Richmond planet., 1897-01-30
A BRUTAL MURDER.
HE SHOT DOWN A COL
ORED MAN.
No Excuse for the Crime.
GREAT EXCITEMENT
What Will Be Done About It7

WYrHEvnLE, January 24-Chief- Of
Police Thomas L. Meyers shot and
killed Thomas Johnson (coloredj in
the Office OF the Fourth-Avenue Hotel,
on Main street. last night.
The policeman shot him twice. The
first shot took effect b tween the fifth
and sixth ribs, on the right side. in
front. The second one was q flesh
wound under the right shoulder blade.
The killing grew out OF q difficulty
between the colored man and Earle
Meyers, nephew of the Chief-of-Po-
lice.
Earle Meyers is boy about 10 or 16
years old, and runs an EXPIRE ess and
baggage wagon to aud from the station
Thomas Johnson, who was killed, was
a porter at the Fourth-Avenue Hotel
STRUCK THE PORTER.
Late yesterday evening Earle Moy-
ers went to the Fourth Avenue Hotel
to see a drummer about taking his
baggage to the depot. when be had
some words with johnson about the
bag0 age, which resulted in young Moy-
ers' striking the porter with his driv-
ing whip and the porter's taking the
whip and breakingi it up.
At the train last night. at train time,
about O'Clock, the difficulty between
the two was renewed. when the color
ed man struck the boy. After the
eastern and western bound trains had
passed young Moyers came back to
town, went before q justice of the
peace and swore out a warrant for
Johnson's arrest, charging him with
an assault.
SERVING AwARRANr.
The warrant was put in the hands OF
lChief-of- Police Meyers for execution
and ne went down to the Fourth Ave
Il nue. Hotel and found Johnson in the
office. he chief told Johnson that he
had a warrant for his arrest. johnson
replied: Very we'll, but wait until
can get my coat" and added: Il will
60 with you, but you must not put
y our hands on me-" or words 10 that
effect. Meyers made some reply and
went towards the colored man, wh.r
he resisted.
sTRUoK HIM WITH CLUB.
Meyers then struck him with hii
club. The colored man turned, after
being struck, snatched the club from
the policeman's hands. and dealt him
several blows over the head with it
Meyers then drew his pistol and fired
The colored man turned and started
TO run, when Meyers shot him the sec
lond time. Meyers at once walked on
of the office and placed himself in tn,
Hands OF some friends, Deputy-Sherif
! Walker White being one OF them.
HIS LIFEBLooD oozrNa.
The colored man walked few step
tow ards an ante-r0om in the rear par
' of the Office and fell. DR. p b. Greer
3 was sent for. He arrived in few sec
onds. made an examination. and toll
r Johnson that he would &c in feS
I moments, which ne did, for he onl
= lived about forty minutes after he wa
: shot. A large crowd soon gathered
p most of whom were colored people.
Q The friends of the deceased made a
sorts of threats, none OF which the
s couli carry into execution, for the
: could not find the policeman.
There were only three witnesses
t the kilhnG-nsmely, Mr. Eli Rider
}. clerk of the hotel, and Craig Johnso
e and Walter Burks (both colored)
THE MukDkhkh IN JAIL.
}. Policeman Meyers is now in jai
n having been placed there this mornIr
g awaiting his preliminary trial, whic
t takes place tomorrow.
II Blair and Blair will defend hin
while Judge ]. G. Holbrook and NJ
Waller 8. Poage, assisting ommol
wealth's-Attorney Robert Sayers, Wi
prosecute him.
KILLED ANOTHER NAN.
. The feeling here among the colOre
|, people against the prisoner is vel
- great, and this feeling was precipita
:. ed by the killing OF another colore
- man, Lorenzo Furchess, here last Al
= gust by Mr.. Meyers Furchass WI
n from North Carolina. Mr.. Meyers hs
warrant for mis- arrest, and went
execute it, when Furchess ran 81
Woyers shot and killed him at di
tance of some seventy-five yard
Meyers was tried and acquitted.
A post-mortem examination th
+. evening showed that Thomas JOhnss