Omaha daily bee., 1884-05-16
BLOOD AT BEATRICE.
j. ID. Williams, Special Policeman
Removed from Duty for Being
Drunk, Attempts To shoot
Mayor Mcconnell.

Beatrice Express, May IL.
About 4 o'clock Saturday afternoon an
unsuccessful attempt to shoot Mayor
Mcconnell was made by j. ID. Williams.
Tho streets were crowded with people
and the first report was that MIR. McCon.
nell had been killed. There was great
excitement, but much of it died away
when it was learned that Mr.. Mcconnell
had not been hurt and that Williams was
under arrest.
The circumstances are tho following;
Saturday being circus day, Mayor Nc.
Council appointed several extra police
men, and among them Williams. Some.
time during the afternoon the Mayors
attention was called to the fact that
| Williams was drunk. The Mayor after
wards found him inside the circus tent,
in the condition stated. He walked up
and removed the Off ccr's star from Will.
Jams coat and told him he was no longer
needed in that capacity. The mayor
then passed out into the m%enagerie tent
with MIR. G. Il. Dorsey. Meantime
| Williams, who was more than indig.
nant that he had lost his star, walked
around the circus tent between the ring
and the foot of the seats, revolver in
hand, looking for Mcconnell and threat
enipg to shoot him. Williams then came
into the menagerie tent and seeing the
Mayor went up to him and i~nsolently de-
manded his star. MIR. Mcconnell re-
fused to let him have 1t. Williams said
he would have it or there would be
trouble, and told the mayor that he had
no d-n fool to deal with now" Will
Jams followed Mcconnell around the
menagerie tent, still talking and threat
ening.
The circus over, the mayor and Mr..
Dorsey came up town and went to tho
%latter's store. Williams was also up town
by this time and had gone to the mayors
office. He came in saying &c wanted to
pay 50 that he owed Mr.. Mcconnell. He
handed Ed. Sherman, of the mayors Of
flee, a So bill. He then began threaten
ing Mr.. Mcconnell. He pulled out a
revolver, and said, cd d-n him, I'll
give him the contents!" Just at that mo.
ment, Mr.. Mcconnell, having crossed the
street from Dorsey's entered the door.
He had advanced inside about two steps,
when he found himself face to face with
Williams, who was pointing tho revolver
directly at him. Quick as a flash ED.
Sherman struck down the revolver at the
instant it was discharged. This quick
movement saved Mr.. McConnells life.
The ball struck Williams on the thigh,
making a slight wound, and buried itself
in the floor a few feet away. This oc.
Cured in an instant. Mr.. Mcconnell had
barely time to see The weapon pointed at
him when it was fired. Without know
Ing whether he was hurt or not, he ran
into the back room of his Office. Ed.
Sherman kept his hold of Williams and
after a hard struggle took the revolver
from him. Williams was arrested at
once and taken before Police Judge
Smith.
A complaint charging him with shoot
ing at 1. N. Mcconnell with intent to kill
was sworn out by E. B. Sherman. The
witnesses examined were E. b. Sherman,
Gray Warner, G. N. Emery, w. e. Clark
and l. N. Mcconnell. The testimony was
substantially what is above given. Will
liams testified in his own behalf. He ad-
mitted that he had the weapon and had
made threats to shoot Mcconnell. He
denied, however, that at the time he
pointed the revolver in the office, he saw
Mr.. Mcconnell or any one else approach.
ing. The court ordered that Williams be
held to answer in the sum of $4,000.
Failing to furnish bail, he wastaken to
iail, where he now is.