Los Angeles herald. [volume] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1890-1893, 1890-10-04
A Sensational Tragedy at
Fresno.
A Game of Seven-Up Results in
Murder.
Percy Williams, of Stockton, Killed
by Jack Smith.
The Murderer Has an Arm Broken by
Shot from His Victims Pistol
Cards and Whisky.


ASSS
FRESNO, CAL, Oct. 3.-Percy Williams,
of Stockton, was shot and instantly
killed in the bar room of Hughes hotel
at 4:3O this morning, by Jack Smith, a
hackman. Smith and Williams had
been gambling and got into an alterca-
ton. Blows were exchanged, and it is
said Williams drew revolver, shooting
Smith in the elbow. Smith almost SIM
ultaneously drew a pistol and shot
Williams through the heart, and he fell
near the bar dead. Smith was placed
under arrest and Williams body was
taken in charge by the coroner. Will
iams was brother of Tom Williams, a
well known horse man OF San Joaquin
county. Four shots in all were fired.
Williams was here attending the fair.
and is said to have lost heavily in the
pools and gaming. Last night he began
shaking dice for money, and drinking
heavily, becoming intoxicated and
Quarrelsome. 1t is said he made threats
against Smith during the evening, and
his friends tried to persuade him to 60
to bed. Finally Smith and Williams
went to card room and began playing
seven-up for 500 side, Bud
Breeder stalking both men. The
last game played stood: Will
liams 5 and Smith 6, the
latter dealing. Williams begged and
Smith said: "I'll give you =; no l
can't do that" But Williams in the
meantime laid down nine spot which
was high, and claimed the stake.
Both men jumped up from the table
and exchanged blows, but were sep
arated by their companions who urged
that they 60 tine bar and take a drink.
As they stepped up to the bar the quar-
rel was renewed and Smith applied an
offensive epithet to Williams. The lat
ter drew his pistol and fired two shots at
Smith. one of which struck him in the
left forearm, breaking the bones, and the
other missing him and lodging in the
wall. Smith at once drew and fired at
Williams, his first shot missing, but the
second hit Williams near the right nip
pie and passed through his heart. Will
liams fell dead.
Smith at once called for surgeon and
subsequently surrendered himself to
Officer Anderson. When the coroner
took charge of Williams body his pistol
> had disappeared, and is supposed to
have been removed by friends of the de-
ceased. There were but three or four
witnesses to the affray, and they are
very reticent. Smith when interviewed
by an Expositor reporter, refused to
make any statement.
At the coroner's inquest, the deputy
coroner certified that he had removed
Williams pistol from his hands. Three
chambers had been discharged. There
was but one undischarged chamber be.
TIVE n them.
DIR. Maupin testified as to the wound
the ball entering directly at the right
nipple and passing through the body.
Dan Brown testified that the men had
been playing cards and quarrelled over
the game and quit. When they
went into the bar room Smith continued
to talk about the game, and said he
never would pay Brown the money he
had borrowed, and finally struck Brown,
knocking him down; he then struck
Williams, and when Brown recovered
his feet the shooting was going on.