Evening journal., 1918-07-10
SAY GAINES Shooting
WAS JBSIIFIlBLE
Coroner's Jury Reaches This
Conclusion After Three
Hours Investigation
DETECTIVE TELLS
OF CRIES TO HALT

Following a session lasting from 3
o'clock until a O'Clock last night,
jurors empaneled by Coroner John T.
Spring in the case OF Eugene Gaines,
the young Negro. who was shot and
instantly killed last Saturday morning
by Detective Sheldon W. Falrchild, ex-
onerated the detective OF all criminal
blame. The evidence OF the six or more
witnesses showed that Gaines had re-
fused TO halt when called on by the
detective 10 do So Before the jury re-
tired Deputy Attorney-General p. w.
Green, who represented the state at
the inquest. read TO the jurors extracts
from the State law and a number or
opinions OF learned jurists on justi-
liable homicide.
It was II O'Clock when the jury, with
Charles II. Colburn, one Of the most
prominent Negro business men OF this
city, as foreman, fled into the room
and announced that the following YER
dict had been arrived at unanimously:
THAT the said Eugene Gaines came
TO his death in the city OF Wilmington,
Del. on Saturday morning, July 6, be
tween the hours Of 6 and Z o'clock,
from the effects OF a gunshot wound
inflicted at the hands OF one Sheldon
w. Falrchild, a member OF the police
department Of the city OF Wilmington,
Del, while In the performance Of his
duties In trying TO arrest the said Eu-
gene Gaines for the crime OF felony.
Under the laws Of the State OF Della
ware we hereby exonerate the said
Sheldon w. Fairchild from all criminal
liability In connection with the matter,
as the act was jusiifable"
Detective Fairchild. who was held
under 5000 bail on a charge Of man
slaughter last Saturday by Magistrate
Gluckman, following the shooting,
testified at the inquest last night.
Previous TO doing so he was warned by
Deputy Acknowledgement Green that
what he said might be used against him
later. Detective Fairchild said he under
stood this, nevertheless he wanted TO
tell all the details leading to the shoot
ing. He did so IN a Straightforward
manner. He said that while he saw
Gaines shortly before he fired the last
shot. he did not see the man the instant
he pulled the trigger OF his revolver.
Albert Gaines, father OF the dead
youth. was the first witness called. He
said he lived at No. 7i9 West Seventh
street. and that his son, Eugene Gaines
was 20 years Of age. The last time he
saw his son alive was on Easter Mon
day.
Mr.. Gaines, who had the sympathy OF
those present, was Reluctant TO tell OF
his sons career. When question. how.
ever. he admitted that the youth haC
been suspected OF breaking and enter
ing bis home in June.
Or. p. A. NJ. Rovitti, county physician
who performed the post mOrtem on th'
body OF the dead youth, told how th'
bullet from the detectives revolver en-.
tered the back OF Gaines head, ploughec
through the brain and struck the
frontal bone and splintered 1t, causing
death.
Sergeant OF Detectives Green said
/ Gaines was suspected OF breaking and
entering the home Of his father on
June ii. He said a pair OF shoes stolen
AT that time had been recovered from
a store where the youth had sold them.
The father OF Gaines, the officer added,
had identified clothing left in the faith
er's home az the time the house was
entered as that owned by his son Eu-
gene. Sergeat Green also produced and
read letters from the military authori-
ties alleging that Gaines was a military
/ deserter.
Mrs. Ella Logue. a storekeeper at
Twenty-seventh and Tatnall streets, re-
/ lated how Gaines while in her store
near the James LOgue stables last Fri
day night saw Detective Fairchild and
bolted from the store. The officer, she
said followed. but failed TO capture the
man. on the following morning Mrs.
Logue said Gaines came along Tatnall
street and seeing him she sent word to
Detective Fairchild, who lives at No.
27O5 Tatnan street. The detective enter
ed her house by a side door and plac-
ing two chairs at the diningrOom door
awaited the arrival Of Gaines.
The young Negro entered the store to
make a purchase when Fairchild bolted
I'm. having left the house by the Tatnall
street door and run to the store door.
Gaines recognizing The officer started
towards the dinlngrOOm and threw one
OF the chairs there at the feet OF the
officer. Games then ran TO Mrs. Logue's
bedroom on the second floor, the officer
following. The next instant witness
heard a crash and Fairchild call halt,
which was followed by the report OF a
nistoi Gaines, she said. had Jumped
| from a window, however, into Tatnall
street. Mrs. LogGo then told OF nndin9
an open Jack knife on the floor OF her
bedroom which had evidently been left
| there by Gaines.
Edward Gibson, Of No. 270i Tatnall
street. who witnessed the col0red man
escape from the bedroom window OF
the Logue house. also said the o1lcer
called on the man to halt. and SAID ne
heard one shot.
lanes Klnsella, OF No. East Twenty
afth street. stated that he was In MS
bedroom. and hearing shouts OF matt
two or three times, looked out and saw
two men running across a field. one
man he said. after calling halt, nred
in The air. Kinsella told OF Joining tile
of1cer in the chase for the neeing man
and Of the detective jumping lnte an
automobile operated by Thurston Lowe,
a milk dealer. kinsella also relateu
how. when he and the omceri Win
Lowe, stumbled across the body OF the
dead man, Detective Falrchild drew DacA
and said. 20, / have killed him.
Thurston Lowe from whose automo,
bile the fatal shot was fired related
how he heard the officer call twice TO
Inc man TO halt and saw him shoot
twice in the air. At the time he shot
the last time, Lowe claimed that Gaines
was standing on a pile OF rubbish In
the lot and then he ran down the In
cline. Lowe was inclined to think that
The officer shot at the mans legs and
when he jumped down the incline in
the lot, the bullet struck him in the
head.