The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-12-10
MAY CAUSE
TWO DEATHS.
Drunken Norfolk and Western En-
plOyeS Create a Row.
OFFICER BEARD ASSAULTED BY
AN ENGINEER AND FIREMAN
AND BEATEN ALMOST INTO IN
SENSIBlLITY = THE OFFICER
FIRED AT Ills AsSAILANTs, ONE
OF WHICH LIES AT THE POINT
OF DEATH. THE OTHER BEING
ONLY SLIGHTLY WOUNDED.

hours OF ard O'Clock when the CITY
~as wrapped in slumber difficulty took
place which may result fatally TO two of
the participants.
1t seems that Officer Beard while ON
duty on Park street II. W., heard cry
for help ald hastened Immediately TO the
place from whence he heard the CALL and
while on his way there he net man of
whom he inquired the reason of the cries
and was informed thas nothing was the
matter. little beyond where he passed
this man he came upon another white
man and colored man near the corner
of Park street and Fourth avenue and
asked them the cause of the trouble and
was told by the white man that it was
nothing; that he had simply been PLAYING
with the colored man and he hollered for
help.
The officer after seeing that nothing
was the matter strated back down Park
street when he was accosted by the
smaller OF the two men and asked what
he had come up there for. The officer
replied that being policeman it was his
duty to answer all calls for help. He
then proceeded on his way and had got
ten to the corner of Third avenue when
these men again asked him what he had
come up there for and this time they be-
came so very abusive, profane and threat
ening, and especially the smaller one of
the two. that Officer Beard placed them
under arrest. After cursiug him again
they broke ard ran up Third avenue, fol
lowed by the officer, who succeeded in
catching up with them when near the
corner of Sixth street, ana caught the
Larger man ~ the lett arm. Instantly
the man wheeled and struck him n ter
rifle blow on the head with rottle which
he had in his tight hand. knocking him
down and then the two ven set upon him
and proceeded to beat him with the bot
tie.
Some time during the fracas and while
the officer was down he drew his pistol
and fired, but how often he did not know,
as he was badly stunned by the blows he
had received. After tho firing the men
broke and ran, leaving Officer Be- I'd lying
en- the street in semi conscious condi-
tion. In n few minutes he managed to
get upon his feet and was stagge, ing
| along towards the police station when
Ed Ayres, who had been attracted by the
shooting, saw him and assisted him TO
the station house. Officer Beard did not
know the names of the parties. but gave
such an accurate description Of them that
they were soou recognized 10 he the same
men who had been sent or Of Salem ave
nue. earlier in the night tor being dsor-
ery and .one of them was arrested at
about I. O'Clock yesterday morning
One Of the men who attacked the officer
w.'s shot through the right lung and is in
very critical condition, while the other
received shot in his right hand. The
officer is very badly cut and bruised
about the face and head and is also CON
sidered to be in Il bad way.
The men implicated in this airray are
prominent railway men, one being an en-
gineer and The other fireman, whose
names are known, but are withheld
owing to the fact that it was learned last
night from reliable ssource that these
men would lose their positions il their
names were published in the paper, but
that the officials would take no notice of
the matter If they did not see the names
in pit bic print. The Times does this
against its better JUDGMENT out of sym
pathy for the families of the men and for
the above mentioned reasons.
MThe following is the sworn statement
of Onicer Beard and differs but little
from the above account rs written by our
reporter:
II was going over my heat between
Second and Third avenues from Bunker
Hill to Park street. ! turned up Park
street toward Park street bridge met
an old darkey between Second and Third
avenues. on Park street, with valise on
his back. He spoke to ne and | passed
on. had got as far up Park, street as
Second avenue II. w. 1 stopped and heard
some one on the hill opposite Sergeant
Manuel's house hollering "Police.'
turned and ran up there. ! met big,
stout, healthy looking fellow with u
black moustache coming down the hill.
asked him what was the trouble up there
He said, oh, nothing and passed on.
heard the negro say, Turn me lose, man,
mo hou )
] started on mp to where he was, and the
white man who had him turned him loose
and came 10 meet me. asked him what
was the trouble with him and the negro.
He says oh, nothing: was just playing
with him. said, That's all right then;
| thooght he was hollering for the police
and that someone was killing him. He
and walked together down into the flat
on Park street, between Second and Third
avenues, opposite RileY's store, and the
big man first met came out from, behind
house into the street in front of ma and
said, What in the hell did yon come run
ming up there after us for?' / said, Re
cause someone hollered for police protec-
ton He said, Now c. d yon
get of this street before we do you
said, Consider your selves under arrest
and 90 with me TO the station house. ut
the same time drawing MY revolver One
of them said Well see You i. hell first
before we'll be arrested Both turned
anu STARTED mp Third avenue, cursing
INI a.,