Connecticut western news., 1889-05-15
SHOT TO PIECES IN COURT.
A Burglar Cuts a Dctectivo's Throat
 on the Witness Stand.

For some time pnst carnival of crime kos been enacted in the two Kansas cities, Mo- at the mouth of the Raw. Recently Police Sergt Cahill of Kansas City, Kan killed Q colOred boy, William Stewart for smoking d cigarette, as it is against the law for minors to smoke or dealers to sell tobacco to them.
 In the city across the Kaw the little court room of Justice Lewis was crowded with people. James Smtl, was having n prelim. nary examination on the charge of burglary. One of the evidences of the crime was large knife found on the premises after the burg Iary, and known to belong to Smith, It was lying open on the desk before Squire Lewis Detective Gilley was on the stand giving his evidence, which was most damaging against the accused, who sat behind him. Without a moments warning Smith jumped from his chair, seized the knife and drew it across tho neck of the unsuspccting detective. almost decapitating him.
 Brandishing his bloody knife, Smith en- deavored to cut his way to liberty. The first bar he met was Officer Malone, whom he stabbed madly in the right thigh, but the furious murderer did not get far before the wounded office put q bullet into his brain and another into his body.
 Detective Gilley, with blood pouring from his throat, rose to his knees and fired three shots into the already lifclcss body of Smith. The courtroom had now become the scene of the widest confusion. Men wcre rushing madly for the door and others were firing revolvers in their excitement. A bullet hit m innocent spectator, Charles Dukes, the wcigher at Armour's Elevator Company, receiving severe but not dangerous wound in the right leg Smith was shot to pieces by | the cool olheaded officer. Detective Gilley's aim, notwithstanding his fearful wound, was true, and Malone, too, poured deadly volIey into the burglar. Three of tho bulls lodged in his head one in the abdomen and the fifth in the neighborhood of the heart The shots were at close range and some of them passed clean through tho head.
 Smith wns known as a desperate man. He had been in jail about three weeks What | could have caused him to make such n futile | and desperate attempt to escape cannot be | imagined. It was tho shecrest madness, and tEere was not one chance in thousand that | he would get free.
 w. H. Bl undell. Of Kansas City, Kan, who | was present at the time of the tragedy, says | off the affuir: "I was on the avenue when the | two wounded men, Malone and Dukes, were | carried from q delivery wagon to Dr. Gray s | office l hnstened to the Justices court. room, where Detective Gillpy was lying in the l agoncs of death. Tho most intense excite
 ment prevailed The patrol wagon was sum
 moned and sent at full speed for Inc children of tho officer. Tho doors leading to tho courtroom were closed and locked aud all admttance denied. talked with people
 who witnessed the desperate act. The court had just commenced and the roll of wit witnesses ;,. was ,epg ison, ea'Ir;l l
 seat, and. like lightning. struck the officer
 vSth the open blade of n pockct.knifc. The
 blow was aimed with deadly certainty, and
 tho blood spurted in agrcat volume from the
 ugly wound. Smith instantly turned and | struck officer Malone on the leg but before
 he could straghtcn himself to attempt to
 reach the door the officers began to fire upon
 him. Inside of three seconds he was riddlcd | with five shots and sunk upon the floor dead. | Detective Gilley one of the oldest and
 ablest men on the force, and had incurred the
 hatred of Smith, having worked up the bur.
 glary case against him"
 Smith is said to have come from Denver and
 it is claimed was sent to the Leavenworth | Penitentinry for murder He was about tbr- | ty-fve years of age, of small stature and dark
 com mplexon, He is said to have graduated
 originally from one of the New York gangs