The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-01-08
HELD FAST
AND SHOT.
Special Officer Watts Deliber-
ately Shoots a COlOred Man.
He Holds Him at Arms Length
and Fires.
TRIED TO FIRE AGAIN.
A Deliberate Attempt to MUIR
der the Man He Held.
Cause.-The Man Was Suspect
ed Of Stealing.

This morning at 6:30 o'clock Special Off
Ger Watts of the Rock Island railroad
discovered a man in the act of climbing
between two merchandise freight cars
standing near the Rock Island freight
depot, and hurrying around the building
he came upon the man. who was Anthony
Peecher of North Topeka. He called to
him to halt, at the same time pulling his
revolver and drawing it on him. Peecher
was carrying large wooden cracker box
on his shoulder and upon being grabbed
by Watts, he laid it down and resisted
the efforts of the officer to arrest and
hold him. Watts fired his revolver into
the air to call assistance. Peecher strug-
gled with him, and Watts, fearing that
the man would make his escape, and
while holding him with one hand. point
ed his revolver at Peecher's shoulder and
fired The ball was buried in the right
chest of the man and he was rendered
helpless He was taken to the city jail
where City Physician Mitchell dressed his
wound.
For some time past the Rock Island Off
Gals have been cognizant of the fact that
considerable thieving has been done in
the railroad yards. Cars have been bro
ken into and goods taken, coal has been
stolen from cars, and property has been
destroyed. For this reason Special Off
Ger Watts has done extra duty in the
railroad yards at night. Early this morn
ing Depot Master Henry Washington no.
titled Watts that he haG heard pounding
at the freight depot. which is at the foot
of Jackson street. Watts hurried to the
place and saw a man climbing between
two cars On his shoulder he carried
large box which Watts thought had been
f9en is tr3 Ga eec ne man I Tn3 o IT a
depot platform and walked west. Watts
ran around the building, and confronted
Peecher just as he was about to step into
the street.
Halt there" cried Watts, consider
c1f
drawing his revolver on Peecher. The
latter protested. saying that he was all
right and that if the officer wanted the
box he could have it.
But you can't arrest me- said he
gle began The box was laid down and
the two men scunled in the street south
tract the attention of Depot Master
Washington Peecher is a large colored
man and muscular Watts is over six
feet tall and has had considerable exper-
fence in handling men. The struggle was
favor He was about to get away. Watts
cried: Come along or I'll shoot YOU
Saying this he turned. and while holding
revolver at Peecher and fired. Peecher
struggled but was unable to make much
resistance: He grabbed hold of the Off
GERS revolver and prevented Watts from
again shooting him Patrolman McElroy.
attracted by the shots, came to Watts
assistance and took Peecher to the police
station
Arriving there he fell upon the floor in a
fainting spell He was carried into the
women's ward of the all where City Ply
Sician Mitchell probed for the bullet. 1t
had entered the front of the right Shout
der and was deeply embedded in the fieshy
portion of the shoulder near the joint. The
wound was dressed and the prisoner made
as comfortable as possible.
Peecher undoubtedly got the box in a
suspicious manner. When opened it was
found to contain large fat chickens
The lid had been nailed over the box ana
it apparently was a box of goods OFFICER
Watts claims that he thought Peeeher
had stolen the box from a car Peecher
has told the nO1iC6 several different ct
To a State Journal reporter Peecher
said: 4 got those chickens out in Pot
win. I hid them down near the freight
depot last night and took the train last
stop there and so 1 went to Wamego
came back to Topeka freight train
got my chickens. I was taking them up
the railroad track to sell to a fellow up
Watts came running up and said: Halt
consider yourself under arrest I laid
He had hold of me and turned and shot
me here in the shoulder. He said he was
hold of the gun and held it. live in To-
peka part of the time and in Rossville
am single. I believe he would have killed
me me, if | hadn't caught hold Of his gun
shoulder. The bullet is in my shoulder
yet. but it don't hurt me now
tigation and found that Peecher spent the
night in Potwin with hired man who
works IN POtW1n. lie lett there very
early but had nothing with him at the
time of leaving. He told the police soon
after being arrested that he bought the
chickens from a farmer. When searched
a horse brush was found in his pocket
which had evidently been stolen. The
chickens have not been claimed as yet
but the police think they must have been
stolen from the western part of the city
Special Officer Watts said to a reporter:
Il had been laying up around there and
Washington told me early this. morning
that he heard a noise like somebody was
pounding near the freight depot. 1 went
there and just S I got near it l saw this
fellow climbing up between two merchan-
disc cars with a box his shoulder. I
run and caught him just as he was coming
west off the platform He protested and
told me that I could have the box but 1
must not arrest him as he was all right
the box down in the street and grabbed
him. He dragged me half way across the
street and fired off my revolver to call
Mr.. Washington. He kept pulling away
shoot if he didn't stop. He kept on, and
I shot him. He would surely have got
away from me if 1 hadn't winged him.
He is stout fellow and. was cold and
posed that he had broken into a car and
had got that box.
Peecher is now at the city jail where he
lies on a cot in the Women's ward ''nurs-
specimen of physical strength. DR..
Mitchell. who probed for the bullet. said:
4 do not think the wound is q dangerous
one. The bullet is still in there as l could
shoulder. I shall not try to extract it at
ger from the wound"
Late this afternoon Peecher confessed
to having stolen the chickens in the box
he carried. Last night he entered the
barn of c: A Pearson at $40 West Second