The review. [volume] (High Point, N.C.) 1908-19??, 1913-09-18
OFFICER SHOT DOWN SAT-
URDAY NIGHT

| James W. Witcher Dies from Wound
Monday Morning Early-Who Dill
the Shsoting, is the Qusstiea?---A
Deplorable Affair
Saturday night near the stroke of
ten James W. Witcher, a special Of
fcer of the city, received a wound
from a pistol ball in the abdomen,
/ which caused his death early Mon
day morning following.
The ball plowed its way through
his stomach, severing two arteries,
and puncturing a kidney, but not
withstanding it was seen that there
was no hope for him, Witcher made
a brave fight for life. =.
He was taken to the hospital i'm
mediately after the shooting where
an operation was performed in the
hope of saving his life.
The young officer was a son of
VIM. Witcher and like his father
was a fine specimen of manhood
and brave as a lion. He leaves a
wife and seven children to mourn
their loss
The inquest over the body was
held Tuesday, Wednesday and Thurs
day the remains were taken to
Hickory Chapel for interment. The
dead officer was member of Pied
mont Camp No. 81, Woodmen of
the World and a delegation from the
order accompanied the remains to
their final resting place.
Saturday night Special Officer
| Witcher was on duty at the moving
picture show in the eastern part of
the city. Between nine and ten
o'clock Chief of Police Ben Ridge
and Patrolman E. A. McGhee also
/ went down to the show place A
few minutes after their arrival
I Lorenzo Turner and Lindsay Reed,
two negroes, became engaged in an
alteration. Turner was arrested by
Patrolman McGhee while Witcher
had Reed. It was soon learned that
Reed had done nothing and he was
released. Turner showed fight after
, taking a few steps and Chief Ridge
L. and Officer Witcher went to the as
] sistance of McGhee The negro trip
2 ped McGhee aud started towards
T. Ridge and WitcEler. While the scuf
e fle ensued pistol was fired and the
: ball struck Ridges finger and NOR
e tally wounded Witcher who crieC
) out that he was shot and Ridge re
S leased his hold of his prisoner tt
S look after his fellow officer The
0 negro made good use of his libert!
= and took to the tall timbers followed
n by McGhee. There were at leas
e two hundred negroes around whel
: the shot was fired and it seems NJ
e one could tell, or did not tell, jus
who did the shooting 1t is a de
o plorable case and it is a great pit,
l. no one could vouchsafe the needed
E information.
n The INQUEST
II Coroner W. W. Wood, assisted b,
County Attorney Wilson made
+ thorough investigation of the deplor
u able affair. A jury was empannell
5 ed consisting of J.. L. Sechrest, G A
Il Nation, H. A. Mofitt, r. E. Blail
$ W. A. Ring and R. B. White and tn
( sessions were held behind close
" doors. The inquest began Tuesda
II morning and continued until WeC
10 nesday evening. Only one witnes
i was examined at a time and eac
'e one separate and apart. from tn
: others
'e There has been much talk on tn
i streets about Chief Ridge doing tn
m shooting, caused by Witcher Stain
on his death bed and at the time h
70 was shot down that it was his bell'
~ that Chief Ridge shot him. {
"a course if such we're the case it W.
10 accidental, but the Chief told Witcl
IS er that night and said afterwar(
&c that he never had his gun out of h
- - pocket.
t. There were some 80 odd witnesse
IS about half of them being examine
~ Tuesday and the remainder Wedne
day. "a
JURY HAVE CASE.
The evidence in the Witcher mu
der Case was all in last night. Th
OF morning the evidence is beng res
,: over from stenographer's notes
nd refresh the memory of the jul
IN which will pass on the case son
mt time today. 1t is quite likely tn
Sc their decision will not be known t
se this afternoon. We had hoped
ce get it before going to press tn
as morning.
'pt