Martinsburg W Va evening journal. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1913-1920, 1918-03-18
BY Dayton Fahrney While
Handling Revolver.
NEITHER KNEW THAT
WEAPON WAS LOADED
Were Laughing and Joking In
Express Office At the b. a
0. Station Sunday Might
Tragedy Shocks Community.


One of tho most distressing trag-
edies that has occurred in Martins
burg was the untimely end Sunday
night of Walter w KimmelI, SON OF
Mrs. Annie V Kimmell. OF 223 West
Martin street, who was accidentally
shot and instantly killed by Dayton
l. Fahrney, son OF Mr., and Mrs. 8. II.
Fahrney, Of 1928 West Race street.
II was the same old, regret.abla
story the presumably unloaded re.
volver and the pathetic affair took
place about IL o'clock at the branch
Office of the Wells Fargo Express
Company In the northern end of the
Baltimore and Ohio station building
Young Kimmel who was driver for
tho express company, together with
young Fahrney and o number of 9th,
en- young fellows, were in the branch
office. Earlier in the afternoon Day
ton and Walter and others had been
in the same office laughing and talk
ing and got TO playing with a revolt
ver kept for there for protection OF
agents. IL was unloaded at the time
Last night when they again congre-
gated there, totally unaware of the
fact that the might man had loaded
the revolver, young Fahrney once
more picked UP the gun from the
desk and first placed the muzzle OF
the weapon against the left breast OF
Mr. Claude Caskey. The latter said
Don't do that, Sap IL makes my
heart ilutter," Young Kimmel Instant
~ turned and is alleged to have said,
Let me look into the barrel" Day.
ton quickly turned the weapon on
and snapped the trigger,
The weapon exploded and something
stung Mr.. Caskey IN the hand, causr
ing him to exclaim that he believed
Fahrney had shot him. Just then
Kimmel crumpled up and foil and eys
eryone realized that he had been
struck. Dayton quickly broke the gun,
saw II was loaded and cried out, my
God, who loaded this gum" Tho
crowd was horror stricken and al
though some Of them hurriedly LETT
the place. Fahrney and CaslHey re.
NAMED until DIR. G. j. f.. Sponseller,
the coroner, and DR.. 4. X Oates and
officers arrived II was then found
he. bullet had struck Kimmel between
.he right eye and nose, passing stfaigh
through HIS head producing instant
cath Prosecuting Attorney NolI or
'ercd Fahrney be confined TO IAN uh-
IN an inquest could be held this
The remains of the unfOrui.
aato "Bub" kimmell were taken in
charge by Funeral Director Kogel-
schatz, and the tragic news was brok
IN to the widowed mother and sister
)f the dead man, aA sSa
Purely An Accident.
Coroner Sponseller and the follow
ing jury Of inquest: r. W. Letter. G.
l.. Gerling, C. c. Cutler, r. r.. Kline,
9. II. Bowers and NJ. L. Dorm, as
iembled at 10 O'Clock this morning 70
consider the affair After conducting
a rigid investigation and examining
luite number OF Witnesses, the jury
returned the following yerdiel:
we, the jury, find that the said
w. W. Kimmell came to his death
from pistol shot wound in tho
head, the pistol being in the hands
Of Dayton Fahrney, who was play
iullY uduuiiilB int DdihST ohV &hc
shot was without malice and purely
accidental"
Released Under Bond.
Young Fahrney is being still held
in the sum OF $1,000 bond to appear
for hearing before Justice Wolf,
March &c, on a state warrant. The
Young man and his family are deeply
over the sad affair. Day
ton and Walter were close friends
and associates.
Widespread Sympathy.
The family of the dead man are
receiving widespread sympathy, es-
pecially the sorrowing mother just
about eight months ago his father.
Brakeman j. r. Kimmell died in a
slight wreck near Greenspring. The
young man was 81 years Of age and
is survived by his mother and sis
ter, Mrs Mildred Miller, at home.
He was widely known and much
liked young man. popular in a large
tContinued on Page SIx)