The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-08-14
Has a Pistol and Shoots at Men
and Women.
FIRED TWO SHOTS IN THE DARK
AT A CROWD OF YOUNG LA
DIES, THEN DELIBERATELY
TURNS AND FIRES AT A PARTY
OF Observation-Disclosures DAY
TRIES TO APPROACH HIM AND
IS FIRED UPON.

Last night about.10 O'Clock the people
in the vicinity of .Miller's Hill, in the
southwestern part of the city, weress- star
tied by the sharp report of number of
pistol shots which were fired in the dark
ness.
The hill.at the time was we'll populated
with young people who were out FOR a
stroll, and among them were perhaps u
doze n young ladies, nearly all of whom
lived on Sixth, Seventh and Eighth ave
nues, lin the near vicinity. AS they were
in the act of leaving the hill n man was
seen in the act of coming across the hill
from the direction of Sixth avenue AS
soon as he reached the top of the hill he
deliberately drew n revolver and fired two
shots at the ladies.
Y. G. Conner and ]. H. Bonsack. who
were crossing the hill at the time, came
upon the scene. Young Conner, who was
about 2o.steps away, demanded to Know
what the trouble was about. The strange
man with the gun wheeled in his tracks
without speaking and with leveled aim
fired two shots ut Conner ard Borsack
BY this time the whole crowd was thor
oughly frightened. The young ladies ran
screaming with terror from the hill and
will doubtless go in another direction for
an evening stroll in the future.
anxious to learn who their assailant was
and followed n short distance, but were
careful to keep far enough in the rear as
to not be able, even with the aid of an
electric light under which the man passed,
to recognize him or see his face.
After firing the four shots he started
in the direction of Park street and Eighth
avenue Ind stopped just at the hottom of
the bill and went through motion as
though loading his pistol.
At this juncture Harry Day came ND
and, being somewhat Drawer than the
others, went nearer to the Stranger and
greeted him by asking what the trouble
might be- The desperate drew his gun
and the click of the gun was distinctly
heard three times in succession. The
fourth effort was successful and the bull
let whiZzed past Days head. BY this
time the boys ere thoroughly frightened
and each one gave the hill leg bail.
The stranger went on to the corner of
Park and Eighth avenue and--as soon as
he was safe distance away several of the
frightened young men err wled back to
the top of the hill and watched him as
he passed down Eighth avenue in the di-
rection Of Franklin road. They attempt
ed to follow him, but being .-desrous for
their personal safety, owing to the fact
that they were all unarmed, concluded
that discretion vas the better part of
valor and kept safe distance behind. In
fact they kept so far behind that when
their assailant got away from the rays of
the electric light they lost him entirely.
After seeing that he was gone and their
force had been increased by several new
comers they rambled around through
bac alleys for an hour and at last gave
up the hunt in disgust and came to the
station house and notified the police.
Officers johnson and Nichols were sent
out TO look for the miscreant, but they
only had their trouble for their pains.