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

| not loaded.
| John Chilly testified that when Henderson
! was drunk he was very dangerous man
and would use knife or pistol GU any one
| with whom he had difficulty On Satur-
| day he had tried to provoke quarrel with
| two or three men, and was known to have a
pistol and knife at the time.
Robert Beale testified that on Saturday
evening Henderson staggered up to him and
asked if he had anything against him and
said if he thought 80 he would have it. out
then. Henderson tried to get in row with
him but he went oil. Henderson was disa
greeable, guarrelsome man.
| John Ta|iaferro, Fanny Grandson and
John Payne were examined, but their testi-
mony was unimportant, and threw no ad.
ditional light on the affair.
Officer Bettice testified that when he first
started to arrest Henderson be saw the lat
ter climb fence on Princess street and dis
appear He made further search for him,
found him in the house of Annie Summer
field and grabbed him, but Henderson jerk
ed away from him and ran off, He after
ward met Capt. Webster and told him Hen
| derson was close by, aud he subsequently
heard the Captain call TO Henderson to halt.
| He then heard the shot, saw Henderson
fall and went up to him. Henderson ex.
claimed, Pm shot" Witness said, ut
served you right; you should not have
broken away from me-" Capt. Webster
then told him to take charge of the man.
Witness testified that Capt. Webster was
| cool ard forbearing man.
Officers Arnold and TIGER zorro borated
| the testimony OF other witnesses by aver
| ring that the deceased was a dangerous
man, and always gave the officers much
trouble before he could be arrested. They
considered Capt. Webster the coolest man
on the force, and never knew him to draw
his pistol Officer TIGER said that after the
shooting Capt. Webster came to the station
house and sent him at once for a doctor to
att end Henderson.
Captain Webster then gave his version Of
the shooting, which was about the same as
| that in the description of the affair above.
Mr.. Brent, counsel for Capt. Webster,
then asked for his discharge on the ground
that the shooting was done while the Captain
was in the discharge OF his duty.
The Mayor then stated that after the
shooting Capt Webster had come to him
and he had put him under bond for his ap-
pearauce to day. He knew Capt. w. to he
faithful officer and from his knowledge of
him and from the evidence did not believe
that ne intended TO kill the man. Hender-
son ho knew to be desperate character,
and was the only man since he had been
Mayor who had been insolent and offensive
| in his Office. He regarded the shooting as
an unfortunate affair, but must discharge the
prisoner Capt. Webster was thereupon
discharged.
The accidental land from all the testi.
mony it was certainly unintentional killing
of Henderson has afforded some papers fur
| Their north theme for comment, the verdict
being styled "curious, extraordinary" DC.
OF course it is obvious to all that this is an
other attempt to manufacture party capital
are shot down in the South on
all sorts of pretexts. Persons acquainted
with the facts connected with the killing Of
Henderson, or those willing to listen to rea
sou, can see nothing in the action of Capt.
Webster understandable or unnecessary.
| He was elected member of the police force
twenty years ago, and has been Captain
since its reorganization in 1870. He has
ever shown himself to be patient and for
bearing officer, having often been placed in
circumstances where both his valor and pa
thence have been subjected to severe tests.
| The assertion that no would unnecessarily
| hurt any one il repudiated by all who know
| him, and that Saturday nights fatal act was
urinten,ional is n fact incontrovertible. In
| regard to fierce and dangerous characters,
| whether they be black or white, it should
not be regarded rs uncharitabe to say that
all law abiding people breathe moro freely
when the fact is known that they are no
mole, no matter what means Providence
| may use to rid the earth of them. While of
course it is to be regretted that poor fallen
human nature so often mars its divine i'm
print as to DO looked upon with terror and
| aversion, the fact should by no means be
lost sight of that the New Testament, with
all its consolatory words. terms the charac-
tiers of which Henderson was type Brute
| beasts, made to be taken and destroyed"
and whom policeman, in the legitimate
| discharge of his duty, is made the instru-
ment in the Creators hands of Kidding the
earth of such pests, no right-thinking per-
son should regret the dispensation, no mat
ter what rawlings are INDUCED in by affected
| philanthropists or fanatical partisans.