Evening journal., 1921-03-15
TELLS HOW HE
KILLED BRYAN
Coroner's Jury Exonerates
Police Officer Attacked
at Night
VICTIM MAY HAVE
BEEN AFFLICTED


the death OF Harvey r Bryan, OF
SSS Bennett street, who was shot
and killed by City Detective George
ID. Sutton, early Sunday morning.
returned a verdict OF self-defense on
the part Of Sutton. There was no
lack Of witnesses, a number Of peo-
pie having been in close proximity
al the time OF the shooting. and tes-
tifying TO practically the same state
ments that Sutton had made in his
report to the Police Department i'm
mediately following the shooting.
Following the calling OF other wit
nesses Sutton was put on the stand
and told his story, which was sub
stantially the same as that in his
statements given yesterday 20 Chief
Black.
Sutton testified he saw Bryan en-
ter the basement entrance Of the
American Shoe Store. Sutton said
he gave the man plenty Of time to do
what he intended 10 do and then
approached the place. Looking over
the railing Sutton said he flashed
his light at the man and ordered
him 10 come up.
Instead Of complying. Sutton said,
the man shouted hands up" SUIT
ton then fred down the stairway 10
one side. The man said: "Iu come
up" and complied. AS tho man
reached the top Of the stairway,
Sutton said, he suddenly felt some
thing strike him on the head and
thought he had been shot. As the
man lunged forward TO grappie with
him. Sutton said he pushed him
away with his knee and as the man
came az him again, he fired. low. "
The man backed away, the detec-
tive said, and turning, acted as II he
Intended 10 shoot and the detective
then fired the third shot. The man
staggered and ran into the entrance
to the Arcadia Theatre and fell
As the details OF the statement
had been all practically confirmed
by witnesses and as Detective Sutton
acted the description Of the scene
the recital created a great impres
sion.
According to the testimony o
witnesses. Bryan could not hav'
struck Detective sutton with th'
steel jimmy as had been claimed
because the weapon was found II
. his hip pocket. but with the black
, Jack which was found fastened q
= the mans wrist.
, Among the other witnesses VIII
, testified was John C. Paul, a waite
I In a nearby restaurant. who said n
! was on his way home and had jus
y reached the place when the ma
Z started TO come up the stairwa
2 from the store. He told OF the ana
in complete detail. Paul F. Thomp
son. manager Of the Auditorium, al
q so said he was standing just acros
r the street and he described the al
e fair in full.
. Bryan is said 10 have left hi
home about . o'clock Saturda
night. but II is not known where h
. nut in the time between then an
y 1.3O Sunday morning when he wa
II found at the shoe store entrance
Following the inquest. Waite
I Bryan. brother Of the dead ma
~ said ne felt that Detective Suite
n was not In the least 10 blame for N
: shooting. He had found man roi
, bling a store and was only doing h
duty in attempting TO arrest him.
20 Il do not think my brother WI
quite responsible for his action
\ however" Walter Bryan said. Of
= explained that a few months az
n ne had been struck in the eye viii
= working al his trade as machini
al the Todd's Cut shops OF the
Il. and W. Railroad. A sharp pie
- Of steel had penetrated so deep
:. into the eve, that IL could not be r
- moved. although numerous exam
- nations OF the parts had been ma
-, and a good many different surgeo
~ had discussed the possibility or ma
40 ing Il removed. Harvey was ev
,u thinking OF becoming a patient
ai the Johns Hopkins Hospital in B'
- timore in the hope OF having an o
,d Grafton performed on his eye.
- had almost lost the sight OF I
vr other eye, and he feared TO have {
-, operation for fear OF losing the sig
A. OF that eye also"
-. Walter Bryan said he thoue
- perhaps the suffering his broth
W had been through. had temporar
{, seected his mind for he felt sure
was not right" II he really intend
s IN rob. Walter said. there were ma
nlaces better for the purpose
-, where II the robbery had been 81
~ cessful the goods obtained ms
have been worth more than
=. mismated shoes"
IL rrhe following letter was read
wo fore the coroner's jury which n
INT throw some light on the cause
'r Bryan's attempt 10 robbery.
Ich March IS, 1921.
'ell "Chief Of Police:
aw "sir:-With Detective Sutton
.es' Sergeant Foreman we were detai
49, bv Captain Kelleher TO search
to house of Harvey r. Bryan, OF
Bennett street, for stolen articles
we were unable TO find anything.
Mrs. Ella NJ. Bryan the wife
red the dead man stated that her h
hand came home last night ao
de- 1115 o'clock. He told her L
Mr. Katz. who conducts a store
the tho corner OF Seventh and LOmbi
streets. wanted him (Bryan) TO s
is AT the store with him (katz)
there had been several attem
in made TO enter Mr.. katz's st'
Bryan, left the house a little al
lti- ~ o'clock saturday nighD tax
a Remington 16 shot rife.
md Mrs Bryan also stated that 1
have been very hard up for MOI
be We owed two months rent at
month. or s42; also $50 10 ia
m son Sturtz. at Seventh and kirkw
streets. for groceries; and
has grocery bill TO Edward Burris
- | ..l-.l. - IlnnrnAt atrnnla We