Evening journal., 1913-01-29
WILL
INVESTIGATE
MAN Staying
Coroner Returns Open Verdict
After Hearing How Fisher
Was Kill ed
BODY UNCLAIMED
AT CITY MORGUE

Coroner Spring held an inquest last
night in the case of Frank Fisher.
colored, who was shot and killed by
Policeman T. j. zebley. from whom
he was fleeing, the officer having a
warrant for his arrest. The jury re-
turned the following open verdict:
The said Frank Fisher came to his
death on Monday. January 27, 1913,
at about o'clock in the evening in
the city of Wilmington. Del. while on
the way to the Delaware Hospital
from the effects of a gun shot wound
inflicted at the hands of Thomas j.
Zebley, the said zebley being then
and there a patrolman OF the city of
Wilmington and on duty and having
warrant for the arrest of the said
Frank Fisher"
Deputy Attorney General Armon ID.
Chaytor attended the inquest, but he
did not question any OF the witnesses.
Coroner Spring swore the jurors over
the dead body of Fisher at the NOR
que and Deputy Coroner Harvey e.
Nichols swore the witnesses and
questioned them. He directed the
proceedings generally.
By direction of Attorney General
Wolcott, Charles G. Guyer took stem
ographic notes of the evideree sub
mitted Policeman Zebley also was
present and took considerable inter-
est in the proceedings.
Eye Witness OF Shooting.
John r. Skelley of No. 1917 ID.
street, South Wilmington. testified
that early Monday evening he and
Patrolman zebley we're walking along
the street together when Fisher ap-
preached from the opposite direction.
He said Zebley said to the negro.
Hello Fisher, you are just the man
! want to see. have a warrant for
you
The witness said Zebley took off
his hat and took from il the war
rant. He placed his hand on Fisher
and took him into custody. Skelley
said he then continued to walk down
the street alone. He had reached A
street, nearly, when he heard men
running and looking around he saw
Fisher running away with the police
man in pursuit. Then he heard three
shots fired just about the time the
negro and the policeman turned into
a vacant lot at B and Heald streets.
Fisher fell over a pile of stones
that had been dumped upon the lot. "
said Skelley. Perhaps Zebley was
shooting low. and as the negro, fell,
he may have hit him. ] did not see
the third shot fired"
Dr. j. w. Bastian, coroner's physi-
clan, testified that he held an au-
topsy yesterday morning. He found
a flesh wound in the right leg be-
tween the ankle and the knee and a
wound back of and a little above the
right ear. He removed the bullet from
the left side of the brain. DR.. Bas-
tian said it was this wound that had
caused death. This showed that two
of the three short fired by the police
man struck the fleeing man.
CHIEF of Police George Black told
of having received a telephone mes
sage relative TO the trouble and OF
his having hurried to the scene He
had the negro taken to the hospital
but the man died on the way. He
said Fisher made no statement for
he was unconscious.
PatrOlman Zebley was anxious Ia
, produce witnesses to prove the des-
perate character of Fisher, but the
Jury did not at first seem to think
thev we're material at this time
There was a conference among the
members who discussed the subject
with Mr. Chaytor. II was finally
agreed that the officer could produce
any witnesses he wanted TO- but then
Zebley decided not to have them
heard. There was another discussion
as to whether zebley should make a
statement and il was left TO his own
discretion. He willingly agreed &c
tell all he knew about the case.
Policeman Tells of AIlair.
Zebley said that about 635 O'Clock
Monday night he was walking dowr
Heald street TO make report at A
and Townsend streets when he met
Fisher about in the middle of Tho
block between A and B streets. HI
said it was a surprise to meet hin
so Unexpectedly He had been talk
ing to the negro at noon that da,
about the trouble Fisher had Will
Sarah Spencer, the colored woman
who had sworn out the warrant Zeb
ley had to serve on Fisher. He wac
to have met Fisher at 3 O'Clock in th'
afternoon TO talk about some othei
trouble. but Fisher did not appear a
that time.
Zebley said he and Fisher laughed
at the fact that there was a warran
for Fisher after having had thei
conversation earlier in the day HI
i D..