Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-06-17
RUM CHASE DEATH
TALES FAIL TO JBE
Staying of Youth While Run
ming Beer From Canada
PerpIexes Officials.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
PLATTSBURG, N. Y, June 1.-THE
death of Arthur Gordon Of this city, 3d.
shot while running 81 cases Of beer from
Canada in an automobile, presented
problems for county officials today.
John C. Tulloch collector of the port
Of Ogdensburg, said the shooting was
accidental" on the part OF the customs
border patrol men.
County authorities said that the FIVE
shots which persons reported to District
AttorneyB. Loyal OConnell they had
heard did not jibe with the statement of
Border Patrolman Cheatham that one
shot from his rife fatally wounded Cor
don. This shot. the officer said, was
fired unintentionally when he fell while
chasing Gordon and his elbow struck a
stone, causing him to tighten his grip
on the rifle and discharging the shot,
Time Of Chase Is Disputed.
The statement Of the border patrol
that the chase took place in broad day
light was another disputed point. The
prosecutors men said hospital attend
ants told them the border patrolmen
left Gordon's body at their institution
abou 6 o'clock Saturday morning This,
they said. would indicate that the chase
took place In the early morning hours
Tlllloch said Patrolmen Coveney and
Cheatham tried to block Gordon's car
with their two machines after they had
sighted him coming down one of the
booze trails" not far from the border
The officers reported that Gordon's au-
tomobile took a wheel off the first car,
careened into a ditch and was just
Strengthened out when the second car
doomed before him. They said Gordon
stopped. jumped out and ran back
toward the border.
Within Few Feet Of Border.
The custom collectors statement
quoted Cheatham and Coveney as say
ing that Gordon could distinguish their
uniforms and that they ordered him to
stop with the customary command Of
United States Customs, haiti
Gordon was within a few feet Of the
Canadian border when he was brought
down. Cheatham said that when he
approached Gordon, the youth said:
You got me-"
Gordon died while being taken to q
hospital by the patrol.
Cheatham, according to his report to
the collector, asked Gordon just before
he died II he had anything to say.
Tell my mother I am sorry for al
bAAio' IAiC JOuJkl ACPIIOd L ALL IDb UOOb-
logging for myself, but for a New York
man"
John Doe Is Charged.
After a conference with District At
torney OConnell, Sheriff George Bru-
nell swore out warrant charging
John Doe" with murder in the first
degree. At the same time the district
attorney prepared a number of SUBJ
poenas which were given to the Platts-
burgh police chief and Sheriff Brunell
for service.
1t was the intention Of the district
attorney to open hearing here this
afternoon. Witnesses will include the
authorities of the hospital to which
Gordon's body was brought Saturday
| morning by two men wearing the uni
forms OF border patrolmen.
The sheriff also was instructed ia
serve subpoenas upon all the customs
officials and border patrolmen attached
to the customhouse at Mooers, and
II 1t was deemed necessary, upon John
c. Tulloch, collector of customs at
Ogdensburg.
The district attorney had not re-
ceived any official report this forenoon
from Collector Tulloch