The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-11-27
KILLING IN SMOKY ROW.
Dick JuSffS Shoots and Kills
Milton Harmon, Both COlOred.
Shooting Takes Place Over a
Crap Shooting Dispute.
Witnesses Of the Affair Will Not State
the Facts, but Say the Shot
was Accidental

On Thanksgiving afternoon at $50
o'clock Milton Harmon, a notorious coll
ored man Of Smoky Row, was shot and
killed by Dick Justis, another colored
man of like reputation in the billiard
hall at 108 North Kansas avenue kept
by Andy" Dupree- The killing Oc-
CURED through misunderstanding
arising over a game of craps in which
the two men and several other colored
men were taking part
From the evidence thus far gained by
the police department it appears That
Justis was throwing the dice on bill
lizard table and had won from Harmon
He threw down 80 cents which he told
him to cover. In q moment reNOlVerS
were whipped from their pockets and
the two men stood on opposite sides OF
the billiard table with their guns drawn
on each other The inmates of the room
made rush for the exits. Harmon
lodged partly behind the billiard table
and Justis fired. The bah from his re-
Volver entered Harmon S head nearly
from the top and ranged downward
lodging at the base of the brain. The
police department was Immediately no.
tilted and removed the dying man to
the police station where he was attend
ed by DR. Storrs. Later he was taken
in Knights ambulance to sos Crane
street where his parents live He died
at o'clock, not regaining consciousness
since the shooting.
Dick Justis accompanied the officers
for Harmon. He was later locked up,
and is now held on the charge of muir
der He claims that the revolver was
discharged accidentally.
The police secured possession of Har-
mon $ revolver soon after the tragedy,
but Justis' firearm was missing. Logan
Justis, a brother, disclaimed any knOwl-
edge of its Whereabouts. but this morn
ing ne brought it to the police station.
1T is a single action 30 calibre revolver
Of the make AlerWin & Culbertson. The
d sa-H 11crre~ f1a rNenfr
Of accidental shooting by the fact tina t
the revolver is single action, and must
have been cooked during the quarrel.
What is more, the cylinder mad been
turned round one more space, showing
that it had been cooked a second time.
The cOlOred men who were in the bill
lard hall at the time and were witness
eS to the shooting We're rellcent about
giving an account of the shooting to the
officers. They all said that both the
men were laughing and joking at the
time the shot was fired. Some admitted
that there had been a crap game in
progress. while others denied it, All
the witnesses are associates Of both
Harmon and Justis and it is not sur
prising that they would refuse to give
up the true facts in the case. The bill
lard hall at 108 North Kansas avenue
has been the scene of more than one
quarrel and it has been a headquarters
for the cOlOred inhabitants of Smoky
Row.
The shooting is considered by the pO-
lice to have been the result Of the quar-
rel over the crap game, and that the
shot was fired by Justis with the intent
to kill Harmon. Both men, with their
companions, are depraved and desper-
ate men.
Coroner Westerfield commenced the
inquest over the body of Harmon this
morning al IL O'Clock. over 30 wit
nesses have been subpoenaed. and the
coroner is determined to get the exact
testimony in the case The Smoky Row
people seem to be in league. but enough
witnesses have been summoned to as
certain the facts in the case.