The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-12-08
KILLED WHILE STEALING.
A Negro Named Smith Shot while Lew
ing "A Hen House.

On Wednesday night about II o'clock
Mr. n. T. Ames. who lives on the Nine
Mile road, about two miles from this city
shot and fatally wounded negro man
named Jesse Smith. whom he caught in
his hen-house stealing chickens.
1 interviewed Mr.. Ames yesterday, and
he gave me the following statement:
For some time" ne said. II have been
troubled by repeated depredations upon
my hen-house, and on three occasions /
have lost a number Of chickens.
ITO protect myself against the thieves
| had my hen-house door connected with
my sleeping apartments by an electric
wire. which rings a bell when the hen
house door is opened. On Wednesday
night about IL o'clock ] heard this bell
ring, and at once opened my window.
saw a figure coming out Of my hen-holse
| 'hallowed' TO the person 20 stop. but
he paid no attention to me, and started
off on the run. ! then fired twice IN
quick succession.
"As soon as l could dress / went over
to my neghbor, Mr.. J. &. Fowler, awoke
him, and together we returned to see II
we could find any trace OF the marauder.
There were blood stains near the hen
house. which we tracked 10 my barn,
where we saw a figure apparently sit
ting down and uttering groans from time
to time.
II hailed the figure, but it did not an
swer. / then said, IF you do not answer
III shoot again. Whereupon the man
said, am shot; my God, why did ! steal
these chickens
eve then went and brought Dr. A. l..
cd
did not consider his wounds fatal Al
that time he gave his name as Tom
Johnson.
81 got out a warrant from Squire T. p.
Larus, and brought the man to the coun-
" fail about 2:45 o'clock yesterday morn
ing. When 1 shot / aimed low so as TO
hit him in the legs, but as he was bent
over running the shot took effect In his
back. The negro died In the Jail about
4:3O o'clock yesterday morning"
The Man.
viewed the body yesterday. Smith is
dark skinned, about five feet and half
tall His face was clean shaved, but he
wore a small moustache. He was rather
bald and had high Torch, ad, with an
egg-shaped head. I also examined his
wounds. He was shot in his right side
and in the small Of his back. The wounds
were those Of small shot, such as are
used In a shot gun. His shirt was satu-
rated with blood, but from the fact that
blood ran from his mouth before he
died he must have bled internally.
l questioned several OF the prisoners who
saw him die One of them told me that
al the time of his death he seemed to be
in an attitude OF prayer, when suddenly
he fell over as If in commissions and died
in great agony.
Smith has been a notorious character
all his life. He was once sent 20 tail for
a year for stealing chickens. He was also
sent TO the penitentiary upon three
charges Of horse-stealing for three years
each. He was a member Of the famous
Chapman horse-thief gang. who used tc
operate around this city some years ago
Smith seemed TO be about forty years
old He was pardoned before serving out
his last term, and his friends hoped he
would turn over a new leaf. but he i'm
mediately took to his old tricks.
He had many aliases. The following
are few of them: William Smith. Charles
Braton. Tom Johnson. and Jesse Smith
He lived on Eighteenth street, and
worked in a tobacco factory.
Coroner A. L. Leftwich held an inquest
upon the body in the upper Jail room al
$3.50 o'clock yesterday afternoon. YER
dict OF justifable homicide was found
and Mr.. Ames exonerated from all blame
The body viii be buried by friends OF
the deceased.
Mr.. Ames Is a member Of the firm OF
Murphy & Ames. lumber merchants, do
ing business on Broad between Twentieth
and Twenty-first streets.