Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-12-25
Tom Craven Claims Self Defense for
a Shooting.
FATAL JACKSON CITY TRAGEDY
Both Men Were Followers of the
Races.
S ILL II + L d H E r E

The lawlessness that has pervaded the
little village at the south end of the Long
bridge, known as jackson City" ended
last night in a murder. Reuben Mills, bet
ter known as big Rube," was the victim,
while frequenter of the race track named
Thomas Craven is charged with the crime.
A telephone message giving the news of
the murder was received at police head
quarters last night, and on the strength
OF this message a young man named Thos.
Craven,wh lives on Capitol Hill, was ar
rested and locked up. He was arrested
simply because his name is Craven, and
being the wrong man he was discharged
from custody.
This afternoon, however, the right Tom
Craven. the man who did the killing, sent
for Detectives Horne, Weldon and Boyd
and met them at the corner of 9TH and IL
streets southwest and signified a willing
ness to return to Alexandria county with
out the formality of a re0uisition.
The Scene Of the Crime.
"Joes saloon. kept by Joe Thomas, was
the scene of the tragedy. A number of
men had gathered in there after the races
on Alexander Island and several of them
were seated in the dining room adjoining.
waiting for their dinners to be served.
big Rube' was at one of the tables
waiting for his dinner, and when the waiter
came in he asked him if dinner was ready.
It's ready for gentlemen" was the re-
spouse of the waiter, and after a pleasant
conversation of a minute or two Craven
made remark to the effect that Mills was
hot much of a gentleman, after ALL rms
remark, coming as it did from frequenter
OF the track, was considered an insult
which Mills felt called upon to resent, and
presently the crowd interfered to prevent
Mills from lnJuring Craven.
The men were then parted, but shortly
afterward the affair was resumed in the
bar room where Craven had gone and had
secured a pistol Mills, il is said, started
to use a chair on Craven, and the fatal
shooting followed.
"koys, I'm done for said the dying
man, as he fell to the floor. Then he be-
came unconscious
Craven started out of the place, and sew
eral of the men att' mpted to place him
under arrest but he pointed the weapon at
them and frightened off the whole crowd.
Then he disappeared in the darkness.
Friends of the dying man procured
carriage and started with him toward the
Emergency Hospital. but when the hos
pital was reached he was dead. His body
was then sent to the mOrgue
The authorities now have the dead man
and the alleged murderer, but not word
had been heard from the Virginia arthori-
ties this afternoon. Until something is
heard from them an inquest will not pe
held.
Claims Sel1-De1cnSc.
The prisoners appearance and statement
would lead to the belief that the shooting
was in seIf-defense. That he was brutal
ly assaulted there is no doubt, for he has
the wounds to show for it, and his state
ment is that he fired to save his own life.
Several persons who We're present when the
affair happened corroborate his statement.
In conversation with a Star reporter the
/ prisoner said he was unable to tell just how
the trouble started. Mills. he said, had
been drinking, and after he had been do
ing considerable talking, he directed his
remarks toward him (Craven), and ne ask
ed him Nv hats the NATTER"
4 Amt no dog he said Mills responded
and finally the latter, who was much
larger man, assaulted him.
Tie said ne was knocked down and kicked
in the face and chest by Mills, and he has
a broken nose to show for the rough treat
ment he received. In addition to this, his
eye is black and his face terribly Scared
Then. too, there is a footprint on his shirt
front.
The Fight Renewed.
When they had been separated, and Mills
was apparently quiet, Craven says he went
in the saloon and walked behind the bar to
look in the glass at his wounds. While
there, he says, he saw some of the men
holding Mills, who seemed anxious to re-
new the fight, and he (Craven) picked up
the pistol.
Then Mills grabbed the chair and made
a rush toward him.
Il had beer so badly treated by his feet
without a chair" said Craven, that / did
rot know what he would do with the chair,
and SO / had to defend myself
Friends of both the prisoner and the
dead man who called at headquarters to-
day had something to say about the repu-
tation of the dead man. They said that
when sober Mills was a quiet man. but
when under the influence Of liquor he was
quarrelsome. They also told of the num-
Der of assaults in which he had partici-
City, and said his victims were invariably
much smaller than himself, and in several
instances they were boys.
When the Virginia authorities investigate
the matter and conclude that a crime has
been committed they may send over for
the prisoner.
The Parties to the Tragedy.
Tom Craven. the man who did the killing
| is about thirty-four years old. and lives
| with his father on street near the sixth
| precinct staten. For some time past he
| has been frequenting the race track and
| the Jackson City places, and had become
| well known among the so-called sporting
| fraternity. His father, who drives a coach
for the Hotel Narnum, called at police
| headquarters this morning and saw In
! spector Holinberger. He said that his son
did not come home last might, and he had
| been informed that he had gone to Aiexan-
dria to surrender to the authorities.
| The dead man who is twenty-seyen years
| old. was a powerfully built man. 1t is
\ said that he came from Ontario, although
he had lived in East st. Louis and had
| been engaged as trainer for j. j. Ryan of
ST. Louis. He was also engaged train
er for pugilists, and it said trained Billy
| Mcmillan, who claims to he pugiiist.
| The bullet entered mis- left breast, in the
region Of the heart, and passed entirely
| through the body.
L VOW AIAEn At II AGING