Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-06-21
THE TRAMP SHOT HIM
OPERATOR DUNSTAN PERHAPS
FATALLY WOUNDED,
FIRED FROM A FREIGHT TRAIN.
The Agent Standing In the Depot
Door when the Would-Be Assassin
Fired the shot which May Cause
Dcath-NO Clue TO the CuIprit.

There is still cloud Of mystery hang
!as around the attempted murder of Mr..
J. T. Dunstan. the night telegraph ope-
rator at Lorraine. on the James-River
uevsion Of the Chesapeake and Ohio
railway, at that place yesterday morn
ing about . o'clock, and unless the un-
expected should happen, the would-be
murderer VIII not be easily apprehended
SIR Dunstan lies at the Retreat for the
sick IN this city. in a precarious condi-
ton, and while the physicians who are
attending him are hopeful the chances
for recovery are far from good.
From the most accurate Information
ODtsinable. it seems that Mr.. Dunstan
was standing IN the door Of the telegraph
Office watching a passing freight train.
a number OF tramps were on this train,
beating their way, and when the car on
which they were riding came opposite
Fhe door, one Of them who was perched
bn the top Of a boX-car drew a revolver
ind fired. The rumbling Of the train
drowned the noise OF the shot, and 1t
moved on without the members OF fits
crew being aware OF what had taken
place.
GAI4 LlDi La Ell trlkLA1 1l4lNh.
Mr. Dunstan was alone and terribly
wounded. the bullet from the tramps
weapon having entered his abdomen, but
ne pluckily staggered back into the Office.
and cropping for his faithful instrument,
licked OF a message TO Richmond,
stating what had happened. In response
10 this a locomotive was at once secured
and dispatched 10 the scene Of the shoot
ing and the wounded man was taken 10
tho city with all the comfort and dis
patch possible under the circumstances.
AS soon as the train arrived he was
taken 10 the Retreat for the Sick. where
an examination proved that only by per
forming a difficult and critical operation
could any hope be given Of saving his
life. Accordingly, about o'clock he was
operated on by DR.. Hugh Taylor, assist
cd by Drs Brock Ross, Virginlus Harri-
son. and others. and stood the trying or
deal remarkably well. II was discovered
that the ball had penetrated his stomach,
passing through the liver, and lodging
iu the muscles Of the back The ban it.
self was not removed, and It's calibre is
therefore. not known.
HOME IN POWHATAN.
Mr.. Dunstah is a resident of Powhatan
county. and went 10 Lorraine each night
End returned home I'm the morning. lie
bears an euVldble reputation, bOth III
the section where he lives and as an en-
yl0yoe of the road. He has held the posi-
zion OF night operator at Lorraine for
some time past. and had discharged its
duties most acceptably. lie was not
known 10 have had any enemies, and the !
attack on the part Of the tramp is sup |
posed TO have been purely unprovoked.
As soon as the news Of the shooting |
~as received steps were taken TO try |
and apprehend the assailant. InfOrma- |
sion was telegraphed all along the line, |
bI, at last reports no trace had been |
discovered 81 the murderous vagrant. IL |
: thought that he jumped from the train |
between stations.
Chief-of- Police Howard detailed man |
10 special duty on the case 70 assist the
railroad detectives. and yesterday after
noon several suspicious tramps were ar
rested. but were later released, as there
was no means OF Identification.