The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1928-10-29
BISMARCK MAN
SUCCUMBS TO
SHOTGUN FIRE
Oliver Webb, Is, Found Mortal.
ly Wounded In Front Of
Potter Home
DOMESTIC SEES TRAGEDY
Accused and Slain Man Were
Close Friends; Shooting Fols
lows Argument 4

-
The story Of how Oliver Webb, 20.
son Of P. B. Webb, prominent Bis
marck merchant, came to his death
late Saturday night was being un.
folded at coroner's inquest here 70.
day.
Webb. in . dying condition, was
brought to . Bismarck hospital
shortly before midnight Saturday
and died At 1:l5 CLOCK Sunday morn.
ing from the effects Of . shotgun
wound. Testimony offered at the
coroner's inquest this morning indi.
Gated that Webb was shot By Ray
mond Potter, who had been his close
friend for several years.
The only statement 20 far credited
to Potter il one made % = loeol
newspaperman yesterday in which
ne said: We were soused 70 tile
gills. I don't remember anythine
that happened" Asked whom Is
meant by the word I'VE" Potter said
he meant Webb and himself and add.
ed that he wanted to make no state.
ments until he had retained counsel.
Makes Calm Statement
Asked if he and Webb were not
close friends. Potter replied that
they were.
Testimony presented 1t the cor.
oner's inquest today, however. IN.
dicated that tale Of jealousy may
be unfolded before the hearing n
completed.
Linda Clausnitzer, 15, standing !
block away, was = witness Of the
shooting, which occurred in front of
the Potter home. She said 1 car
drove up in front Of the house and
2 man and woman ali9hted from II.
A man came from thA house, she
said, . few words were spoken and
then shot rang out, followed BY the
cry Of the wounded man that he
had been shot. She said it was too
dark to see clearly but that sn.
heard the words which passed be-
tween the trio before and after the
shooting.
Cries for Aid
With Webb on the ground, NOR
tally wounded and crying: 20 Mary,
please help me. l am dying, take
me to the hospital" Potter took hold
Of the woman's arm and demanded
with an oath to know where she had
been. He cursed her and the two
went into the house, leaving the
wounded man, still calling for helm,
outside, the girl recited.
L. A. Hankinson, . Fort Lincoln
soldier, corroborated the girls story
and added = few details. He said
his attention was called to the AZ
fair by the sound Of the shot and
that shortly thereafter hs heard .
mans voice say "You1l not pull any
Of that stuff on me and get away
with it," and little later ''Hush.
or I'll shoot you," accompanying the
latter statement with IN oath.
After witnessing the tragedy the
girl went into tho home Of Charles
Rigler, by whom she is employed as
. domestic and the soldier returned
to the business district. He said he
didn't want to get mixed up in the
affair.
Tells Men In House
Alfred Thai, Rigler's son-in-law,
said he and Rigler went to the scsns
Of the shooting soon after the
Clausnitxer girl entered their. home
and, in response to questions, told
them what she had heard. His sis-
ter-in-law, also told Thai and Rigler
that man had been shot, Thai said.
Found In Street
Making their way cautiously !. 70
the scene Of the shooting Thai ssid,
he and Rigler found Webb lying
with his head and shoulders on the
curb Of the street near the automo.
bile from which he and the woman
had alighted.
Shortly after they came, Thai said,
Mrs. Potter and boy came from
the house and got into the ear. In
response to . question from Thai,
he testified, Mrs. Potter said Webb
had been shot in Z hunting accident.
Meanwhile, he said, the wounded
man was calling for help and NUT.
tering softly to himself.
Mrs. Potter and Rieler tried 70
lift Webb into the automobile, Thai
said, but she stepped aside and Thai
and Rigler Dut the wounded man Ia
the automobile. Mrs. Potter then
asked them to wait and returned 70
the house. A few minues later she
came back to the car and she and the
boy drove away, saying they were
going to the hospital, Thai testified.
Did Not Sec Guns
He said he saw no guns in the ma
chine but that one might have been
there - it was dark and he did not
look carefully
Other witnesses at the hearing
this morning woro Drs. =. i. ounin
and L. W. Larson. Guam atteudG1
Webb at the hospitol lnd aided LaxA
son in the autopsy. The phyuici1n9
sad the dischargo from H. 49,
gun entered WebA's rigAt St1o holo1p
tho ribs, pasaed throaeh NJ n11Ie
tines and lodeed int ho1sw ~ aA1an
On tho right si1a, taking = o11SY
downward c0yEoe. ElovGn 6h6t 80
taken from ~ bo6Y q ~ aooG1I1I
and ware o&eMoo II e0i1 Gnea se -
hearing. Ha4 . p iIiiII7I
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