, 1876-09-03
A Coiored Man Murders the Wrong
Individual.
Another Version Of !" 4 New Way
to Pay Old Debts"
4 Husband Attempts to Cut His Wis s
Throat in the Street.

ALL A MISTAKE,

the already long list Of similar crimes. This
time, however, the white folks are outdone by
the colored,-the first instance OF the crime Of
murder among that class Of citizens since the
Perfect tragedy. The facts Of the affair are
but meagre, and the participants lowly and un-
Important persons, hence but little excitement
will be occasioned by the affair, and even this
little will not be enhanced by the fact that the
murdered man was not the one selected to suf-
Ter tho murderer's vengeance, but a poor, inof-
fenslve colored man, VINO threw himself in the
way Of the bullet to save human being.
THE MURDERER
is young colorcd man Of stylish habits, named
Albert Curtis Smith. He has borne good and
peaccable reputation until within the past two
weeks, when he WIS caught plundering his for
mer employers, Mcssrs. Barcts 4, Stern, No. 81
Jackson street, Of about 500 worth Of wines.
For this crime lie was bound over to the Crin.i-
nal Court in $500 bail, in default Of which he
fingered for time in jail. Tuesday last he OBJ
taiiied release on bond given for his appear
ance bv Dan Webster, of s'Bilcr" avenue, the
professional bailer Of the colored population.
Thrown out Of 4 situation, and having para
lyzed wife at home troubled with the care of
Two children, Smith yielded to his mistortunes
and took to drink; While upon theSs
feutls, aud determined to settle them
with the least possible trouble to himself One
in particular, with man named Perry Hcrsey,
employed as i bartender in Reuben Smiths
''Palacc " saloon, at 129 Fourth avenue, troubled
him most About two months ago Hersey
kicked him out Of the place, and Threatened to
brain him if lie ever showed himself in that Vi
cinity again. The reason Tor this summary con-
duct is alleged BY Curtis to have beei the nacli
nations OF Mamie Brooks, . white prostitute
i,,.., %1n Ntnif n IL
favors for one of the inmates named Mamie,
thereby incurrihg the cnInity Of the propretress,
who ultimately refused him entrance to the
house. Hersey took her sldc aud battlcd for it
Us best he knew.
Yesterday afternoon Smith called into the
saloon, as he says with q view Of settlement,
but, according to Herscy, merely for the pur-
pase vi
KICKING UP DISTURBANCE.
Ucrsey put him out, a:d, upon reaching tile
sidewalk, was greeted with volicy Of aDuse.
The neig ghpors Threatened to have the disturber
arrested, when, by way ot indicating his 'ba1n -
habits to any who might wish to attack him, he
crossed the street With a bravauo air, and tired
OF his revolver into the ground Nothing
further was seen OF him until last evening,
when he returned to Brooks house, and etl-
ticed two OF the girls to accompany him into
the saloon for some refreshments. This time,
as he himself acknowledges,
HE MEANT BUSINESS,
6ADA1u lit UE Go@h11LCL AC idL iI
sooner entered than Hersey, jumping over the
bar, threw chair full at his head. Smith re-
treated to the sidewalk, closely followed by an
immense walklng-stick, Of Il character aud
we;gAt that ought certaialy to include it in the
catalogue Of deadly weapons. Smith claims to
have been fellcd to the earth, and stunned by
the cudsei, but those who Witnessed tho aftair
claim that it went beyond him into the road
way Smith then drew his revolver, small
bore Eureka, aud fired. The first shot went
S,,,% FOf3 80 NsA
wllcrcupon Smith again fired, and, as he did So,
GEORGE 0LYNS,
employed as cook in Mamie Brooks house,
stepped to the door to ascertain the cause vi
the disturbance, and received the bullet full in
the right breast. He was carried into the sa-
loon, and was thence started to the County
Hospital, but died before guing half way.
Smith stopped long enough to see what damage
be had dons, and to whom, aud was then forced
to retreat from a crowd that would probably
have lyncned him had they been permitted, and
yet this same crowd suddenly turned upon the
police after the arrest had been made, aud
you'd have done serious damage with bricks
,nd stones had not reinfo.cements arrived.
smith ran through q vacant lot to Dearborn
street, ami thence south to Polk, and was cap
ured BY Officer Amstcin, the revolver and a
azor still in his hands,
This story Of the shooting is substantially that
# tho prisoner himself, corroborateu by several I
witnesses, but there are those who assert that t
Ae klttlHE u Itynn was pFetAeut4teu 2nl ma- !!
icious, and that Smith owed him gruuse, as l.
1eli as to HeTsey.
The murdered man was shot through the right |
rcast about 2'inches above the nipple. He was
bout 50 years Of age, unmarried, and is not |
nown to have eng relatives or friends ia this |
ity. The body is ut the Alorguc to await an ill.,
uest, which Will be held to-day
Smith is Is years OF age, and not at all a |
aurderous-looking fellow. He has *rifc and
So children in comfortable circumstances re-
iding at No. IL West Adams street. Yester-
ay's spree was the last he calculated having
or some time land such it will prove to be) IS
e intended to 60 to work as cook in Walton's
.staurant on Washington street. He speaks
the shooting freely, and with the deepest /
oncern for his fate, but strcnuously denies that |
e in any way tried to kill the deceased, but |
.ther the man Hersev, who had offended him.