The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1891-08-04
As uNoAIIrp roR snoorIso.
A ceiored Man Shot and Probably
Fatally Wounded by tho State Dee
tecfiyea.


Henry Pryor, colored, eB years of age,
was shot and probably fatally injured
by Detective McVey. Pryor, with sew
eral others, were playing a game of
Sweat" on what is known as Marsh
lane, in the rear of the works OF the
Harlan Il Hollingsworth Company.
Detectives McVey and Witsil, by pass
ing through the yard OF the Harlan It
Hollingsworth Company, were enabled
to come on the men unawarea, and
Mcyey seized Pryor. He, however,
broke away and ran, when both officers
dischatging their revolt
vers at him.
They called to him to stop several
times, and as he did not heed them,
they continued to shoot, when sud
denly the man stopped running, and
sat down upon ditch bank. The de-
tectives went up to him, and upon
finding that he was shot, procured a
chair on which TO carry him to the
house OF Hezekiah Williams, No. 121
West Liberty street, where he was laid
on sofa. Witsil remained with the
wounded man, while McVey went to
tho nearest telephone and reported the
facts to police station. The patrol
was sent TO the place, and when it
reached the house 1t was surrounded
by a crowd OF at least fifty people, both
colored and white. The house is stu
ated at the end of the street where it
is cut OF by the siding Of the Will
mington and Northern railroad, an d
this end wns. completely filed. a
small crowd also followed the patrol
wagon bearing the injured man to the
charge of Sergeant Ingram. When
the police station was reached IL was
difficult to keep the crowd out of the
station house. DR.. A. b. Harris, act
ing police surgeon, was present and
after temporarily dressing the mans
/ wounds he ordered him sent to the
/ hospital. Pryor was at once taken to
| the Homeopathic Hospital in the pa
troll wagon. He was accompanied by
| Captain Francis.
During the time that Pryor was be-
ing attended to, be remained perfectly
conscious, and told Captain Francis
that when the officers made their ap-
pearance he was merely looking at the
others play game OF Grape, but had
| taken no part In 1t himself.
| DIR. J. Harmer Rile was at the hospi-
tai when the patrol wagon arrived
with Pryor, and he Immediately prob.
ed for the ball, but he was unable to
[ locate it. The bullet entered the mans
right side, and Is supposed to have
passed into his stomach and lodged
there. The great danger to be feared
is from peritonitis, which is liable to
set in at any time.
Detectives McVey and Witsil went t.
Sergeants Ingram and Chambers, and
gave themselves up, when Chamber:
accompanied the detectives to theil
homos, to give them an opportunity
to explain the matter to their wives
They were then returned to police sta
ton, and locked up in the chief'sroou
on the second floor.
An effort was made TO find Attorney
General John Biggs, to ascertain If tn
oifense was bailable one, but MI
Biggs was at his farm in Millington
An effort was then made to find Attor
ney General Davis, but he was at tn
tarm OF Mr.. Biggs on visit. Som
one suggested that City Solicito
Charles NJ. Curtis. who is deput
attorney general to prosecute cases a
: the Municipal Court, be found and al
opinion secured trop him on the mat
ter, providing he had the authority I
give IL, but Mr.. Curtis is also absen
from the city.
Captain Francis, who is acting chic
therefore had no other course to pun
.
learned il they can he released on bail
I'll Detective McVey made the followin
I statement concerning the matter las
s evening;
| This morning we (meaning Dete
| tive Witsil and himself) went out I
) Robert Smiths house on Rodne
/ street and got q description OF til
Q men who robbed the house on Satul
: day night
THE description OF one Of the me
: answered that of Amos Tucker, VIII
0 at one time was employed by Thomt
|. liirchall who was foreman at the Del
d ware pulp mills yard, and we were &
e ing there to see him and If possible
" ascertain his (rucker's) whereabouts
= "But previous to this We had be-
notified by workman ut the pu
j. mills that almost every day some &C
70 ored men played sweat and shootiI
% crap on the old Marsh lane leading
d the company's works.
r well, when we started to see abo
al Tucker we thought we would also
y possible catch The men who made
practice of gambling on the road.
" get good view OF the gamblers v
l. went to tho Office of The Harlan Al
" Hollingsworth Company and ask
n permission to go through the col
10 pdiN yarn, 81 do W tlldtlt us TO X
y q good view OF the gamblers n
g, catch them while playing The reque
81 was granted. We got key at the 81
Die which opened the gate on the {
RS Marsh road and exactly opposite
ls where Pryor was playing his games
II. when tho cato was opened we 81
d. Pryor sitting on Il small wooden brid
re- over the Old Tan ditch. | went
DIS him and told him that l wanted hi
5, | seized him and he broke away a
ut jumped into the ditch. He ran zap
l." ly up the ditch and | yelled to him
az stop. He kept running rapidly aN
he from me, and when lie did not stop
il my calls | drew my revolver and III
one shot in the ditch. The mud dasl
be into the air and Pryor was at least.t
u feet from where the bullet struck.
HE then leaped from the ditch a
ran across u field toward the Philat
phia, Wilmington and Baltimore II
'on road. yelled several times ut him
stop and give himself up, but he c
tinued to run and / fired two IN
:, shots in the air to Brighten him. I
did not even stop his pace.
continued on and l told Witsil
run around the lot and catch him. I
he did and fired two shots in the all
m frighten him, but he never stopped
" VI iS lNbfllcu tiib lulliOttl lldCht aD
are 800 yards from the bridge where
cen started TO run.
be when he reached the railroad Tn
ion he sat down and We soon came up
ror him.
So Il went up to him and putting
hands On his shoulder said: Go
get up out OF this
He got up, and said: What's
matter with your He replied:
ub- hurt
flth II asked him If he was shot, and
It answered yes, and put his his hand