Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-01-04
stabbing AGair-FataI Result Feared.

A man named John W. Stevens of Salem was
stabbed on Exchange street, Monday night, by
colored barber named Charles II. Willard, in
Il very singular manner, and though he is still
alive, bis recovery is hardly possible. The facts
in the case, as told by the injured man, and
others present, are substantially as follows:
Stevens, in company with two hackmen, Geo.
Harrington and George Whitney, went into
Zaeder's beer saloon late in the evening, after
having attended the minstrel performance I, t
Mechanics hail. and sat down to a table TO play
dominoes and drink some beer. They had been
seated but short time when Willard, who lives
near by, came in and sat down at the same
table. Stevens asked him to have glass of beer
and something to cat, which he did, and
then took the slate and began to keep the
game. Harrington became dissatisfied with the
way in which Willard set down the tallies, and
found fault with him. whereupon Willard got
up and made some insulting remark. Stevens
then told him to leave, and they talked back
and forth until John Merritt in whose charge
the saloon was, came up to them and said that
he could allow no quarreing or loud
talking, and advised Willard to 20 home. He
started out, and it was thought that they would
hear no more from him; but he very soon re-
turned and looked in at the door. Stevens then
rot up and again told him to leave, following
him to the door, returning in a few seconds and
saying that Willard struck at him, adding "I
kicked him out doors" He then sat down and
leaning back in his chair remained about ten
minutes, talking with the others, after
which he got up, paid for what they
had eaten and drank, and went
out without appearing to any one in
the room to be in the least injured. In compa-
ny with Whitney, Harrington and another man,
he started up Exchange street, talking with
them; and when at the corner of Waldo street
he babe them good night and turned to go to
the Waldo house, where he was stopping while
in the city. He had scarcely turned away, when
it was noticed that he sank down-almost fell
at the same time calling on his companions to
help him to the hotel, which they did. He
tainted at the steps, and then it was first dis
covered that he had been stabbed, and blood
was seen where they sat him down. He was
quickly taken to his room, and on removing his
clothes it was found that he had been cut just
below the ribs on the left side, and Drs. Kelley
and Gage were Immediately called, aud
found, on examination, bad cash
penetrating about three inches. Stevens was
unconscious all night, land talked incoherently,
so that nothing could be gathered from his
words in explanation of the affair until yester-
day, when he made statement in accordance
with the above facts to the city marshal.
Officers johnson and Fayerweather went TO
the saloon on receiving information, and found
drops of blood on the floor, in the chair where
Stevens sat, and also bloody place where he
stopped at the corner of Waldo street, and from
there to the hotel. Willard was found at his
house and taken to the station, where the knife,
Il large dirk, was found in his pocket. He was
examined before Judge Williams and bound
over till Thursday in the sum of $4,000, failing
to procure which he was committed to jail.
At two O'Clock this morning Stevens was
sleeping, as he had been during the night, and
seemed to be considerably better. He is cared
for at the hotel by ex-Polceman Mirick, and is
under the treatment of DR.. Kelley.
Willard is well known in the city, and is not
possessed of a peaceable disposition at all times
Several times within a year policemen have been
obliged to interfere when he was beating his
wife. In this case, the language used by
Stevens was provoking, and probably both had
been drinking liquor before they went into the
beer saloon. 1t seems that Willard, after going
out the first time, had fixed the knife in his hand,
and was waiting for an opportunity to use it;
and finally struck the blow with such preci-
sion and force that Stevens did not know it at
the time.
This is the first thing of the kind that has ever
happened in Mr.. ZaederS place, and all who
have known the proprietor for the ten years OF
his residence here will understand that he never
allows brawling and quarrelsome people to re-
main in his house, AMI will do him the justice
not to connect the affair in any way with his
quiet and orderly saloon.