The times., 1899-07-25
ASSAULTS HIS FOREMAN
William Welsh Beaten With a
Hammer by a Laborer.
4 DistnstcfuI Order the Cause of N
CoHardIy Attack by Oscar Brown
with Two Blows Delivered From
Bchind-The Result sIay BE Fatal.

Because Re was directed TO do some work
which he did not like, Oscar Brown, a col
ored laborer employed by the Crawford
Paving Company. struck William Welsh,
his foreman. on the head with heavy
sledge yesterday, causing injuries the re-
suit of which cannot yet be anticipated ow-
ing 10 their serious nature.
Welsh is a foreman in the employ of the
paving company. He is about fifty years
old. well known in labor circles, and gen
orally regarded as a lenient and we'll dis
posed handler of men. Eye-witnesses as
sert that the assault upon him yesterday
was entirely unwarranted and most coward
ly, and all the more so when ii is said that
Welsh did nothing more than his duty in
directing the negro TO 90 certain work for
which he was paid. Two heavy blows were
dealt in quick succession, stunning the
foreman and causing compound depressed
fracture of the skull. Welsh was removed
to the Emergency Hospital, where he now
lies in precarious condition. The out
come of the affair hinges much upon the
condition of the patient today.
Physicians state that the fracture is of
serious character, and while they be-
lieve that the injured foreman has a chance
for recovery, they do not hesitate to state
that the blows which he received were
heavy enough to have caused instant death.
Indeed, 1t is 4 source of wonder that the
assault did not cause death at once.
1t seems that the gang of laborers under
Walsh was assigned by the paving COM
pany to repave portion of H Street north
west, between Fourth and Sixth Streets.
Brown was one of the laborers. Shortly
before 4 o'clock, about an hour before
quitting time, Foreman Walsh directed
Brown to place some material In a certain
position. These directions were greeted
with a grumble from Brown, who seemed
to be disgruntled about something. The
foreman did not take much notice of
Brown until he saw that he had not obeyed
orders, then he repeated his directions.
He did not anticipate trouble as he had,
SO far as can be learned, never had any
difficulties with the workman. As he was
turning to watch others of his workmen,
Brown, who was holding a sledge. lifted
| the heavy tool and struck the foreman two
quick heavy blows square on the side of
the head, telling him to the ground. The
foreman bled profusely. Laborers and a
number of skilled workmen ran to his as
sistance. The foreman was unconscious
when he reached the Emergency Hospital
The physicians noted the serious sondi-
tion of the foreman at a glance and de-
cided to perform the operation of trephin-
ing his skull. This was successfully done,
and small fragment of bone, which had
been depressing the injured mans brain.
was removed. Walsh was then placed in
q ward where he now lies.
In the mean time Brown was taken into
custody and locked up in cell at the Sixth
precinct station, charged with assault and
battery. The case will not be taken into
court this morning, but the prisoner will
be held to await the outcome of the in
iuries.
The foreman upon whom the cowardly
assault was made lives at 2212 H Street
northwest and is well liked by his men.
They were very indignant over the occurs
renee and it is extremely fortunate for
Brown that they did not retaliate by using
violence upon him after he had committed
the assault. That the other workmen did
not attempt this is due in great measure,
it is said, to the fact that they were too
much surprised TO realize the situation I'm
mediately and to the further fact that they
hastened to the injured mans assistance at
once, and were almost entirely engrossed
in the matter of trying to have him removed
to a hospital as speedily as possible.