Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-09-23
Timothy Dempsey Dies From Pistol
( Shot.
WAS RESISTING 4 POLICEMAN
Officer VernS;aIiion's Revolver Went
-
Off by Accident.
WARRANTS SWORN OUT

| HdHleu dempsey, 1eoES0 NnC-
| Carthy. Maurice Davis and John Hurley.
| alias Jimmy Johns. early yesterday morn
ing, Dempsey now lies dead and the others,
| including the policeman. are in custody.
| The story of the affair as related to a
| Star reporter today by the officers of the
ninth precinct Is as follows:
| About 1:3O am. Sunday, Dempsey, Nc
Carthy, Davis and Hurley were assembled
on lot near the corner of LIST and l.
| streets northeast and acted in a very dis
| orderly manner. They had a key Of beer
| from which they drank freely. Policeman
| Verniillion. who was on duty on that beat
hearing the disturbance. approached the
| men and ordered them to dispense. They
refused, and thereupon were placed under
| arrest. AT this juncture Dempsey assault
| ed the policeman and was promptly knock
ed down. The three other men, assisted by
| Dempsey as soon as he could arise. then
attacked Vermfllion. With tie quartet on
top OF him the policeman endeavored to
draw his revolver which he finally succeed
| ed In doing, but it was grabbed by one of
the men, known as Jimmy Johns. During
| the struggle the weapon was accidentally
| discharged. the bullet entering the side Of
dempsey who fell to the ground. Jimmy
johns ran off. but the others were arrested
by Vermillion and turned over to two other
| polfcemen who soon arrived on the scene.
| During the melee VermiIlion received two
severe blows and cuts on the head, a
wound on the neck, and cuts on the hip,
sue ana root. Dempsey was taken to the
emergency Hospital in a patrol wagon by
| Vermillion and another officer.
Although prompt assistance was render
ed the life of the wounded man could not
Dc saved, death ensuing shortly after >
| ociocR yesterday morning. Before he
dled, however, priest from ST. Aloysius
| ChurcE administered the last rites of the
| Catholic faith. Mccarthy and Davis were
placed under arrest, as was Hurley. who
after the fight Vermillion was also de-
| tanned pending an investigation.
Vermillion declined to make a statement
ana the men under arrest could not be
and he Is quoted as saying that the party
| OF four were acting in an entirely orderly
manner when the policeman approached
| dempsey was asleep and Vermlllion
awakened HIM with stroke of his club
ana informed. Dempsey that he was under
arrest The latter started to walk or, when
the officer fired at him twice.
Had Characters.
| The ninth precinct policemen declare that
the four men concerned in the difficulty are
all bad characters! have been placed under
arrest timesl"without number, and that
Dempsey was the more dangerous of the
quartet. They have been In the habit, so
1t Is said, Of unlawfully congregating,
smashing windows, entering and despoiline
1 w
selves obnoxious Hurley and Dempsey, 1t
Is charged, are Row under Indictment fer
assaulting sherir Mullican at Chevy Chase
several months ago.
The policemen believe that the assault
yesterday morning was nothing less han
| an attempt to murder VermilIion, and the
reporter was informed that Jimmy Johns,
on MS way to the station, described the
nght to private Waterman, and added F:
| we were laying for Vermillion, and in
TENDED to do him up, but he was too flip
/ fd f,,-
hcemen that one of the four men under
arrest, while in the ninth precinct station
some time ago. declared that II Vermillion
attempted TO arrest any one Of them he
| Vermillion state that he would have been
fully Justified had he deliberately drawn
his revolver and shot Dempsey. AS the
| pistol was accidentally discharged they
| say, Vermillion should not be held a min
| ute. - 'A
Policeman Vermillion is said to be one of
the best members of the force. having
earned an enviable record during his ca,
reer. He was on duty in the fourth pre-
| cinct, which embraces the notorious
| Bloodheid, until about a week ago, when
ne was transferred to the ninth precinct.
He lives on Capitol Hill and has a wife
| and family.
Dempsey lived with his parents at 1912
1st street, and was employed by his broth
er-ln-iaw, who resides at sos LIST street.
autopsy on the body of the deceased yes
terday, and found that the bullet had en-
tered the body above the left hip and
| passed through the abdominal cavity per-
| forating the intestines in eight places
Death was due to internal hemorrhage.
Swearing Out Warrants.
This morning Policeman Vermilron, &C
comp anied by Acting Sergeant John A.,
| Pearson. went to the Police Court and
swore out a warrant for the three men,
John Early, alias Jimmy john" Richard
Hurley. elias George Mccarthy" and Mar
tin Davis. charging them under the statute
with using PERSONAL violence toward a
| member of the police force He also filed
| against them charge of disorderly con-
| duct.
Davis was out on $500 real estate security
and the others were in the tolls.
| The officers were not ready to proceed
with the hearing, and Judge Kimbali grant
ed continuance Until Friday.
| There " as an attachment in court against
Hurley for non-payment of fine. He was
asked why he had not paid the fine and he
| frankly admitted that he had not been able
| to raise tie amount of the fine. He was
| committed on this case, as well as on the
| rev charges.
The Inquest.
| That unusual interest in the case is felt
was apparent by the large number of per-
| sons in attendance at the inquest this af-
| ternoon at Lees undertaking establish.
ment. The jury summoned by the coroner
comprised Mark Joseph, Burnet L. Menus,
John f. Schneider. Andrew w. He'll l..
Durham. Waiter and John c. Yost Police
] man Vermillon was present, accompanied
| by Attorney Campbell Darlington
Charles Fischer. a bartender was the
first witness. and he testified to hearing the
policeman blow q whistle and to hearing
| the firing of revolver en- the commons
| near LIST and 4 streets northeast early Sum
| day mornings Witness hurried to the scene
and found one nam lying on the ground
| and two officers standing over him. There
| were three other men in the party The
wounded man and the others placed under
| arrest used very abusive language, Demp-
sey saying I'm do the up the
| first chance I get"
petaiIs-o the Affair.
Thomas Blown, colored, the next wit
ness, testified that he was passing near
LIST AMI L streets northeast early Sunday
morning and Saw Dempsey and three others
drinking beer. They called witness vile
rames, threw stones at him and tried to
get him to fight. Soon thereafter witness
| heard a shot, and on returning saw fight
| in progress. Dempsey was lying on the
ground shot and the three others were
beating Vermillion. Other officers arrived
ard the men were placed under arrest
| yV;tpase oopsidered the foIlr mon danporouo