Evening journal., 1896-06-22
STORY OF AN EYE WITNESS
WASHINGTON TREeo TELLS OF THE
SHOOTING OF AMBROSE WILSON.

Majority Of the People In the Neigh
borhood Of the Opinion That Thomss
Was Able to Punish Wilson without
Shooting Him, as Wilson was so Much
Smaller.
lINKwooD, Nd June %. .-W Washing
ton Trego, VINO was the only witneas Of
the tragedy, tells the following story OF
the shooting OF Ambrose Wilson. a school
teacher, by Frank l. Thomas, a sewing
machine agent. on Saturday:
The shooting occurred 10 this way"
said Mr.. Trego. II was sitting on box
at he corner Of the store waiting for the
clock train 30 pass Just as the train
wss drawing up to the station Ambrose
Wilson came up to the box on whish
was sitting aud sat down. He was
smoking pipe. We spoke In a few
moments raised my eyes and / saw Mr..
Thomas walk past us as II be intended
to 60 20 the station He did
not speak, nor did Mr. Wilson
or myself When Thomas had
walked on a distance OF about ten or
fifteen yards he turned around and
walked up to Mr. Wilson and drew q re
volver from his pocket. Thomas said /:
'Iou ---.' At the same time he shred
l Was dumbfounded and for 3 moment |
could not move Finally / got up ana
looked AZ Wilson, who was still sitting
up. and l then, ran tOwsrd the rear OF
the store. here 1 told Mr.. Vincent what
had happened Mr.. Thomas was stand
ing looking at Wilson. who had by this
time fallen back against the side of the
store l was told that he was dead
The probable motive for the shooting
Is furnished by III feeling which existed
between Thomas ard Wilson, both Of
whom are Republican leaders in the
district In which they live The III feel
/ ing WAS frat occasioned By the recent
contest for delegates to the county con
veution. Al the convention Wilson, Il
Is charged got the better OF the Thomsa
faction. % his return home from the
convention Thomas, who did not attend.
called Wilson to account for having
l placed r certain man on the list OF dele
! gates. Wilson admitted he had done so
ana Thomas replied Il will Cad by
what rule you do &C.
Several weeks later Wilson asked
Thomas Co Icdorse his spp icatlon for
register of voters. Thomas declined
and hard words passed Thomas 1.
reported as saying on parting will
Wilson: Il do not want you 10 speak e
me again" Since that tins b1th mer
have met, but have not been on speaking
I terms.
Mrs. Wilson. ths wife Of the dead man
said her husband had not seen Thomas OF
tho day Of the tragedy until be WAS shot
as they lived side by side, &c was sug
ges,td that the two men had quArrele.
before the shooting, but this IL mos
positively denied by both Mrs Wilson
and Miss Iona Windsor who Is house
kee per FOR Thomas
hr Thomas the prisoner, was seen a
the jail, snd In answer TO all questions
be said Il decline 20 talk about the mat
ter IS / have been instructed not TO do so
Thomas Is about 53 years Of age, 4,
lsingle. stands sbsut six feet end weigh
over 200 pounds. Wilson was 81 year
Of q 60 and weighed about 100 pounds
He leaves a wife ana Eve daughters.
There is considerable feeling mani
tested among the psople. and the mai or
ity seem TO be Of the opinion tba
Thomas was physically able to punisl
Wilson without shooting him. as Wilson
i Wa SO much the smaller OF the two
When the dead man was examined moth
Ing was found In his pockets save piee
OF tobacco No knife nor pistol wa
found on him