Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-01-27
CONFLICTING TESTIMONY
Shotgun Tragedy Enacted in South
Washington.
Abe Fitzhuxh the Victim, but John T.
Clark Says the Shot Was
in Self-Defense.

Saturday night about II O'clock the sa-
Icon of John T. Clark corner Of 7th and L
streets southwest, was the scene of q
| tragedy. the proprietor of the place playing
the part Of slayer. while Abe Fitzhugh,
colored, was his victim. The eye witnesses
to the affair were not very numerous and
the police anticipate some conflicting tes-
timony at the inquest this afternoon. That
Clark killed the colored man there is no
doubt. for this he admits. but the circum-
stances under which the affair occurred
| are disputed. and it will require jury to
reach a conclusion.
John Clark, the saloonkeeper, had been
drinking. and the police say he had been
| to be named 30" Stewart, was there at
the time OF the shooting, so he says, out
what he will say at the inquest is not
known, for he told a Star reporter today:
Il won't give any satisfaction"
There were several colored men in the
saloon when Star reporter called this
| morning. They were all able bodied mon
and were loafing about stove, while two
white men were drinking beer from bot
ties. The bartender dressed in his good
clothes, was just getting ready to visit his
employer at the station, and he therefore
said he had not the time to talk and added:
Il won't give any satisfaction"
Clark, who has been fed ON whisky since
his confinement Saturday. is claiming that
he used his shotgun in defense, charging
that two cuts in his coat and one III his
hand were inflicted by Fitzhugh with
| razor. But the razor has not been found,
although the dead man had no means of
getting rid of such weapon. He did not
have so much as a pen!snlfe on him when
searched, but did have two crap bones"
| and Is cents. The money lie would Lroba-
bly, have spent In Clark's place had he not
been killed.
Conflicting Testimony.
Isaiah Dodson and Dave Johnson, two
young colored men, who claim they were
the only eye witnesses to the affair, other
than the bartender. deny that Fitzhugh
had razor, although they say he did
| strike at Clark just before the shooting oc-
Cured.
Clark's place is in a two-story frame
structure. The saloon IS small room, and
| the patrons are mostly colored people. This
drinking place has been there for many
years, and the proprietor is ell known.
He has been addicted to the use of strong
drink and at times has been his own best
customer. His domestic life, because Of
this habit. has not been the happiest, and
| the police say that at times his wife had to
leave him.
On the other hand Fitzhugh has not
| very good reputation. He was a fighter
and all round crap shooter and had been
times. He was the individual who relieved
Officer Murphy Of his revolver and then
beat him over the head. He also assaulted
Officer Evans and had figured IN many
other fights as we'll as in crap games and
disorderly gatherings.
Clark's Story.
According to the statement of Clark he
was attracted to the saloon from his house
| because Of the noise and he ordered out
oil fhn
the bar and the stove, the latter being an
attractive feature Of the place for the class
of people who are in the habit of frequent
Ing it. When the others had departed he
says, he had trouble with Fitzhugh, who,
he says, drew a razor on him and cut him
across the hand and coat. There is a cut
across his sleeve and one across the breast
of his coat. Fitzhugh, he said seemed to
have full control of the place, and when
the razor had been used he Clark got mis-
shotgun and pointed 1t over the bar at the
colored man. The latter was then cutting
! at him and he fired.
When the colored man. apparently dead,
with heavy charge Of shot in his right
out of the place and went with his gun to
| the police station, where he told of what
| he had done and surrendered.
Policeman Schneider, who was on that
beat Saturday night, made an investigation,
and has found several witnesses in the
case. the most important being the colored
| men mentioned. and they are locked up.
Policeman Espey was on duty at the time
| in connection with the patrol wagon, and
when he reached the saloon to convey the
wounded man to the Emergency Hospital
| he failed to find the much talk ed-of razor.
| He took the wounded man to the hospital,
where he died yesterday morning.
Other Witnesses.
Dodson and Johnson. the two witnesses
mentioned, were seen this morning by a
Star reporter, and they say they we're the
| only eye-witnesses to the affair, other than
| the bartender.
They said that they met Fitzhugh at the
| door of the saloon, and asked him to treat
| them to some liquor from a bottle he had
! tucked in between his vest and his shirt
Il would give you anything I have" he
said to them. but want this for tomor-
row."
The three men stood there and chatted
for several minutes, Fitzhugh filling his
pipe with tobacco. Then he turned and
went inside to get light.
"Get out of here, you black - -" is
what they said they heard Clark say.
When they looked in to see what was the
| matter, they said, Fitzhugh was striking at
Clark, and the latter shot him. They say
that the colored man did not have a razor.
AS soon as Clark had done the shooting
they left the door of the saloon and went
up as far as Halls saloon for fear CLARK
would shoot them. but when they saw him
| come out and leave they returned and
| wanted to assist the dying man, who was
willing to be moved but who afterward
asked that he be allowed to remain there
on the floor of the bar room.
HE said oh, Lord" said the young
men, and that was all.
An autopsy held on the body showed
that the dead mans lungs had been pene-
trated, and that the wound was necessarily
fatal.
DR.. McWilliams has been attending the
saloon keeper since he reached the police
station, and upon his directions the fire.
quent doses Of whisky have been given.
Two colored women who were near the
place at the time of the shooting will ap-
pear as witnesses, and the police anticipate
some contradictory testimony.
Transfers of Real Estate.