Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-09-17
A DETECTIVES SHOT.
v, c. Baldwin, Of the \, & w.
Kills a Man.
PROBABLY SELF : Defence.
A Question as to Which Should
Fall First.
JUST HOW 1T OCCURRED.
Curious Circumstances Leading Up
to the Shooting; the Outcome of n
Conspiracy to Rob the Railroad
Company-Intcrestin Details.


Special )-Henry Hawkes. (colored) was
shot and killed at Wilson's Depot. in
Dinwiddie county, shortly before noon
to-day, by W. G. Baldwin, a special
agent Of the Norfolk and Western Rail-
road Company, the headquarters of whose
detective agency is at Roanoke.
Hawkes. lived about three miles from
Wilson's, and this morning was at the
store of his son, w. II. Hawkes., at Will
sons in which the fatal shooting occur
red. Mr.. Baldwin. accompanied by a. f.
Felts, another special agent of the rail-
road company, went to Wilson'S this
morning, armed with a warrant for the
arrest of III. w. Hawkes.. The warrant
charged Hawkes. with criminal conspi-
racy entered into In Nansemond county,
to rob the railroad company and its
employees of $il4. Ii was alleged that
Hawkes. formed this conspiracy with a
man named A. Naville, a section master
on the road; that these two men were
employed-Hawkes i'm the commissary de-
partment and Naville as section master
having under them a large force of men
at work between Suffolk and Norfolk
Hawkes. drew the supplies and kept the
books, and it is charged that I'm rendering
his accounts to the railroad company he
charged more to each individual work
man than the individual had gotten.
INVESTIGATION.
These matters were brought to the at
tention of the railroad company, an in
vestigation was made, and the warrant
against Hawkes. was issued. 1t is al
legged that Naville became alarmed at
the investigation, and left the State on
the 7th of this month.
This morning Detectives Baldwin and
Felts arrived at Wilson'S and went 10 II
w. HAWKES. store to execute the war
rant OF arrest. Mr.. Baldwin, who came
to this city this afternoon and surren-
dered himself 10 Chief f-Police Ragiand
was seen by the Dispatch correspondent.
He gave the above facts, in substance,
and added:
1--WE went into HAWKES. store to make
the arrest. / called Hawkes. to the rear OF
the store. He was standing back Of his
and would not come from behind the
counter. | told him | wanted a private
conversation with him. 1 felt satisfied
that he had a pistol. and telling him
would see him later 1 went back to the
railroad station, got a newspaper waited
a few minutes, went back to the store
and called him across the store opposite
the counter. 1 noticed a large, middle
aged man watching our movements ano
following US about the store. L suspected
curiosity on his part and paid no atten-
ton to him. | told IA. w. Hawkes. that
we had a warrant for his arrest, and Mr.
Felts drew the warrant and held 1t before
HAWKES. face. AT this point the old
man. who turned out to be Hawkes. j
father. walked up to Mr.. Fets and pre-
sented his pistol at him, and at the same
time III. W. Hawkes. drew his pistol.
THE FIRING.
'I told the old man to drop his weapon,
and Mr.. Felts told him to do the same, OF
he would kill him. The old man stepped
back about three feet, with his pistol still
presented in his hand. My attention was
now attracted TO Mr.. Felts, who was try
ing to get the pistol from II. w. Hawkes.,
and who was still trying TO use II. turn
ed. advanced towards the old man, saw
him raise his pistol, as If in the act oil
firing. threw my pistol on level, and
fired one shot at the elder Hawkes.. The
latter turned his head just ds | fired. and
the bullet took effect in the back cf his
neck He was facing Felts at the time,
and had hi. pistol levelled at Felts. He
fell TO the floor, and l would not allow
any one to touch the body until L had
summoned several persons to the spot
who saw the pistol clutcaed in the e'deI
HAWKES. hand.
WHAT THE SON SAYS.
"H. w. Hawkes. acknowledged before
me- in the presence of five witnesses, that
I was fully justified in killing his father
as the old man feared robbers, and not
knowing us and seeing us with our pis-
tolls. thought that robbery was our inten-
ton. [ had the nearest coroner rotlhed
and turned the body over to him, and
came 10 Petersburg and surrendered my
self"
HAWKES. STATEMENT.
w. Hawkes. was brought down to
This CITY by Detectives Baldwin and
Ealts and turned over TO the police to
~, held 10 answer the warrant for con-
sn;racv He says: The detectives came
into nv store and said they wanted 20
examine my books. l told them they
could not see the books. Mr.. Baldwin
had a paper containing several names,
and asked me if | knew any of them.
renIjed that / did not, though l had
hoard of one of them. Mr.. Baldwin went
first behind my grocery counter and then
in front. | had my hands In my pockeI
ON my keys After Baldwin went out
started through the gate from behind
the counter. when Mr.. Felts told me ne
| had a warrant for my arrest, and l said
all right. Felts ordered my hands up,
and I threw them up. Both or the detec-
ttves drew their pistols. Ny father came
I'm and asked what the matter was, al
tha same time drawing his pistol
Mr. Baldwin snapped his pistol al
fath.r and the latter dropped his pistol
hand and started on. with his back "a
NJ baldwin. Baldwin then shot my
sather through the back Of the head
rilIine him. / then said. Gentlemen,
an, ar YOUR demand. but let me do some
| thing for my father. who Is dyins. Iht
detectives said: II you move, III XII
you. .,x n
EXAMINATION OF BALDWIN.
Detective Baldwin was taken out 20 DIN
| viddie county this evening to me resl
dence OF Magistrate L. J. GeroW. he wa
represented by Judge w. IL. Mann
| Nottoway, and George 5. bernard Oh Inn
| city.