Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-03-29
SHOT AND KILLED.
NEGRO MEETS DEATH AT HANDS
OF AN UNKNOWN WHITE MAN.
DICK SMITH MAS THE VICTIM.
In the Melee Another CoIOred Man.
Archie DiiIups, Receives BAH i'm
His Arm-Thc Man With the Pistol
Escapes.

Dick Smith, a negro thug who had for
some time been running things with a
high hand on lower Seventeenth street,
was shot and killed last night in front OF
J.. Rocchicciolfs bar-room, corner Of
seventeenth and Grace streets, by an un-
known white man, and in the melee that
cnsued another negro. Archie Bnlups,
who was playing a game of bagatelle in
the bar-room. was shot in the arm. The
man who did the shooting made his es-
cape.
The negro Smith had been prisoner In
the city jail and was known to the police
as a bad man. He went away from Rich
mond some months ago. and only return
ed here about six weeks since. He hung
out around the bar-room il front of which
he met his death last night, and was more
or less under the influence Of liquor an
the time He was won't 10 carry a dirk
on his person. and posed as a bad mig
ger"
Last night about o'clock he was stand
ing in front Of Rocchicciolfs bar, when
two white men. supposedly tramps,
though they were described as being well
dressed, approached. one of them, appa-
rently about p years of age, and who Is
said 10 have worn a sandy mOustache and
a dark derby hat and dark coat, engaged
the negro in conversation. Words of
heated nature passed between them and
this, attracting the attention of by-stand-
ers the white man was heard TO accuse
the negro of having insulted him. This
the negro denied WhcreupOn the white
man called him liar. Smith replied with
= volloy OF oaths attached 10 a most OPP
probrious epithet, which he hurled at the
white man
DREW HIS PISTOL AND FIRED.
No sooner had he uttered them how
ever. than the tramp or whatever he was,
drew a pistol and fired point blank at
him. The bail took effect in the negro's
abdomen. and passed below his liver.
smith. as soon as he was shot, ran into
the bar-room and started to leave It
through a door opening out on 10 Grace
street The white man followed him into
the bar still shooting at him, and this act
stampeded the crowd Of negroes within
the saloon
Archie Bnlups. who was in the act of
making a shot on the bagatelle table,
dropped his cue and started through the
Grace-street door after smith. The white
man. sun shooting, fired at Billups, and
the ball took effect in his left arm, just
below the shoulder. The man with the
pistol continued to shoot, and fired two
shots in quick succession into the door
sin. He followed Smith out on 10 Grace
street and fred another shot at him as
he fed toward Sixteenth street, and then,
turning toward Eighteenth street, rushed
on. closely followed by his companion
DIED IN THE AMBULANCE.
Smith ran until he reached Sixteenth
street. where he fell The police came
upon the scene about that time, but the
White men had made good their escape.
and all efforts 10 trace them last night
proved futile Smith and Billups were
taken TO the First Police Station and the
ambulance summoned. DR. MCGOWAN took
charge OF the wounded men and carried
them 20 the almshouse, but on the way
Smith died. Billups will soon be out again.
The Coroner was notified OF Smiths
death. and viii view the body to-day.