The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1913-04-18
CORONER'S JURY
RETURNS VERDICT
Jerry Harrington Came to His Death
by Conclusion Of the Brain
According to the
Jury.
CHARGED WITH MURDER
County Attorney McManus Files lnfor-
nation Against the Negro who
Delivered Blow on the
Fatal Evening.

4uealn OF conclusion of the brain was
the verdict returned by the coroner's
Jury this morning. That the concus.
sion was caused by the fall, which
harrington received when he was
knocked down by bucket in the
hands of Tom Merritt, was entirely
overlooked by the jury, which refused
70 place the blame of the accident.
Only five witnesses were examined
at the inquest, which was conducted
by Coroner Fred Korschgen and
County Attorney E. w. McManus. The
witnesses were Nick Mckenzie. John
Scheibler and L. j. Boyer, all bartend-
ers In the saloon where the trouble
between Harrington and Merritt orig
mated, and Drs. Gray and Holmes,
who performed the autopsy yesterday
afternoon.
Mckenzie, the first man examined
declared that Harrington was in the
saloon when Merritt came in on the
evening Of April LIST, and ordered
some beer and whiskey. Mckenzie
drew the beer while Schneider filed
the whiskey bottle. Harrington was
at the back end of the bar and in the
meantime had come to the front of
the saloon and laid his cane, coat and
a paper on the bar.
AS he started back he spoke to the
negro, saying, Eve been looking for
you" Merritt then struck Harrington
with his left fist and started out the
door, Harrington following him, say
Ing as he went out the door, tYou
black -----' When they got to
the sidewalk they again mixed and
Merritt swung the bucket of beer,
knocking Harrington down.
Scheibler. another bartender made
practically the same testimony, except
Il t he did not hear Harrington tell
the negro that he had been looking
for him"
L. J. Boyer, who was examined de-
clared that he was just coming to
work when he saw the crowd around
the corner and saw Harrington lying
on the walk, bleeding.
Drs. Gray and Holmes said that
they performed an autopsy upon the
head Of the deceased yesterday after
noon and found that he was suffering
from cut, partially healed, on the
left side of the face, running down
across the upper lip. They also found
a fracture of the skull about three
and one half inches long, extending
from a point one inch in front of and
internal to the left ear, running back
ward and outward for about two and
one-half inches behind the left ear.
A clot of blood was found on the
left side in the temporal region about
four inches long, also clot covering
the entire right side of the brain.
DR.. Holmes also made the state
ment that he was called to the home
of the deceased on Wednesday even.
ing and found Harrington in a pro-
found stupor and the pupil of his
right eye somewhat dilated, which he
declared was an indication Of hem
orrhage of the brain and he so dag
nosed the case. This hemorrhage, in
the opinion of the physicians was Of
more recent date than the other.
1t was said that until twenty-four
hours before his death Harrington
was able to move about by himself
but after that he had sunk into a
stupor and could not be aroused
An information charging murder
against Merritt was filed in the super
Tor court yesterday afternoon and he
will likely be arraigned tomorrow 1t
is thought that he will be bound over
to await action In the case by the
grand jury.