The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-11-13
SHOT UNDER AN UPLIFTED AK.
POLICEMAN BRADLEY PUTS TWO
BULLETS INTO VIM. SMITH.

I
Said to BE Weak-Minded.
William Smith, colored, was shot and
probably fatally wounded by Policeman
Bradley yesterday morning. The shoot
ing occurred at Hull and Whitaker streets
| about Il O'Clock, and created great excite
ment The sight of the wounded man
covered with blood Infatuated the negro
women in the neighborhood and many
ugly remarks were made by the men.
The wounded man was taken in the po-
lice ambulance to the barracks, where
| DR.. w. F. Drummer was called to attend
him. DIR. Drummer saw that the man was
seriously wounded and ordered him taken
to the Georgia Inirmary.
Smith, unless he Is an imbecile, as has
been claimed. has only himself to blame
for his trouble. Some time in the morn
ing he met Albert Clarence. another negro,
near the Florida Central and Peninsular
railroad yard. Clarence said Smith had
two pairs of new shoes and was showing
them to him, when suddenly, and with
out any apparent cause, Smith attacked
him and beat him over the head with
piece of iron. He then fed towards the
city, pursued by Clarence, who intended
to have him arrested but lost sight of his
assailant after reaching the city.
Clarence had his head bandaged and
went to his homo on West Boundary
street He was sitting on his stoop about
Il O'Clock, or a little earlier, when he
saw Smith pass. He gave chase. Smith
ran down by the Central railroad depot
where Policeman Connolly seeing the
chase, and being told that Smith had
snatched a pocketbook from lady, join
ed in the pursuit. Smith ran northward
crossing the districts of Policemen w. f.
Bradley and Tom Farrell, who joined in
the run. At Hall street Smith ran into
the yard in the rear of No. 81 Whitaker
street. His mother lives in the out house
in the yard. Clarence, who was in close
pursuit, pointed out the house to the
policemen as they came up. The building,
a small two-story affair, has porch with
balcony above facing the rear of No
81 Whitaker street. When the policemen
went into the yard, Smith came out on
the balcony, and shouted to them
that ne would kill the first
one who came near enough
did not attempt to shoot, as Smiths
mother and another woman had their
arms around him, trying to drag him
into the house. They succeeded in doing
so, and closed the door,
The three policemen went up on the bal
cony. Policeman Connolly opened the door
through which Smith had gone, but he
was not in that ROOM Policeman Brad
ley opened the other door, there being
two rooms on the top floor, both opening
on the porch. AS he did so, Smith Brad
ley states, made at him with the ak. He
| fired Immediately, and the door was
slammed to. Bradley opened the door
again, and when Smith again made at
him fired two shots and the negro dropped
| The officers went inside and dragged the
man out on the porch One bullet had
entered his mouth and another had pene-
| trated the left lung. Both wounds bled at
a terrible rate and the man was soon COW
cred with blood. The screams of Smiths
| mother and the other woman drew a
crowd. The wounded man was removed
as soon as the ambulance could be got
ten. and was taken first to the barracks
and from there to the lnfirmary
! At the barracks charges were entered
| against Smith of assaulting Albert Clar-
ence and also resisting the arresting Off
| GER.
| Policeman Bradley told a Morning News
reporter that the moment he opened the
door Smith struck at him with
| the ak and he fired back And
| jumped as he fired, to avoid the blow of
the ak, which struck the door, he thought,
knocking it to. When he opened the door
the second time Smith again made a. him
and he fired a second time He thought
his first shot struck Smith in the mouth.
Bradley has been on the force about
three years, and has a good record. He
Is one of the coolest men, and those who
| i'm ff,,re, Ifaf nlu af he Oh ira
say that he was calm and self-possessed.
Chief McDermott was satisfied that the
shooting was justihable, and ordered
bradley TO return to his division.
An eyewitness to the shooting, gave an
account of it to a Morning News reporter.
| The gentleman said he was coming down
Whitaker street when he saw a crowd
run out of Hull street. A negro with his
| head bandaged and an ak in his
hand, was trying to get at
a policeman. This was probably Clarence
A policeman came up from behind the
Baptist church and the negro with the
| ak told him that the man, pointing to
Smith, was in q. house in the yard The
policeman was joined by one or two others
| and they went into the yard. The negro
who had been pursued came out on the
balcony with an ak in his hand and told
the policemen that IL they came where
| he was he would kill them. The officers
|
tempt to shoot as two women had hold
of Smith They dragged him into the
house and the policemen then went up on
the balcony. One of them pushed open
the door adjoining the one Smith had en-
tered. He opened 1t about foot and
looked In and fired Immediately and
sprang back. He then pushed the door
open again and fired two more shots
After the shooting the gentlemen heard
the lady Of the house in whose yard the
shooting occurred, tell the policemen that
the negro was an imbecile.
James Roche, colored, the stepfather of
Smith, went before Justice Goldman in
the afternoon, and swore out a warrant
against Policeman Bradley, charging him
with assault with intent to murder. The
warrant was taken TO the barracks to be
served. Roche said II his stepson died
he would swear out warrant for murder.
He declared that Smith did not have an
ak in his hand when he was shot.
The warrant was served on Bradley at
the barracks. He was ordered by Chief
McDermott to remain in quarters under
arrest.
| smith was still alive nj o'nIoclx tbt.