth had
the gun and i am told he threatened
Corp. Collins with it. Corp. Collins, l
am also told, said he would take the gun
away from CollingswOrth, and this gave
COllingsworth q grievance. They were
all under the influence of liquor and a
little quarrelsOme.
Said he Feared Attack.
'"The difficulty Of the morning was more
OR less patched UP during the day, but
later in the afternoon Corp. Collins. in
tending to go out by himself, feared, he
said. that he would possibly be attacked
by the three men, LARSON, Collingsworth
and 1ngle. and after leaving the fort and
going short distance returned he says,
and armed himself with a revolver, SO
that he would be able to protect himself
if attacked.
1t happened, unfortunately, that he
met the three men by accident, and
ne says he ran and that they followed
him. Corp Collins then fired several
shots into the group of three men, two
of which took effect on LARSON. and
the latter died as result of his in
juries'
The artillerymen concerned in the
shooting are young, as was the dead
soldier. all being about twenty-three or
twenty-four years old, and in their first
enlistment. Corp. Collins has been in
the service about two and half years.
Col. Allen said today that all the men
had good records