Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1882-12-08
FOUL MURDER.
oMccr Clarence s. wright. OF Chira-
go. shot TO Death While at His Post
or Duty.

0fiiccr Clarence s. wright. OF Chisa-
go. shot 20 Death While at His POST
ofDuty.
Officer Clarence E. Wright, of the
Desplaines Street Station, Chicago. Ill.
was foully murdered st 6.45 O'clock
Saturday evening by colored despe-
rado named Bill Allen, familiarly
known as the Colonel" whom he was
attempting 70 arrest. The scene of the
murder was in one of the tumble-down
rookeries on West Washington street,
near Canal street, used as 3 lodging
house and tenement by low coiored
and dlsreputable white people. Officers
Wright and I. Folev had been 'detsiled
by CAPTAIN Ronfeld to assist Detective
John Fletcher, the colored "fy" at
Central Station, in srresting Allen,
whose desperate character was only
too we'll known by the.offcers. They
were trying to get in his room at No.
). West Washington street, and while
Aliens womsn, known as Aunie Hut
Crimson, was insisting thst Allen Twas
not there, the later suddenly threw the
door WIDE open and fired directly at
Wright, who staggered back and fell
desd, with two bullets in the head. The
other officers Immediately drow their
revolvers, and . number of shots were
sent after Allen as he went down the
stairs on the jump and escaped. An
attempt was made TO follow him, but
without success. The body of
THE MURDERED OFFICER
was removed to the Desplaines street
station, and ON examination it was
found that one bullet had entered the
right temple and the other Just under
the outer corner of the righ. eye. The
bullets had both lodged in the brain
and death was almost instantaneous.
This was the second murderous
atfray in which Allen had participated
during the day, and the murder of
Officer Wright resulted from the at
tempt to arrest Allen for the first affair.
Allen and another colored man named
James Smead, who had been'employed
on Pullman palace cars on the Chicago
Il Northwestern railroad were dis
charged on the charge of stealing but
ter and provisions from the Pullman
Allen was employed ~ u
waiter and Smead asa cook. In the
same working gang with them WAS
William Jones, a colored waiter, whom
the other two suspected of being the
cause of their discharge. In fact they
had but little doubt, and while Jones
was at work in one Of the Pullman
cars at the Chicago & Northwestern
depot, corner Wells and kinzie streets,
they made murderous assault upon
him. Allen had q carpenters hammer
in his hand, and ne thrice struck Jones
viciously with it on the head, knocking
him senseless.
LEAVING HIM FOR DEAD,
with fractured skull. The murderous
pair then ran out of the car and escap-
ed. Jones was laid out on one of the
berths, and DIR. Ishsm, the company
physician, was Immediately summon
ed. In dressing Jones' injuries he took
ten splinters from the wounds. The
Lsrrabee street patrol removed the in
lured man to the County Hospital,
where the physicians in attendance ex-
amined the wounds and pronounced
them exceedingly dangerous, probably
fatal. Steps were Immediately taken
for the arrest of Allen aud Smead, and
the warrants intrusted to Detective
John Fletcher. Not knowing Allen per-
sonally, though he had heard OF his
he secured the assistance
Of William Hizer, of No. ia Harrison
street, who knew Allen, to point him
out. They proceeded to the locality
where Allen lived, and, after short
rdn n1 hxy A
enter the house. They saw him enter
room II, Nc. 81 West Washington
street, and knew they had their man
Gagged. Leaving Hizer to watch, the
detective then made application to
Captain Bonfeld for assistance, feeling
that Allen would not be easily taxed
and would
MAKE A DESPERATE FIGHT.
Officers Wright and Foley were sent,
and returning to Hizer, they learned
that Allen was still in the house. Leav-
ing Foley down stairs, Fletcher,
Wright and Hizer went up stairs.
Wright raped at the door, the other
two standing slightly to one side. The
woman opened the door,
aud in response to the officers inquiry
for Allen, said he was not at home.
Hizer, who knew different, insisted that
he was in the room, and as the officers
made an attempt To force open the
door, it being then but slightly open,
it was suddenly thrown back, exposing
Allen with q cooked revolver. He COM
firing Immediately, the frs,
two bullets hitting Wright in the head,
AS he staggered back lie interferred
with Fletcher, Hizsr being unarmed
sprang back as Allen continued firing
and gave him a free path down stairs.
Fletcher emptied his revolver after
Allen but, as far as known, without ef-
feet. On reaching the sidewalk
ALLEN TURNED AND FIRED
directly at Hizer, who was following,
but did not hit him. He then ran
north through the alley between Gin
ton and Canal streets, and it is believed
got to the South through the
street tunnel. The police
are making strenuous efforts tolcapture
him, but up TO midnight had been un-
As nc has many friends on
the various Pallman cars running out
Of the city, the police fear that he
might have got out on one, and have
full description of him
to the neighboring cities.
The murdered officer was q fine
looking man, about 2S years old, and
the picture of physical health, and
though but six months on the force,
had done some excellent work and
gave promise of being numbered
the best men Of the force. He
was the son Of A. l.. Wright, and lived
with his parents and brothers and sis
ters, of whom he had eight, at No.
1886 Indiana avenue.