Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-05-28
A BRAKEMAN MURDERED.
Z. c. Atwen Shot by a'Negro - Ivy City
Early This Morning.

Aue fePoft VI sanSe pistoi snot ~ lrlniuhu
about 1880 O'Clock this morning was heard by
the railroad men who were on duty about the
yard a. well a. by several negroes and the
men at the telegraph station. The bullet
from the weapon entered the left side Of the
back Of E. C. Atwen, one of the railroad men.
and resulted in his death in less than thirty
minutes later. The affair, happening - il did
at the midnight hour and among party OF I'M
armed railroad employees, the negro who COM
mitted the deed escaped in the darkness and
had not been captured this morning.
Mr.. Atwell, who was a brakeman about the
yard. had been to the Baltimore and Potomac
Junction on an engine and had returned TO
Trinidad with Pullman car On this
car was colored man named James Wells,
who II Pullman car cleaner. and when
the engine had been put AWAY in the round
house and the car put on the siding the work
OF the crew was finished for the day and they
went to the telegraph office, intending 10 come
to the city on an engine which was expected
there in a few minutes.
APARTY OF SEoBoEs
While waiting for the engine a party Of we'll
dressed negroes, who, it is thought. had at
tended q dance at Jennie Ennels' at IVY CITY,
came along p. A. Riley. the switchman al that
point, and S. A. Gates the telegraph operator
were at the operators quarters aud the other
men were there also waiting for the engine.
-Four negroes, two men and two women,
cainc along and not far behind them came sew
eral others. The negroes evidently wanted to
get on the "owl train 70 come into the CITY and
they mistook section Of the New York xpress for
the train which they expected would stop. Some
Of them were complaining about the train. and
just as they got in front OF the house one OF the
women said she wondered what time the next
train was due
Switchman Riley, evidently thinking the
woman was making the inquiry in good faith,
replied: "Twelve-forty.H
Il amt talking to You, y she muttered. and the
swltchman answered by telling her that he was
not talking TO her.
Then the negro. who was prepared to commit
murder, returned. and using oath inquired
who had spoken TO his friends.
"Come on. sweetheart" called one of the
girls. The men didn't say anything" but
sweetheart was only too willing TO do this
deadly work. and. grabbing AtSen by the throat,
he muttered something. presumably threat,
and was forcing him to the ground when Atwell
broke his handlamp over the mans head. Fol-
lowing this the negro drew his pistol and, press
clothing, he pulled the trigger and sent the
bullet
THROUGH HIS VICTIMS BoDY.
Atwell's clothing caught fire and burned q
large hole in his outer shirt. leaving the
mortally wounded man on the plat
form the negro and his compan-
ions hastened down the railroad
track la the direction OF the city and escaped.
The railroad men made no effort to follow them,
as they were unarmed and not in condition to
resent an attack on part Of the negroes.
The dying man was brought to the city on
the train Before leaving there he said: I'm
shot; send for a doctor"
DIED IN THE DEPOT.
= He was unable to say any more and soon after
the doctor reached his eide. when the train
arrived at the depot, he expired.
Near where the murder happened there was
an electric light which brightly illuminated
that part of the railroad track and gave the
men a chance to get q good look al the muir
derer. Wells, the colored man, and Gates and
Riley, the operator and switchman respectively,
gave substantially the same description OF the
man. He was copper colored and wore pair
of light striped trousers. All agree that he had
mustache, but they differ as to whether he had.
side chin whiskers.
Mr.. Atwell, the murdered man, was twenty
one years old and was employed on the road
about three weeks ago He had formerly been
employed or the Baltimore and Potomac road
His father, Ewell Atwell, resides near Lees
burg, Va. The deceased boarded at No. 2l9 I'd
street northeast.
THE REVOLVER FOUND.
A revolver, evidently the weapon used in the
homicide, was found early this morning, where
it had been dropped through the railroad ties
into culvert Just this side Of Florida avenue.
The weapon was found by two boys, Frank
and Charles Osborne, who were playing ball on
the commons. The ball rolled under the track.
and when thev went to get it they found the
weapon. Word was sent to the police, and OH
GERS Oliver and Parker Of the sixth precinct
secured the weapon and took it to the morgue
to hold as evidence at the inquest. The re-
volver was Of the Harrison 4 Richardson
pattern, similar to the Smith 4 Wesson. II
was 3s-csliber and one empty shell was found
in il. The other chambers were loaded.
HUNTING FOR THE MURDERER.
Early this morning the police started the in
vestigstion and Special Officer J. NJ. Green,
colored. who is in the employ of the railroad
edy. Inspector NcCathran detailed Detectives
Boyd and Trammen on the case and the police
feel certain that they will apprehend the
murderer. Special Officer Green con-
yerscd d., with person: in and aeou.
he suspected that the man who did the shoot
ing was named Wallace, and he also learned
that the man had gone in the direction Of Alex
andria.
REhus cARTKR ARRESTED.
Later in the day the mounted officers Of the
eighth precinct arrested Rcmus Carter, colored,
at the toll gate and he was locked MP at No. 6 on
suspicion. Carter lives in Ivy City and
Policeman Creagh suspected that
he knew something Of the tragedy. He denied
knowing anything about the shooting and
said that he attended q revival at the
church last evening. He says he saw
Carter about six o'clock last evening,
when he started from Ivy City to come in town
and that he then wore pair of blue trousers
and jockey cap.
Coroner Patterson viewed the body of the
dead man and decided to hold an inquest at $50
o'clock this afternoon.
Deputy Coroner Schaeffer made an autopsy
this afternoon and found that the bullet had
passed through the liver and inflicted other
damage which rendered recovery impossible.
THE INQUEST.
Policeman Oliver summoned jury and the
witnesses and Coroner Patterson began the in
vestieation, calling the railroad men as wit
nesses.
At the first precinct this afternoon the officers
had under arrest the colored woman named En-
neIls or Eno,ds who lives at Ivy City, whose
name Is mentioned above. She is held as
q witness, and although she says she knows
nothing Of the affair the officers expect her to
give the names Of some city people who were
in Ivy City last night.
p. SUICIDE OF MR.. FREE.