Asheville daily citizen. [volume] (Asheville, N.C.) 1890-1900, 1894-08-21
HAPPY HOLLOW KILLING
4 MURDER ON ACCOUNT or A
WOMAN
Will MCDANIEL Shoots Charley
Erwin Who Had Been Called
To The Door By Henry We BIB
The Principals All COlOret d BOY u.

The Principals All COI0red HOY y.
Hannah Winters S colorcd woman
who liv's in a house in Happy Hollow,
a little way off Eagle strect-a region
that is not always free from necessary
visits from the police. For while Will
Mcdaniel, a colored lad of alb ut 16
paid court to the Winters woman X
Gently, however. c ,rlev Erwin, a colored
bootblack. known am ing MS associates
as "Terrapin," had been bestowing his
attentions on the woman, and with ap-
parent displacement of Mcdaniel as a
suitor. This was r, sented by Mcdaniel,
and it is said there had been a quarrel
between the boys on the subject.
Last night about II O'Clock Mcdaniel
and another colored boy, Henry Webb
by name, or Bull" as he is best known.
went to the Winters woman's house,
where they found Erwin. Going
near the door, Webb called Erwin out.
Erwin responded, and as he came out
Mcdaniel fired at him twice with pis-
tol. Erwin turned and started toward
the back door, when McD aniel fired two
more shots through the window. Erwin
reached the rear door. fell and rolled al.
most into the branch which runs near
the house.
The first news given the police that
there was trouble in the Hollow, was
when Sarah Tavlor found Patrulman
Powers on the square about II O'Clock
and tod him tnat there was fight
going on there. and asked him to go
down and arrest the boys for fighting a
woman. The officer started tor the
scene. but when near Rev. Rumley's
church on Eagle street, he met colored
woman who told him McDmi had shot
and killed Erwin, and Webb and McDan.
rel had escaped down Valley street. Mr..
Powers turned back and on South Man
met DR.. Charles f. billiard.
The phvsici IN and officer went to the
scene OF the killing and DR.. Hlliard made
an examination of the body, which
showed that Erwin had apparently b; en-
shot through the heart and also through
the right forearm. Death had been
almost instantaneous. The wounds ap-
pearcd to have been made by Al cali
Der bullet.
Patrolman Powers returned to the
square, where he found patiolmen
Stephenson and Shuford. who said they
had met Mcdaniel and Webb Il little
while before on Haywood street ear The
Catholic church. Then began a hunt
that resulted successfully after about
three hours work. Officers Stephenson
and Shutord took the trail on which the
boys had been seen, while MIR. Powers,
Constable X. T. Poor and George Nc
Dowcll started for the depot. They
went down Church street, searching two
houses without result. They went
through Cripple Creek. thence to the de-
pot and up the track OF the Southern
towards Biltmorr. At the coal shute
they were told by an .mployc that two
bo, s answering the description Of those
wanted had passed there, and were
heard to say something about being in
Spartanburg in the morning. With
this clue the searchers hurried on to Bit
more, where they found the boys sleep
ing as calmly as il there was no stain OF
human blood on their hands. in the ell
gine house at the Vanderbilt brick works.
When the boys were placed under ar
rest Mcdaniel acknowledged shooting
four times. He was searched for the
pistol with which the crime was com
mittcd, but it was not found. lie ex-
planned this by saying that when neat
Biltnore they had been met by a man
who caught and choked him, knocked
off his hat and took the pistol from
him. In partial substantiation of this
his hat was found some distance from
the place of arrest.
The boys were brought to the city and
placed in the city lookup until this morn
ing, when they were transferred to the
county Jail.
Coroner l.. B. McBrayer was notifiec
of the killing about midnight and sum
moning =. l.. Cowan, L II Mcrrimon
Eugene Cunningham. J. II. LouHhran
W. B. Rcsan and N. p. Cornish as jury
men went TO the scene. partial exam
mat on was made and witnesses wcr
summoned Tor the inquest. A post NOR
tenn examination was set for 2 p. m
today.
Erwin's body was removed to the un
dcrtaking rooms of Brewton & McCon
nell on North Main. The dead boy hat
the reputation OF an inofensive darkey
Mcdaniel has done time on the city chail
garg.
The quick work done on this case b,
the officers is commendable and show
the value of AShcyille's force.