Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-10-04
Coroner's Jury
Rules Shooting
Is Accidental

Inc SA-man jury returned q
verdict Of accidental death after
celebrating half an hour at an
inquest. Mr.. Scruggs, a So
real estate man. had
been charged with second de-
gree murder.
The husband. who sat quiet
and composed with his lawyers
and his two sons. Allen, 20, and
Francis, jr., %, during testimony
today, bowed his head for a
moment and appeared to brush
away a tear when the verdict
was returned.
Key testimony was given by
Mrs. Katherine z. Lyman. of
1909 Harrison street NV, who
made it clear that the 4s-year-
old Mrs. Scruggs at no time
complained in a climactic tele-
phone call that Mr.. Scruees
had been beating her. Under
questioning by Mr.. Scruees'
attorney, Edward Bennett VIII
liams, Mrs. Lyman related the
discussion she was having with
Mrs. ScruggS when the CONVEX
Sation was cut short by the
fatal shot.
Wife Threatened to Kill
Mrs. LYMAN took the stand
to testify that she had received
a phone call from Mrs. Scruggs
about II pm. last Friday. She
quoted Mrs. Scruggs as say
ing. I'm going to do it. I'm
going to do it. I'm going TO
kill him If he touches me. He
won't give me my freedom"
Under questioning by Mr..
Williams, Mrs. Hyman said she
heard Mr.. Scruggs say in the
background, Don't point that
gun at me- I never used the
word beat or hit which they
quoted in the papers and it
should be retracted."
Mrs. Lyman said Mrs.
Scruggs told her, Il have a gun
in my hand and I'm going to
kill him If he touches me-" At
no time did Mrs. Scruggs say
her husband had hit her, Mrs.
LYMAN testified.
Mr.. Williams asked II Mrs.
/ Scruggs had q drinking prob
lem. Mrs. Hyman replied that
she had had one but said she
hadn't had a drink since JAM
uary.
Policeman Testifies
Eighth Police Precinct Pvt.
William j. Dunn, first officer
to reach the Scruggs home at
S845 Harrison street NV. after
the shooting, testified the de-
fendant appeared to be intoxi-
Gated when he met police at
the door.
He didn't make too much
sense" the policeman testified.
He said he asked Mr.. Scrugps
what was happening and the
defendant replied that every
thing was not all right. 81
think she's dead" the police
man said Mr.. ScruggS told him.
Pvt. Dunn said he found Mrs.
ScruggS in q kneeling position
by the bed with the telephone
still clutched In her hand.
with blood stains on her cloth
ing. There was a bullet hole
in the wall 40 inches above
the floor. he said. He said he
asked Mr.. Scruggs what had
happened but the defendant
replied, Il don't konw. I don't
know"
A .3S-caliber Smith e. WeSson
revolver was lying on the
kitchen sink. Pvt. Dunn said.
Under questioning by Mr..
Williams. Pvt. Dunn said he
saw no signs of violence except
for the bullet.
Coroner Tells of Drinking
Coroner Richard L. Whelton
testified that both Mr.. and
Mrs. Scruggs had been drink
ing. He said the husbands
speech was rambling and dis
jointed and that there was a
strong odor of alcohol on the
wife.
Detectives said after the
shooting that Mr.. Scruggs told
them they had been drinking
and had quarreled. He said.
according to Capt. George
Donahue, that his wife had
seized the gun and it had gone
off in the struggle for it. Mrs.
Scruggs had planned to seek a
divorce. investigators said.
Detective Bernard E. Crooke.
jr., of the homicide squad,
testified that Mr.. Scruggs told
him that he, Scruggs. heard
his wife talking to Kitty CMrs.
Hyman) when he picked I'D a
phone in another room.
Heard Explosion
Mr.. Scruggs said he went
into the bedroom and saw his
wife holding a gun. the detec-
tive said. He testified that
Mr.. Scruggs told him he tried
to push the gun away and heard
an explosion. and found the
gun in his hand. He said he
took it and put it in the kitchen.
The detective also testified
that about two years ago, Mr..
Scruggs told him similar In
cident occurred in the kitchen
when Mrs. Scruggs was holding
the gun and he pushed it away.
At that time, the gun dis
charged into the floor. Mr..
Scruggs took the gun and put
it back in its place, the detec-