The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1921-10-18
RIVAL JURIES
CONTEST OVER
BRlSCOE BODY
Alexandria and Fairfax
County Each Claims
Jurisdiction.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. Oct. ia
clash Of authority between Alexan-
aria and Fairfax County occurred
tonight az the inquest over the
body Of Henry Briscoe. who died
last night at the AlexandrisakIos-
pital from the effects of two bullet
wounds alleged to have been re-
ceiVed at the hands of William H.
Oehlert.
while the highest was being held,
Acting Commonwealth Attorney
Wilson Farr. accompanied by DR..
w. d. Robey, of Herndon, Fairfax
county appeared on the seems. Mr..
Farr made a few inquiries and
heard the remainder of the testi-
mony and before, the Alexandria
jury had completed its labors he
directed Shsrin ]. r. Allison to get
together a jury from Fairfax Coun-
" Tor the purpose of holding an
other inquest. As the AIexandria
jury walked out, in walked the
Fairfax jury and viewed the body,
but were adjourned by Attorney
Farr until further notice. Mr.. Farr
stated tonight that he would hold
an inquest some day this week at
Fairfax Courthouse. e..
The Fairfax County jury is COM
posed Of the following: A. D. Kirby,
H. H Blunt. F. E. Sisson. Fred AL
baugh, F. B. Roach and ]. B. Van
Pelt.
The two bullets taken from the
body of Briscoe were taken by the
Fairfax authorities together with
other evidence at hand.
One Jury's Verdict.
The Alexandria jury assembled at
1880 o'clock and was presided over
by DR.. T. NJ. Jones, coroner. This
jury returned a verdict to-ths effect
that Briscoe came to his death on
the night of October 16 at the Alex
andria Hospital at about $3.50
o'clock from the effects of a gun
shot wound inflicted by William
Oehlert at about $3.50 o'clock the
preceding night near the Camp
Humphreys road and near the resi-
dence Of Pierce Reed, Fairfax
County.
D
ness to testify. He told of the in
juTies sustained by Briscoe as a re-
suit of the bullet wounds. There
were. he said. two bullet wounds IN
the back.
H. P. GFalle told the jury he was
driving the truck in which Briscoe
and H. L. Hibbs were occupants.
His car pulled into a by-road to let
Briscoe out to get some mail in a
r. F. D. box In the meantime up
came a car of Richard Stuart, a
jitney driver. Stuart, he said, asked
what they meant by cutting across
the road in front of him, saying it
looked as IL Cralle tried to tear his
car up. There were no cross words,
recording to Cralle.
At about that time the car driven
by Oehlert, in which Richard Bur-
nett was a passenger. came up.
Oehlert, Cralle said, got on the run
Of Stuart's car and asked
what Che. trouble was. occupants
Of the car driven by Cra1le, he said,
were in the road in the rear of
Dehlert's car. Oehlert. he said, re-
marked to one of the men, Don't
put your hand on my car" and
pulled a pistol and then a second
pistol.
Fired Five shots.
Burnett, the witness said, urged
Oehlert to put away his gun, but
that after Oehlert got into his own
ear he fired five shots from the
rear. two of which struck Briscoe
and three went wild. Briscoe cried
to Cralle that he was shot and
Cralle says he subsequently brought
him to the Alexandria Hospital.
II. l. Hibbs. Of Washington, prac-
tically corrobOrated the testimony
Of CralIe.
Richard c. Burnett said he was out
with Oehlert in the latter's car.
Burnett said he warned Oehlert not
TO start any trouble, but that the
men threw stones at OehIert's car
and then Oehlert fired from the
rear of the car.
Richard Stuart, jitney driver, said,
he objected to testifying on advice
IF bis counsel, Attorney Charles