The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-12-20
CORONER HEARS
 POLICEMEN IN DEATH INQUIRY
(Continued from Page 1.)

Testifying at the coroner's inquiry yesterday afternoon Charles B. Clark of 20S Golden Hill street, a salesman for the R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Co.,, said that just prior to his meeting with death last Saturday night Nor ris Pannill, who was shot at the Key- stone club told him (Clark) that he had been at Baby DolP' Thomas place two weeks ago and that the latter had elected him from the place because of a remark to the effect that Baby Dolp' would not be able to conduct such place down South. Clark alleges that Thomas ordered Pannill from the place and told him that he would not allow "any - Southerner'' in his place.
 Pannill went to the Keystone club and was sitting at one of the places watching the dancers, according to Clark's story. Colored men were dancing with white women and vice versa
 Clark then said that he had heard that Pannill went to the Keystone club last Saturday night and won a considerable amount of money in 8 dice game. When he was leaving the place, according to the story which Clark claims to have heard Baby Doll' called Pannill "piker."
 In the opinion of Clark, who after testifying before the coroner talked freely to a representative of The Farmer, Pannill, being of old South ern stock, would never permit such 8 remark to go uhchallenged and re- turned to the place.
 Clark said that he had lived with Pannill for 8 number of months and the fact that frequently, during the period he was in the hospital, the lat ter asked for his pal, Clark, would bear out the latter's claim that he and Pannil were close friends. Asked to explain why Pannill insisted that he was shot by a policeman, Clark said that it was his opinion that Pan- hill thought he was going to recover and that he wanted to carry the mat ter through in his own way.
 Clark insisted that his friend, Pan- mill, had incurred the animosity of Baby Doll," and added that nothing would ever convince him that Baby Doll" had not been instrumental in the death of his pal.
 Clark and Pannill were together up to o'clock Saturday night when the latter took a train for New Ha- ven. Clark states that Pannill in- l formed him that he had an engage ment with girl named Edith Wheeler. The police informed the coroner yesterday that this girl was present at the time of the shooting but that she had given the police a | flcticious name.
 Pannill says that Clark had on his person when the latter left him on Saturday night, somewhere between l $30 and $40. When Pannill was searched at the hospital he had just one dollar.
 Pannill, whose home is in Winston Salem, N. C.. according to Clark, came of good old Southern stock and the family of the former was among the first in his native state. Asked if he intended to offer his testimony in case a murder charge was actually devel. oped against "Baby Doll," Clark re. 1 piled in the affirmative.
 | The second bomb shell dropped a the hearing late yesterday was tha when Attorney Greenstein had asket Baby DolP' to give himself up tn latter replied that he would if Bil Seeley and Some gentleman namet King would come down." The corone did not inquire as to who was mean by King, but 8 smile seemed to wreatl the countenance of every person i
 the room.
 This startling testimony was give
 by James Graves, (colored), a waite
 at the Keystone club. Continuing hi
 testimony, Graves said that he ha
 seen Baby Dolr' give '"Texas'' a gu
 earlier in the evening and that tn
 latter had put 1t in his overcoat pock
 ct.
 In answer to a question from tn
 coroner, Graves said that about thre
 weeks ago he had seen a nickel plat
 ed gun in the drawer behind the ba
 in the Keystone Club.
 This gun, according to Graves, wa
 of smaller calibre than either of tn
 .45s held as exhibits in the cas-
 Graves said, however, that lie had nc
 seen this gun on Saturday night, al
 though 1t had always been in tn
 drawer in back of the bar as far 8
 he knew.
 Graves, during the fracas, saturda
 night, advised "Baby Dolr' to giv
 himself up and face the music like
 man. Dolls" answer to the latte
 was to throw a cup of coffee in Grave
 face and curse. Later, Graves sal that Cucumber Btll,' one of tn
 characters of the Keystone Gu
 came in for much commendation frol , the Chief" when the former, afte
 drinking a large glass of gin, gather
 ed up a pick ax, a piece of lead pip
 a shovel and a large club, and tol his Baby Doll' that he was ready 1 go out and fight the police. "Dol1 ? according to Graves, said that 'sCt cumber Bili'' was the only brave ma
 in the place.
 Several times during the night ac cording to Graves Baby Doll tried t
 persuade his colored cohorts to gt pieces of lead pipe and pool cues an
 go out with him and fight the polio Graves finally left the place whe , it was discovered that in some wa the gas fixtures broke and the ga filled the place. The same witnes described an appliance which worke by electricity, controlling the oute , door of the Keystone club. He sai that it was operated from the interic , of the building and that unles , Thomas was willing no one coul , leave the building. This he gave 6 , the reason that he had not surrent r cred to the police earlier.