Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1914-02-16

Much Excitement Followed Occurrence For Tme-jued Man Was
Breaking Ice to Get to Boats Of Which He Carelaker
When Physician demonstrated With Hm-Asssiaut
Ihreatend to Shoot, Then Went to House
And Got Rifle
And Got Rifle

Capt William +. F1llam, superin-
tendent Of the Naval Academy, this
morning detailed board of investi-
cation to make a thorough probe Of
the shoe ting ARRAY on Spa creek
yesterday afternoon, when Surgeon
Ralph w. Mcdowell, Of the Navy,
shot Mr.. Frank Green, a young man
Of this city. Prior C this Captain
Fullam reported the matter 20 the
Navy Department at Washington.
Capt. Lloyd H. Chandler, head Of
the Department Of Ordnance and
Gunnery, is president Of the Board.
which will begin its invt stigat ions
this afternoon. The other members Of
The body are Lieut.. Com. Chauncey
5hackford, of the Department of Dis
.ipline; Surgeon John II. Idtn, on
duty at the Naval Hospital, with
Lieut.. K. r. Stewart as recorder.
A number of witnesses have already
been summoned TO appear before
bnard. including several of the vi c.
TINS friends and others, who were
Witnesses to the ARRAY
Meantime, Surgeon Mcdowell
stands charged with an assault with
intent to kill. He was released last
night on 81, O0o bail by Police Justice
James d. Feldmeyer for hearing
before the Justice on Monday next.
SIR. hewitt Steele, of this city, fur
nished the bond.
The condition OF young Green is re-
ported as improved today, and accord
ing to the attending physician, the
wound which is in the shoulder, is
not serious one, although be suffered
much pain throughout the night.
The bullet, it is stated, struck the
collar bone.
Surrounded by circumstances of an
unusual nature, the shooting which
occurred shortly after O'Clock on
the Murray Hill shores Of Spa creek,
created no little excitement ali over
the city and at the Naval Academy.
Friends of the victim were highly
indignant for a time. Surgeon Nc
Dowell is amcng the younger medi-
cal men Of the Navy, and ia assigned
as an assistant in the Department Of
Physical Training at the Naval Acad-
envy. BE is very prominent socially.
lie married daughter Of Mr.. Theo-
dore Noyes owner Of the Washington
Star.
DR.. Mcdowell has made no formal
statement of the occurrence. Friends
Of Surgeon Mcdowell, howe yer, clpim
be rad no intention of shooting the
young man. but the bullet that hit
him, ricochteted, having struck the
ice first They say that the Surgeon
dred thinking il would scare Green
off after be had refused to stop break
ing the ice, when be had been told
that II endangered those who were
skating 10 the cove. Surgeon Me
Dowell and a party Of ladies were
among the skaters.
Officers on duty al the Naval Acad-
emy are keenly surprised over the
affair. But as they are not acqusint-
ed with the details and the fact that
the board Of investigation has been
ordered, none Of them will discuss it,
Young Green states that he was
fred en- twice that the first bullet
passed over bis head and be was
struck by the second. Severll wit
nesses to the shooting coTroborate
| this. The shooting was done at close
range. Green made statement last
night 10 States Attorney N. H.
Green and to others. He said that
he was breaking some thin ice in
order to reach yacht of which he
had charge. Dr. Mcdowell, be said,
was on the bank on the other side Of
the cove, about 100 feet away.
While / was trying to get TO the
yacht, Green said, "Dr. Mcdowell
called to me to~stop breaking ice, and
we exchanged some words. He seem
ed to be very angry but paid little
attention 20 him. Finally he said be
would shoot me if did not stop
breaking the ice. but ] continued, and
reached the yacht, going into the
cabin.
When l came out / saw DR.. Nc
Dowell on the shore, and be imme-
diately fred at me, the bullet hitting
me in the shoulder. A moment after
q second bullet went just over my
head. was able 70 seull the boat
toward shore, and while ] was doing
90, DR.. Mcdowell continued to threat
en- 20 kin me. The fee I broke wss
too thin to skate on.
| Surgeon Mcdowell was arre sted
within an hour after the shooting and
was detained for more than two
hours in the police station, pending
arrangement for furnishing security.
He was plenty excited and declined
to make any statement in connection
with the affair. He appeared, how.
ever, to regard the affair as trivial
one, and was anxious that it should
not BE- given publicity.
| According to witnesses to ths shoot.