National Republican., 1880-01-01
A NEW YEARS TRAGEDY.
Bloody and Fatal Encounter in a
Drinking Saloon.
The Proprietor Shoots Three Men and Thei
Loads up Again-Onc of the Men Killed
Arrest Of the Murderer-stato-
mont Made by Him in His
Coll-Sceno of the Trag-
ody this Morning.
The Old Year Closed with Homicide.

About 10 o'clock last night shooting affair
occurred 10 colored eating-housc, corner Of
Tenth and u streets northwest resulting In
the fatal woundng Of Francis Williams by
George Lee, the proprietor Of the eating
house. williams went in tho house of
ored men and they ordered some
whskey, oysters and pie, for which it is
claimed they refused to pay. Lee then or
dered them out Of the house, and as they made
some show of fight he drew u six.barrcled re-
volvor and fired five shots into the crowd
One ball struck Francis Williams just behind
the left car, iuhicting wound from which lie
| died five hours later. Another ball hit
VIII Bruce in the left forearm, sevoring an
| artery, causing the loss of considerable blood
and necessitsting his removal TO the Freed
mans Hospital. A third shot struck Ben
Boyd In the shoulder, inficting slight
wound. Lee was arrested by Officers Burgess
and Madigan ten minutes after the shooting,
and locked up at the Sixth precinct station.
LEES STATEMENT
Toareporter ofTHE NATIONAL REPUBLICAN,,
who interviewed him in his cell, hc made the
following statement: He was twcnty.seven
years old, born in Virginia and keeps an eat
| ing saloon; about 10 o'clock five or six drunken
| men camo into his place; lie knew their faces;
they ordered q quart Of whisky and some
| pie and oysters; some of them went up stairs,
and one of them started out without paying;
| he asked tho man if nc was going TO pay and
he said, NO" he then went after the men
who went up stairs, and they wanted to
| fight him; TO save trouble he went
down stairs. They followed him. One Of
them said, Boys, get out your pistols" The
men pulled of their coats, and one of them
fired at him. He ordered them out three
| times. aud then pulled out his own pistol and
| fired four times into tho crowd. His pistol
WAS q six.shooter. After shooting ho Io-
loaded. He did not think he had struck any
ono until lie saw tho smallest man crawl
| ing out. About ten minutes aiterward
the police came and arrested him. Io did
not know any OF the crowd personally, but
the same crowd wero in his house Christ.
mas day and tried to raise II fight.
TIE PARTY
| that entered Lees place was composed Of
Robert Maxwell, William Bruce Frank Gross,
Charles Sonow, Samuel Bray, Thomas
Bruncr Francis Williams and Benjamin
Boyd. All of the parties are colored. The
place kept by Lee is situated at the north
west corner of Tenth and streets. The road
that the wounded men took from his
house along Tonth street to o can
be easily traced by the blood spots OH the pave.
ment 1t appears from the statements Of sew
eral of the men who have bcon summoned as
with esses before the coroner that they went
into Lees place, which is restaurant and
>ating-saoon combined, to see three colored
women who were up stairs in tho dining
room. Before going up Robert Maxwell
ordered some whisky. Lee refused to
give il TO him unless he paid the money first
Maxwell, Bruce, Williams, Bray aud 81. Haw-
liins then asked permission to go up stairs
and see the women. Lee assontcd, and up
they went. In n few minutes one of the
party ordered oysters and pie, and Lee wont
up stairs aud demanded tho money. This was
| ,1itt aud In lha an
10 leave the house. They came down
stairs into the store, and wore in
in the act Of going out when
LEE BEGAN FIRING.
! Williams was the first one struck, and he fell
| forward on his face. Bruce received the third
shot in his arm, the second ono having passed
over the heads of the crowd. Boyd received
the fourth one In his shoulder. The fifth
| failed to do any Injury. The crowd ran of,
leaving Williams inside the house. In few
minutes Lee and q colOred woman
cmploved by him us winter dragged
! him out to the sidewalk aud left him
there. He was insensible. Bruce ran over to
DR.. Stcarn's, on z street, and upon getting
inside tainted from loss Of blood. 4 short
time after the affair the police arrived, and
after arrostng Lce, had Williams conveyed TO
| tho drug store corner of Tenth and o streets.
| Upon examination it was found that tho ball
had entered Just behind the left ear, aud peue-
trRtcd through the skull, 50 that the brains
oozed out. 1t was quickly ascortaiucd that his
case .was hopeless, and the police ambulance
was summoned and he was taken 20 his moth
el's house in Goat alley, between l. and NJ and
| Sixth aud Seventh stroots northwest Boyd
had his wound dressed at the drug store, aud
Us ho lives in tho samo locality rs the MUIR
dGred man, ho was also taken down in the am
| bulauCe Aitcrward the ambulance returned
| TO Dr. Stearls and took up Bruce aud carried
| him to the Freedmau's Hospital.
| Coroner Patterson WAS notified, and will
| hold an inquest this morning.
THE WEAPON
with which Williams was killed was 4 silver.
| mounted 81 -baneGd revolver Of thirty.two-
calibre. 1t was found by Officer Burgess be.
! hind Lees counter, and will bU produced at
! the inquest this morning. When found it had
been reloaded. The scene of the tragedy is u
| two.stOry frame house, with entrances on
| Tenth aud z streets. canvas transparency
over the door states that oysters aud boer are
ON sale.
The usual surroundings of q pio.lh0p, con-
| fccloucry and beer saloon are visible The
! floor Uf tho store was spotted with blood, and
on the pavement in frOnt signs OF the bloody
affair are apparent oyorywhOrc. Williams,
| tho victim OF the tragedy, WAS nineteen years
OF rgr, school.bUy, aud also helped his family
by selling papers on s.nday. He is repre-
scented us having been quiot, inoHensiye lad,
aud he left homo last uight intending To 90 to
"wutch.mceting.'
4 FITIL FIRE