Evening star., 1939-10-17
Coroner Jury
Holds Printer
In Shooting
Describes How Friend
Was Slain During
Rifle Exhibition

klfle exhibition
A coroner's Jury today decreed
that a 38-year -old printer and self
styled crack" rifle shot would have
to face the grand jury in the fatal
shooting of his friend Saturday aft
ernoon in the basement of an I
street rooming house.
John w. Elliott, who described his
living quarters-scene of the fatal
shooting-as the "dugout," had told
the jury in a voluntary statement
that he fired the 22-caliber bullet
which plowed through the brain OF
Claude Worrell, 81, Of 1923 Chaplin
street NV, father of two children;
during an exhibition Of Elliott's
craftsmanship.
Elliott testified that Worrell asked
him to see If he could shoot hat
from his head, after Elliott had fired
shots from an old, cheap rifle at q
coin and bottles, several of the latter
held in the hands of Eliott's a.
year-old daughter, Vivian.
Demonstrates for Jury.
Holding the hat worn by the VIC
tim at the time of the shooting, Elliott
demonstrated for the benefit of the
jury the manner in which the hat
rested on the head of Worrell.
He had it this way" Elliott said,
cooking the hat toward the front
of his head, but made him place
it more on top of his head because I
thought the way he had it was too
dangerous"
Elliott then crouched on the floor
In the small hearing room at the
District Morgue to show Worrell's
exact position when the fatal shot
was fired.
II had him crouch that way so
the light would be just right" Ell
lott stated. II took aim and fired.
Just as I pulled the trigger Mr..
Worrell seemed to raise his head.
There was nothing could do"
Elliott then held the rifle before
the jury and demonstrated how he
steadied the stock which was at
tached to the metal portion OF the
weapon by bent nail.
The rifle did not have a rear sight.
The stock was trimmed opposite the
butt so it would fit into the maga-
zine extension. A nail held the
pieces together, and Elliott said he
used small wooden peg to steady
the joint.
Gun Was Borrowed.
He said he had borrowed the gun
from his employer, G.. E. Feeney,
whose print shop is at GAL street
NV, to shoot rats, which infested
his basement "dugout"
Mr.. Feeney, who also is an attor-
ney, appeared in his employees be-
half at the inquest.
Worrell, who also worked at the
plintshop, died early Sunday at
Emergency Hospital. An autopsy
revealed the bullet had entered the
left side of his head and had ranged
from his skull downward through a
portion of his brain.
Elliott told the jury that he had
loaned Worrell dollar, adding that
the victim had visited him during
the afternoon for that purpose.
Travelled With Circus.
Elliott, who said he learned his
craftsmanship from an Indian with
whom he used to travel with Barnum
& Bailey Circus, testified he and
Worrell had been "the best of friends
for a long time" and had never
argued over anything.
A witness to the shooting, John j.
Wagner, who lives with Elliot in the
I street "dugout," collaborated Ell
liott's voluntary statement as to de-
tails of the actual shooting.
The men agreed on the witness
stand that flew drinks" were
taken during the afternoon, but, as
Elliott put it, there was not more
than half pint" drunk during the
whole time.
Detective Sergt. Dewey Guest
stated that Elliott had told another
homicide squad detective that Wor-
rell shot himself before Elliott made
his voluntary written statement to
detectives.
Elliott told the jury that he said
to Detective Sergt. Aubrey Tolson
shortly after the shooting that Wor-
rell had picked up the gun "and it
went off,"
Later I thought of what I had
said" Elliott testified, land believ-
ing it might be more serious than
I expected, I called for Mr.. Tolson
again and told him the truth"
His Daughter Testifies.
Vivian Elliott earlier told how
she visited the "dugout" and held
bottles for her father to. shoot them
from her hand.
THE others said they were afraid
to hold bottle, but said wasn't"
testified Vivian, student at Hine
Junior High School. II had never
done that before, but I knew my
father was a good marksman."
Obviously holding back sobs dur
ing her testimony under cross
examination, the girl said she saw
"a bottle passed around" during her
stay at her fathers living quarters,
left the. "dugout" with the man to
60 to music store nearby and went
her way after remaining at the
music store for a short time. She
said she did not see the firing of the
fatal shot.