Evening star., 1923-06-26
UNKNOWN PARTY
BA|L|FF SLAYER
State Police on Guard When
Verdict Is Returned at
BIadensburg.
Special Disna tch to The Star.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
BLADENSBURG. Md, June 26.-
That the said James A. Leebrfck
came to his death by gunshot
wound, the shot being fired by an un-'
known party" was the verdict of the
coroner's jury held in the town hall
here last night to investigate the cir
cumstances surrounding the shooting
of Leebrick, bailiff. who died in a
Washington hospital following the
gunshot wound inflicted ten days ago
at carnival held here.
Officers on Guard.
Fearing trouble half a dozen off,
GERS of the State police force were
sworn In and were in attendance dur
ing the taking Of the testimony. There
was not a suspicion of trouble and
when the verdict was announced
about midnight practically every ne
gro had left.
Ten or fifteen witnesses who had
attended the carnival on the night OF
the shooting stated. that the crowd
numbering over hundred were fol-
lowing officers Andrew Gasch and Os-
car II. Taylor as they were taking
Nelson Clarke to the lookup across
testified that members of the crowd
had clubs, pop bottles and guns. They
all testified that Gasch went in the
middle of the pike told them to get
back and not needing this warning
the officer shot into the crowd. "A
number of witnesses declared that
three shots were fired and while the
testimony on this point was confllct-
ing the probabilities are that three
shots were fired as one of the bullets
lyfl lad .tNly Nd @
were parties who had been struck.
One of the latter, Lawrence Dunning-
ton, was struck in the tteshy part OF
the hip and the other one, James
Tyler, was shot in the left arm near
the lbow.
Delay in Hearing.
During the latter part of the hear
an hour until the officers found Nell
son Clarke, who was arrested and
who was being taken to the jail
when the shooting occurred. Clarke
testified that Officer Taylor pulled
him off the flying horses while the
latter was in motion. Although he
did not resist the arrest, he testifed
that Taylor hit him in the back Of
the head with a black jack, the blow
dazing him. Clarke testified that
pike the crowd was rushing and
Gasch told them to get back. He
declared that three shots were fired,
two by Gasch, and that the firing
was so close that the powder burned
his face. Asked by a juror if he
had been drinking he answered in
the negative and stated that Taylor
seemed to be drinking"
Constable Testifies.
Constable GaSch was asked il he
desired to testify, and was told by
the states attorney that he did not
have to do SO unless of his own free
will. Attorneys for Gasch, Frank
NJ Stephens and Charles w. Clagett.
declared that Gasch in testifying did
not waive his constitutional rights.
Gasch testified that the crowd fo.s
lowed him to the Jail and that some
one threw brick. which he lodged.
He then ordered them to get back
and, fearing bodily harm, he drew
his pistol and fired one shot from the
hip. The crowd then fell back. The
witness could not tell in which di-
rection the bullet went and he did
not know where Leebrick was stand
ing. He testified that he saw at
least two men in the crowd flashing
guns
About two weeks ago. he testified,
he had been attacked while in per-
formance Of his duty and Il had
come to his knowledge that the party
who had made the attack had de-
cIared that he would get the officer.
FIVE ballots were taken before a
verdict was reached.