Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-02-16
SHOT. FROM AMBUSH.
George U. Hotdaf Seriously Wounded
By Thomas PCEdl.
PISTOL AGAINST ms BODY.
The waschman's Assaiiant Lay IN
wait. and, Putting the rissoi AL
most Against His Brea.t Fired
The wound May Prove Fatal.

A most mysterious shooting anair'
which viii probably terminate IN 'he
death OF the victim, occurred Friday hisn'
Mt crenshaw's Chemical-Works, on 'he
Osborne turnpike, Just below FUTON
when Thomas Powell shot and seriously
wounded George w. Woodruff, an en-
p,oyee in the acid works.
3 The tragedy occurred about O'CLOCK
at night, when Woodruff was going the
rounds with a lantern In his mana. !.
:. seems that Woodruff and Powell were
: both formerly employed at the WORKS
and last Monday Powell was discharged
for drinking. Woodruff was put IN
4 Powelrs place, and he was In the
net OF inspecting the acid machines
when Powell jumped from behind post
IN the. building which. together win
: the darkness had concealed him.
Seeing Powell In the mill did not
alarm woodruff. and the FIRST intimation
he had OF his assallant's evil intention
was the sight OF a pistol within two
feet OF his breast Without a word.
Powell showed the muzzle OF the weapon
so close to Woodruff that the powder
!. burned his coat. and fired. woodruff
walked few steps with Waterman
Henry Butler who was the only eye
witness of the affair, to the Office. when.
! becoming weak from the loss OF blood.
he fell.
POWELL DROVE OFF.
Meanwhile, Powell had entered his
Jumper. which had brought him to the
mil! only a half hour before, and hastily
driven away.
Mr.. Woodruff was taken TO his home.
on Graham street, as soon as possible.
by Jefferson Parrish and r. }. Cottreil.
both employees of the mill, and Dr..
Burnett Reams was Immediately sum-
moned: and. with the assistance of DR..
Hinchmsn. probed for the ball, and found
that 1T had penetrated the left lung
passing Just above and TO the left or
the heart.
Mr.. Woodruff now lies between life
and death. and. though the attending
physicians. are still hopeful, any slight
disturbance. or a hemorrhage would quick
ly end the wounded mans life.
After the shooting Powell drove TO his
grandmother's house, No. $40 Orleans
street, where his wife and three chill
dren were staying. He remained from
about half-past Q O'Clock until IL o'clock
wife and mother were entirely unaware Of
the shooting.
His wife said last night that her
husband WIS not drunk, but had been
drinking. and that before II o'clock she
took the pistol away from him. fearing
some harm might be done. From mid
night until morning 1t is not known
what became of Powell. but 1t is
supposed that he spent the remainder
Of the night In his fathers boat, down
I'm the ship-locks.
GAVE HIMSELF UP.
Constable @. w Morgan searched the
entire night for the man, and gave
the first intimation OF the shooting to
Mrs. Powell yesterday morning. when
he read the warrant TO her at her
mothers. he having gone there in
search OF the man. In front of the
house was standing the horse and Jump
er. and little white dog that had fol-
lowed Powell TO the mill was also
found on the premises
Abont 8 O'Clock Powell walked into
the county fail ard delivered himself up
TO Denuty-Sheriff Russell. who promptly
locked him In cell. Powell lived a short
distance from the city, on the
New-Market road. and had b-ourht
his family In 10 visit his mother Friday
afternoon. His wife was originally a
Miss Cheathsm OF Manchester
THE PRISONERS STATEMENT
The prisoner when seen at the iaiI made
the following statement: IF shot any,
body don't remember IT, but they ten
me ! did, The last thing remember
doing was yesterday after dinner. I
was not drunk. hut had been drink
ing remember hitching up a horse for
some ladies' and then my mind became
blank. This morning woke ,Ip to find
myself In boat. which belongs TO my
fother. down In the ship-iocks."
Powell said that n he did The shoot
Ing he must have been suffering from
a mt or Temporary insanity. for he would
+. have cut or one of his hands, rather
than commit such a deed.
Mr. Woodruff is an unmarried man.
and lives with his sister-in-law. M-s 7
I. Woodruff, who keeps a store on Ora.
ham street, Just outside OF the corrora-
ton limits He is "a years old. and Is
said to be a consumptive.