Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-05-03
KILLED FOR A HAT.


this Morning.
TWO coLoRED MEN QUARREL AND FIGHT oyxn THE
Poss SESSION OF A HAT-oSE OF THEN GOES OFF,
GETS PISTOL AND RETURNING SHOOTS THE OTHER
DowN-THE STORY OF WITNESSES OF THE AFFRAY.
Washington Heights was the scene OF a violent
ARRAY and a bloody tragedy this morning. In what
Is known as Luttles place, streets have been cut
through, and the foundation for concrete pave
inents nave been put down. The cuttings for the
street are four or i've feet deep, and OF the
banks thus made on I'D street extended q group
OF laoorers were seated about O'Clock this morn
Ing. The work on which they were engaged yes
teruay was finished, and there was no work for
them to-day. While there two Of the men. young
negroes VIM. Briggs and VIM Jones. got
into Tight over. hat which Briggs
accused Jones OF having stolen from
h hlM, Jone, brother, Aeck, went to his
beating and drove him away from the place.
HAIR an hour later Briggs returned, accosted Jones'
anu nred TWO shots at him. The f1rst shot appears
10 have struck Jones over the heart, killing him
almost Instantly. The other shot missed its mark
brggs then LEFT the place, running down the hill
toward the Boundary, and hurrying into the city,
pursued by Jones brother. Aleck. Briggs went
directly TO the third police precinct station and
Shot man" lie did not know that Jones was
dead. Aleck Jones, when he reached the station,
was also detained in custody.
AT THE SCENE OF TIE TRAGEDY.
-
fray Jones body was lying on the grass upon the
bank, about 30 yards from the point where the
shooting occurred. The bright spring sunlight
streamed down upon the CHASTITY object. The
shirt was torn away from the black bosom, show
Ing bloody wound on the left breast. Police Ser
geant Lombardy stood guard over the body, and
brother OF the dead man, Nathan Jones, was
watching, too, with sort OF sullen grief and half
defiant air beside the body.
THE BROTHERS, STORY.
A group OF colored men, few white men and
several women stood near. They all gathered
about the reporter when the latter began TO ques-
ton Nathan. the brother. Nathan witnessed the
shooting. His brother and Briggs, he said, had
had some trouble about hat Briggs thought II
as he mot mfn an SoS
later Briggs returned. VIM. Jones was then sit
ting with others on the bank. briggs" Nathan
You black -, II you don't give me that hat
I'll shoot YOU My brother got up and as he did
so brlggS snot MIN and then ran away" That
were others who witnessed the tragedy who told
dluerent story They said two OF the Jones broth
away.
ANOTHER ACCOUNT.
Two OF the witnesses, Henry Williams colored
and Thos B. Howard, employed on the works as a
watchman gave The STAR reporter an account OF
the tragedy. 1.-The men were sitting on the bank
about O'Clock" said they; "JOneS was eating his
breakfast. He had his breakfast In his hat. Briggs
came up, and seeing the hat said there's my hat
ana going TO Jones, said let me look at that hat
Jones said IL was not his hat and sprang UP and
they begun hghting. Then Aleck Jones came up,
and ran Briggs down the hill with stones, and
Briggs went away. We thought he had gone for
the police. IL was about half an hour later when
Briggs came back Howard and Williams, who
had been telling this stury together here went TO
the spot where Jones was shot and which was
marked by pool OF blood. Williams Went down
the bank and stood on the street curb to
show where jones stood. Howard stood
on the bank about five feet distant,
and three or four feet above Williams, and he
represented Briggs in the dramatic recital "When
Briggs came up their story went on, "he said,
i want that hat Jones jumped up picked up a
Briggs had piston, said, If you raise that pistol
III Kill you --you;' then Briggs fired. He did
not seem TO take any aim. He fired his pistol just
Ike this, said one OF the men raising his hand
about up to his waist. THAT first Shot struck
Jones. The second shot was fired over his head.
Jones stood on the curb without moving two or
three minutes after he shot, and then fell over
dead Briggs walked away, and as he turned,
called TO friend 4 am going 10 the station house.
the hill and then started on a run
There was some difference OF opinion among the
shot before he fell, and whether the second shot
was fired before or after he fell
BRIGGS STORY
When Briggs reached the third precinct station
he said he had shot man and handed the station
keeper his pistol. 1t was British bulldog pistol
Oh thIrty-tW0 caiDer and Two shots had been fired
from IT. Briggs and Aleck Jones were locked up
In adjoining cells. Briggs Is about twenty Ave
years old, black, and OF good height and athletic
figure His story as told TO STAR reporter is sub
Stantially as follows: About a week ago he bought
new hat and took IL with him TO the "works'
where he and Jones were employed. The hat dis
appeared and he believed Jones took It, This MORN
ing he saw the hat in Jones possession and asked
Tor IL and Jones cursed him. He insisted on having
his hat, and the two Jones brothers, William and
Aieck, attacked him, beating him with stones He
ran from them down the hill and, as he said "ran
OUT or his shoes. His shoes, which were united |
came on, and he continued his flight barefooted |
He ran TO his home on 2:3d street, between L and
NJ, where he got another pair Of shoes and his plS
was, and again demanded his hat. Jones, he said
picked up stone, and Was advancing upon him
when he fired the pistol. He said he could at the
time hardly see Jones, as he had been struck In
the eyes with stone, and his eyes were blood
shot.
THE DEAD MAN.
Jones body was removed in a police patrol
wagon to the morgue a little after 10 O'Clock.
Jones until about two months ago lived In the
West End with his wife, but he left his wife and
had since been living with his mother at GIG Half
street southwest. His BROTHER Nathan, said
William was converted" about two months ago
and left his wife because she was constantly
making complaints against him and having him
arrested.
AN INQUEST TOMORROW.
Coroner Patterson viewed the body at the
morgue this afternoon and decided to hold an In
quest at IL O'Clock tomorrow morning at the sixth
precinct station.
Trannfers OF Real Estate.
Deeds In feenaye been filed as follows: @. Rus
sell TO = ThOrne lot A, so. ia; $500, T. w. Ham,