Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-10-12
SHOT BY AN OFFICER.
A pRUNkEN NEGRO RAISES A ROW AND
GETS A WOUND.
Lewis BIair Assaults Policeman Gibson
Who Has to Use His Pistol
In seIfDsfence.

"a negro has been shot by . policeman
and killed near the Third police station
This was the wording of a telephone
message received at the Dispd'ch Office JUST
after 10 o'clock last night.
The person who kindly gave the infor-
nation was friend Of this paper who
happened TO be not far from the scene OF
the occurrence. He told only what he
heard and what he believed TO be entirely
true. though it did not prove to be exactly
as told.
The next west-bound electric car was
boarded by reporter. who in very re"
minutes was in the statiOn-house at the IN,
tersectlon of Brook avenue and Marshaii
street.
Officer Gibson. il was learned, had shot q
negro named Lewis Blair through the reg
under what appears TO have been sIea'
provocatlon.
WHY IT WAS DONE.
The circumstances Of the shooting are
best told in the officers own words IN the
following statement TO the Dispatch man;
Il first noticed Blair on Broad street be-
tween Gilmer and Graham. He was drunk
and interfering with women passing.
stopped him and collsred him ana ne
caught hold of me and drew back 10 MT
me. held on to him and started LOT Ing
station-house. had trouble with hlm all
the way down Broad street, On Jeuerson
between Broad and Marshall he struck m 9
a terrible blow with his fist and knocked
me down. He ran down Jefferson to-
wards Broad. headed him OF at Broad
and he ran back up Jefferson towards MAT
shall, and turning into Kamcat alley no
ran towards Madison. / caught mp with
him and he struck me again severai ZINES.
took out my pistol on Jefferson street
after ne knocked me down. warned him
in the alley after he attempted to strike mo
/ that If he did hit me again l would shoot
| He started towards me again and hred
over his head. He did not stop and shot
him in the leg. lie ran about 100 yards
aftec ne was shot"
THE WOUND NOT SERIOUS.
Immediately after the shooting Blair
was carried 10 the Third station-house and
DIR. Brock summoned. The ball had gone
entirely through tho lower part OF the
right leg. breaking one of the smaller
/ bones, and was found in the mans sock.
/ DIR. Brock dressed the wound, when is
/ by no means a serious ono: BAR kept up
| an awful grooming and yelling. lie was 80
/ drunk that il was with difficulty that tho
wound could be bandaged. me Doctor
/ said he had often seen five hundred wound
! ed Confederatcs at one time VINO dlq not
/ make as much fuss altogether as BLAIR
| did. A sister of tho wounded mar. was
CRYING and moaning at the top OF her
voice and raised such a disturbance that
abe had to be ordered out of the house.
BA1LED AND TAKEN HOMIE.
| About IL o'clock Blair was balled and
! carried to his home. in the rear OF 2O5 west
| Grace, only few blocks of, by two Color
/ ed men. ,.,
Blair is q powerful negro, and is employ
| ed by Mr.. Ketherwood as O helper 10 his
stOne-cutters.
THE OFFICERS INJURIES.
Policeman Gibson was badly used up;
| The upper portion of his mouth is cut al,
| TO pieces, his Jaws areseverely bruised ana
swollen. aud his right arm has a severe
J abrasion near the elbow. His fellow-ofi;
GERS and better class of negroes considered
him perfectly justified in what ne dld. ana
/ did not see how he could well do other
| wise.
A crowd of several hundred colored peo-
ple followed the policeman and wounded
man up the police-station stars.
CHARGE THREATENED.
They were cleared out in hurry, but
hung around the door. At one time Cap
tain Hulce thought he would have TO ordei
a charge on the crowd, but they seeing
that he was in earnest finally drew on,
Several hundred negroes followed ban
/ when no was taken home.
For a time large part OF the negro
population was seriously disturbed, the
rumor having gotten abroad that Blail
] was killed.