Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1919-03-22
WITNESS SAYS
WOUNDED man
GIVEN ABUSE
Young Soldier From Camp
Dodge Shot Down in Cold
Blood On Omaha Street,
Asserts Bausman.

tectiye u. knudtsof. tor III minutes
stood over the PROSTATE form of his
victim and swore at him until the
police ambulance arrived to convey
him to the Lord Lister hospital is
the statement of Ed F. Bausman,
auditor for the Eondon Guarantee
Accident company. us Brandeis
building.
Mr.. Bausman was witness to the
shooting. He viewed it from his
rooms in the Flo-Les apartments,
20l North Twentieth street, and
was on the ground few minutes
later.
Coleman's young bride, whom he
married Tuesday, arrived before her
wounded husband was lifted into
the ambulance. She was frartic
with grief, and when she attempted
to climb into the ambulance after the
policemen lifted her husband in she
was handled roughly and rudely
pushed back, declared Mr.. Bausman.
Wife Views Scene.
The grief stricken wife stood by
wringing her hands and sobbing
while the detective, who shot Cole
man, stood over the soldier whiting
in agony, and abused and cursed
him, Bausman said.
The patient still is in critical
condition, it was announced yester-
day afternoon by the attending ply
stefan.
Statement to Camp.
Mr.. Bausman mailed his state
ment of the affair to the command
ing officer at Camp Dodge, he de-
clared. THE shooting was the most
&C wardly thing / ever saw in my
life," he continued. 1T was dis
graceful The boy simply was shot
down in cold blood without the
slightest provocation. He was not
attempting to escape. He was not
resisting an officer. If there was
an argument between the detective
and soldier, it is my opinion, from
what | saw and heard, that the de-
tective was the aggressor.
"My theory of the shooting is
that Coleman was provoked. He
was feeling sore because the detec-
tives had roughed him. He proba-
bly, handed Kundtson a piece of his
mind, and the detective lost his
temper. l believe the boy was shot
because he said something to the
officer which displeased him.
Clear View of Neighborhood.
Il live in the Flo-Les apartments,
which are located on the northeast
corner of Capitol avenue and Twen-
tieth street. My apartment is on
the third floor and windows face
both streets. Being located on the
top of the hill, we have clear view
OF the neighborhood.
II was seated at the dinner table
at $50 o'clock when | heard shot.
The noise came from the direction
of Capitol avenue and Nineteenth
street. I ran to the dining room
window, which faces Capitol avenue.
Il saw Detective Knudtson, ac-
companied by soldier in uniform,
walking easily up the hill on the
opposite side OF the street. They
were going west in Capitol avenue
towards Twentieth street They did
not appear to be in a hurry. They
were walking abreast of each other.
AS the detective did not have hold
of the soldier. and no force was
being used, my first thought was
that an automobile tire had ex-
ploded.
Crowd Begins to Gather.
However, as a small crowd be-
gan to gather at the corner, | con-
tinued to watch the two men.
Upon reaching the corner at
Twentieth street. the officer sud-
denly took hold of the soldier and
began treating him roughly, push
ing him south along the east side
of Twentieth street. The soldier
appeared. to resent this treatment.
He was trying to release the hold
of the officer.
"At this point I rushed through
our apartment to the balcony. The
balcony projects over the sidewalk
at Twentieth street, and affords a
clear view of the sidewalk.
Struggles With Officer.
"The soldier continued to strug-
gle with the officer, and the two
pursued an irregular course for
about so feet. The. soldier finally
succeeded in breaking the officers
hold. The detective then drew his
revolver and, holding it threatening
ly in his right hand, attempted to re-.
gain his hold on the soldier, who
successfully avoided him for several
minutes.
The soldier did not attempt to
run away, but he seemed to object
to being roughly handled by the Of
fcer.
Finally the detective made
lunge at him. The soldier jumped
about six feet away and stood lit
tie sideways, but facing the de-
tective
Took Deliberate Aim. 4
"The detective took deliberate aim
at the body of the soldier ahd fired
his revolver.
THE wounded man fell to the side
walk crying, ooh! Oh! you have shot
me in the stomachv
II Immediately ran down stairs
and over to the scene. There / found
the officer standing over the wound
ed man saying repeatedly to him
with the emphasis of oaths L tried
to treat you right This was kept
up until another detective arrived
and said he had called the wagon.
Detective Knudtson appeared to be
very nervous and excited. In fact he
was so excited that l was afraid to
go near him.
Rudely Brushed Aside.
"The patrol wagon arrived III
about IN ,,,;nutar and ,uhile thew