Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1886-08-16

rains, B0utneTly HlutS Anu SiiSHtiy
NEGRO DESPERATE kILLED.-Between
4, and seven o'clock Saturday evening,
Fannie Chapman, o mulatto woman, who
has often figured in the police court of the
city, applied at the station house for war
rsnt for the arrest Of James (alias "Toot')
henderson, also colored, and who, too, has
been the defendant in several cases before
the Mayors and magistrates courts of late.
According to her statement Henderson, who,
il seems had been living with her for some
lime. came to her residerc e, on the southeast
corner OF Pitt and Princess streets, early in
the evening in a half-drunken condition,
and stretched himself upon the floor. The
wo,oau ordered him out, command Hen
derson seemed 10th to obey, and his guam
dam mistress becoming more positive in her
request for him to vacate the premises, Hen
larson arose from the floor and drawing 81
uistol said, with an imprecation of some
sort. I'll fix you before CO." and snapped the
nj.tol at her until one barrel was discharged,
ihe ball passing in close proximity to her
head. The woman fled panic-stricken into
The street attired in but one garment, a
Mother Hubbard" robe, and meeting an
ACQUAINTANCE obtained the losn of an
apron, upon donning which she repaired to
the station house and swore out a warrant
against Henderson. Capt. Webster, of the
po!ice force, dispatched officer Bettice to
the locality Of the alleged attempted MUIR
der, with directions to shadow" the cul-
prit until he (Webster) attended to some
business at the station house, after which
he would Join him. Henderson had in the
meantime left the house of his former para
mour and had gone to another place in the
oh ri ffnrU nd
appeared on the scene, and with officer Bet
doors in order to prevent Henderson's es-
cape. The latter, upon learning that the
police were on his track, managed to es.
cape through the back way of the house, and
started to run through the weeds on the hill
east of the valley running through Peters.
burg" when he was seized by officer
Betice, but suddenly pulled away from him.
He was closely followed by the officers,
and the course of his flight having
been turned by officer Bettice, who had
headed him Off" Henderson passed very
swiftly within few feet of Capt. Webster.
The latter, aware of the ferocity of the man
with whom he had to deal, drew his pistol,
self. cooking weapon, with the full deter
mination of shooting him should he make
any murderous demonstration. As Hender-
son approached the Captain the latter no.
tced his arm was raised, but, it being near
" dark, he was unable to see either knife
or pistol in his hand. The pursued
WAS at that time within about
five feet of bis pursuor, and the
latter called upon Henderson to halt.
Henderson cast some imprecatlon on the
Captain, paid no attention to the challenge
aud soon heightened the distance between
himself and Captain Webster about thirty
feet, when the latter's pistol was accidental
ly discharged, the hammer having been
raised in the excitement and the ball strlk-
Ing Henderson in the back passed through
his body making a track through the heart
in its transit Henderson upon being shot
jumped about two feet from the ground and
made dive into a ditch. officer Bettlce
Immediately ran to the ditch and discov-
cred that the man WAS fatally shot, aud IN
few seconds he was dead. Henderson's body
was subsequently taken from the place
where he had fallen and conveyed short
distance south, and in short time several
hundred people had assembled around the
body, including the majority of the coiored
residents of the neghborhocd. Among the
number was Fannie Chapman, who had
sworn out the warrant for the arrest Of the
deceased, and who sobbed and expressed all
sorts Of regrets that she had been the indi-
rect cause of her quandam admirers sudden
exit from this mundane sphere. Upon the
news of the shooting being nolsed around
the crowd grew in bulk every minute until
Mr. b. Wheatley's undertaker's wagon ar
rived, in which Hendersons body was
placed and taken to Mr.. WIS establishment.
Capt. Webster had in the meantime given
himself up, and was baled for his appear
ance to-day. Yesterday about o'clock the
coroner DR.. Powell, held All inquest over
Hendeson's body, examining few wit.
nessfs of the shooting, and the jury, OF
which Mr.. r. 7. Lucas was foreman, rem
,lered verdict that the deceased James
Henderson, came to his death from wound
inflicted with pistol in the hands Of James
Webster, captain Of the police force OF this
city, while the sauie Webster was in the dis
charge Of his official duty, and that the
Jurors believed that the shooting WAS unir-
territorial. The body was subsequently re-
moved to tho house Of the deceased's mother,
Maria Henderson, on Pitt street, between
Princess and Oronoko streets, where it was
viewed all day yesterday by curious thron2.
Captain Webster AYERS that he had no in
tention of shooting Henderson at the time
his pistol was discharged, but that he Dad
July maze up his 1liutl W w 80 bcioio tuo
miscreant passed him had hc discovered
that he was armed, knowing him 10 have
been desperate character, and with the
full knowledge of the fact that he had pre-
viously attempted to kill his paramount.
Failing, however, to see any weapon in
Henderson's hands, the Captain believed
Henderson would become entangled in the
weeds in his flight, when his capture could
lie easily effected, But in the first excite
ment the officer had undoubtedly cooked
his pistol and the hammer still being up
the weapon was discharged unintentionally,
with the fatal result narrated above. Hen
derSon was thck.set man, about twenty
live years of age, and is said to have been
born here; though some assert he first saw
the zig bit of day 10 Petersburg. He has Tor
some time been regarded as q desperate,
having in an ARRAY with another colored
man named Dan. Nelson some months ago
nearly severed the latter's head from his
body by murderous ''swipe" with butch
er's knife. Nelson's throat was cut from
one ear to the other, but fortunately not
deep enough to sever the jugular vein. The