Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-09-10
SHOT DEAD BY A NEGRO.
HOW POLICEMAN FOWLER WAS
KILLED.

The Story OF ssGufnea,, Langster's
Bloody Deed Told at the CorOner's I'm.
quest T6-day-The verdict-The Pris.
onef ketRninX InSanity-The Prisoner
Attempts to Strike q Witness.
The murder Of Policeman John II. Fowler by the
negro John Langster yesterday morning, full
account Of Which was published In THE STAR last
evening, attfactsd very large crowd about the
seventh met station-house where he was con-
nned. There was good deal OF excitement and
many threats were made OF lynching. In order to
avoid any possible trouble Langster was removed
about dusk tp tine nth precinct station The Off
GERS found when they tried to enter his cell that he
had stuffed the keyhole OF the lock With chewed
meat, paper, r,letc., rammed in with match. Afraid
that ne might be taken by force, he had done this
ce iue 2er ss s'f W1ua prevent entrance TO ms
cleared, and Langster was brought out handcuf1ed
ana am placed ln the patrol wagon. He remained at
tne nita pre9lnct station-house all night and pre-
tended to be crazy whenever his cell was ap-
preached.
The autopsy OF Policeman Fowler at 8 o'clock re-
Veaed Lne TACT that the bail had entered the body
between the tenth and eleventh ribs passed through
the iiver severed the vena caba, one OF the prin-
l clpal Veins lh the body. and then lodged in The
Splne, from which 1t was chiSeled out The body
was tnen turned over to the family OF the deceased
"BoRN THAT WAY"
Yesterday afternoon gentleman named Hudson
took the prisoner lunch with the view Of getting
MIN TO talk This act OF kindness appeared to have
srs,a soissaing eect upon him and he ate what was
WMie the prisoner was eating, "That was terrible
act" act, and t4e prisoner replied, "Yes, was born
Lieut. Kelly asked, "What way." and he an
sWered, AFFLICTED with quick temper"
WHY AND Row THE REMOVAL OF TIE PRIsoNER WAS
EFFECTED
Lieut. Kelly, in view Of the talk OF lynching yes
cl>nA hat l&~
increased. Major Dye, however, thought that the
best way would be to remove the prisoner, and the
nth precinct was suggested as the proper place OF
connnement Tor the present. Lieut.. Kelly therefore
ordered caoto be driven TO the station
and at that hour but few persons were around.
In little time. however, the street swarmed with
people, and IT would have been unsafe for him to
away. to return about o'clock. 1t had been dis
covered when the cab drove up that he had OBJ
structed the lock, as stated above and 1t took
tlnne 10 pick the stuff out At O'Clock, however,
the prisoner was put into the cab, and Lieut. Kelly
gave orders tp take him Jail deceive the crowd
and he safely reached the nth precinct station,
where he was locked up.
THE PRIs0NERs ANTICS THIS MoRN1No-.HR DENIES
TIE SHOOTING
He remained very quiet all last night, but con-
versed freely with all who visited his cell This
morning he commenced his antics OF yesterday
agai1;inglag -, and laughing alternately He
MED doing the shooting. He said Of1cer Fowler
had always treated him well and had .veral times
spoken 70 superintendent Stoutenburg In his behalf
Wnen ne had been doing wrong, to prevent his
being punished. Yesterday morning he made up
his mind, he said. to escape from the gang at all
for the rest OF the gang When he closed with viii ON
Ger Fowler after that of1cer fired his pistol in the
air. he did not take the pistol from him. but In the
tussel as theonicer was about to aim his revolver
at him, tLangsterJ he turned his arm under, and
the officer SHOT himself He did not shoot min at
all When reused up this morning he said he would
,txt1or
statlon-keeper gave him cigar, as he wanted, and
ne soon after gartook Of breakfast, remarklng,
he finished, Hrhat's much better breakfast Than
! GOT yesterday morning." After breakfast he was
put into th1 NTH precinct patrol wagon. several
men accompanying le, anu was taken to Mr. c. w.
taken DurihE this Operation he acted I very mush
and stubborn, and would not consent to SIT in the
CHAIR but after the officer forced him into the seat
he was Carried In the same wagon to the seventh
precinct sta1fon-house, to be present at the coro
ners inquest
The Inquest To-day.
Shortly after 10 o'clock a. N. DR.. Patterson, the
coroner, summoned the jury, which was sworn In
yesterday, as stated in THE STAR, and began the
inquest The jury was as follows: Daniel Shehan,
J. Fred Kelly, Henry h. Hon, c. B. shettle, W. O.
Patton and Charles Speht. number Of idlers had
gathered about the station house. although there
was no prospect Of seeing or hearing anything The
excitement which had prevailed yesterday in the
lynching was heard. The coroner and the tury oc- C.
Supied room In the second story OF the station
house. and tAe singing Of the prisoner, who sat
aaf naked In one OF the cells below could be plainly
heard IN the room above. He had refused to keep
his clothing On and was still pretending to be In
sane.
BOYS TESTIMONY.
The first fitness sworn was boy about fifteen
years old named Thornton Chesley, who testified
that he followed the policeman, whom he saw run
ming after convict into an alley When the DO
iiceman, Fowler, came up to the man he said:
surrender now; don't want to shoot you. have
always Oeen "a good friend OF yours" The witness
said that the convict refused surrender and then
the two began to struggle together. The witness
described thf position of Fowler when he fired the
pistol, and said that he fired right over his head
The policeman told the convict that he didn't want
to shoot him. but wanted him to come along with
out any trouble. The convict, however said: ssYou
Will have to shoot men
FOWLER COULD HAVE SHOT THE PRISONER IF HE had
-. BEEN so INCLINED.
In answer TO Juror the witness said that Police
man Fowler could have shot the convict II he had
wished to. The witness said that he got on the
policeman's horse and went for help. and after he
struggling with the convict he had asked colored
man had refused.
SAW LANCASTER SHOOT THE OFFICER.
w. T. Clark was the next witness and he said he
boarded ut 415 street, and went out In the alley
and saw p1uceman tussltng with convict. He
stepped back to tell the lady with whom he boarded
sne mad better close up her house, and when he
was away ne heard two shots He came back into
the alley at once and saw the convict with pistol
IN one hand and with his arm about the officer and
he saw him shoot the ofncer In that position.
s1xTERN-YEAR-oID BOYS STORY.
A. Hamilton, boy about sixteen years old, was
the next withess, and he testified that he saw two
men struggling In the alley and saw pistol bran
dished in the air and heard shot, but he did not
know who nled it.
"'GUNE4 HAS DONE IT FOR NE THIS TIME"
John q. CroZan, the next witness. testified that
he Was In the alley and heard two shots, and run
ming farther up. he saw the police officer standing
there. The Pn1cer put his hands on his hips and
said: II am shot. 'Gunea' has done it for me this
time" Mr.. Hbuck, who had followed him and others
then carried away the officer; but the convict stood
there with pistol in his hands. The others left
with the omQer, and the witness was afraid to 90
up 10 the negro cause he had pistol In his hand.
The witness stayed behind the others to watch the
man, and when he turned and ran up I'd street the
witness followed him q short distance.
'fNY WIPE AND CHILDREN"
Henry T. Houck, the next witness, testified that
he heard the excitement and came out In the alley
from 1st street. He saw two shots fired, and then
the officer walked towards the witness and fell into
his arms The only words the o11cer said while he
was being taken to the station was, "My wife and
children" When he reached the station he In
qured about his wife. The witness heard the
shots, but did not see the firing.
ANOTHER BoEs GRAPHIC ACCOUNT OF TIE DEATH
STRUGGLE
Alfred s Wilson, another OF the boys who wit
messed the struggle In the alley, testified that after
the officer shot over the convcts' head he held the
pistol back Of him, and the convict after contest,
nnAllv Snf2ad fha Hr yvoS