Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-03-21
THE DEADLY PISTOL AGAIN.
A Fourteen-Year-Old Boy Fatally Shot
I'm Front Of Church Last Night

L
DEATH or JAMES A. NELSON. THE vIcrIx-ARREsT
OF STUMP" LAWS, A SEVENTEEN YEAR-oIp
| BOY, on A CHARGE OF MURDER-BoTH BOYS ARE
ooLoRED-HELLs BOTTOM THE SCENE.
| "Deed mister, God knows didn't know il
was loaded, said George Laws alias stump"
seyenteen-year- colored boy who was
behind the bars at the second precinct station
this morning. charged with the murder Of Jas.
/ A. Nelson alias Tim" The shooting which
led TO the charge occurred in "HelrsB ottom,"
not far from the door Of the Fifth Baptist (col-
ored) church, on Vermont avenue between Q
and streets, adding yet another to the long
list of tragedies in that section The church.
IN front Of which the shooting occurred. is
known as Brooks church" because the late
Rev. Brooks was it's pastor for many years.
| Some months ago there were many
| complaints made about the disorderly
| negroes who congregated in front of the
cnurch and one or more of those who were
| rested were relieved of the razors with which
| they were armed and were sent down. There
was preaching in the church last night and
among those who attended the services were
stump Laws, Tim" Nelson and William
| Iravers alias 'Tootsey" Ii was about 10
o'clock when the Rev. Mr.. Lee pronounced
the benediction and the members of the con-
| gregation started for their homes As is usual
| after services number of young men loitered
about the church door and others stopped
| along the square 10 have chat before return
| ing to their homes
| THE SHOOTING.
The church was almost cleared of people
and the sexton was putting out the lights, when
| suddenly the report Of pistol was heard the
| almost lifeless body of Tim" Nelson dropped
to the pavement and stump Laws disap-
| peared almost as quickly as though he had
frad mt nj ~ 10
| Burga's drug store was made a temporary
hospital of, but nothing could be done for th,
wounded boy, as the bullet had passed through
his right eye. Policemen Daley and Petritz
| soon arrived with the patrol wagon and con-
veyed the dying boy to Freedman's hospital
| When the shooting occurred VIM. Nelson.
brother of the boy who shot, was only a
| few feet from the scene of the tragedy. and
when he helped to pick his dying brother up
and carry him to the drug store he asked the
dying one
''Who shot your"
The reply was: stump Laws shot me
through the eye."
| DEATH OF THE VICTIM.
When the officers arrived at the hospital the
wounded boy was still alive, but could not talk
He died in few minutes. DIR. Shadd directed
that the body be removed to the morgue and
the officers complied with the doctors order.
THE ARREST OF STUMP" LAWS
'Stump" Laws was looked Tor by the officers.
He did not return to the home of his parents
on Covington street, but went to the home of
his sister, No. 1919 18th street Sergeant Dun
| nlgan and Officer Moreland visited the house
mentioned and searched for the fugitive. They
iookes all through the house and found only
one room door locked They secured a key
to the door and upon entering the room they
| discovered Stump" in bed under the cover.
He was frightened and nervous and instead of
doing like the last person pursued in that
nelghborhood for killing another, that is, re-
slstlng and numbering the officer, stump
submitted quietly to arrest and was locked up.
THE DEAD BOY
was fifteen years old and had been in the en-
ploy of Mr.. Kengla at Rhode Island avenue
and 10th street for more than a year.
The weapon used was small twenty-five
caliber revolver. Before it could be discharged
the hammer had TO be lifted.
STATEMENT OF THE PRISONER
The youthful prisoner told STAR reporter
this morning that he did not intend to shoot
Tim, as they had always been friends. Il
| was going to New York tonight he said. and
| / wanted to get rid of the weapon before going
gave it to my cousin, ALT White, yesterday TO
| examine and he kept il all day. took the
cartridges out of the pistol before handing il to
my cousin and when he gave it back TO me
put 1T III my pocket, thinking it
was still unloaded After he gave me
| the pistol / went to church and when serv-
ices were over i went outside. Travers said TO
me, come on. Tim, are you going homer /
answered all right and he added: Then come
on We made start for home, when Nelson
came up. He and Iravers had some words
about Travers' umbrella and shoes, but dom {
remember exactly what was said. Travers
then said, oh, oh, you needn't talk. I've got
good shoes
"Travers and myself" continued the pris-
oner, started off together under Travers'
umbrella, when Nelson ran between us and
| grabbed me and said something l don't know
| pistol would drop out OF my pocket and SO
| took ii out to save having any trouble. Nelson
again made start toward me and then the
| shot was fired"
Did you intend to shoot him?"
No, indeed. The pistol went of accident
ally"
"How did it go off without you raised the
| hammer?"
Il don't know: If Iraised the hammer
Where did you get the weapon?" the re-
porter inquired
lit was given to me about five wears ago."
was his reply. 'by a woman named Allen. in
whose employ then was L never carried it
out until yesterday.
/ William Travers, about whom the discussion
occurred was arrested and locked up as a wit
ness: he told reporter this morning his
version of the affair.
STATEMENT OF TRAvERs.
He said that he was the only one of the two
who had an umbrella. He and Stump" Laws
were talking together when Tim Nelson, the
deceased, came up. He CTravers) remarked:
Its a wet night and it's nice thing to have
| an umbrella"
What's the use Of having a good umbrella
| and bad shoes?' asked Nelson.
| He (Travers) denied that his shoes were bad
and he offered to go to d gas lamp and show
| them. Nelson refused TO go and he and
| stump" Laws walked aside
Travers was waiting for them to finish the
conversation, and just as he turned to call to
| them the shot was fired. He says that there
was something said between Laws and Nelson,
but he could not hear what it was He saw
Nelson fall to the ground and then Laws came
running by and said:
| "Oh Lord, have shot Stump"
The pistol used, it is said was dropped on
| the pavement as soon as il was discharged but
| the police could not learn what became of il
| last night.