Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-03-12
General Walker is Charged With
Doing the Shooting,
THE WOUND FATAL, PERHAPS.
Shoulder, But is Not seriousI
Hurt-AccusatiOns on Roth Sides


Inc Dad icctlng tnat had been cngendcfcd
in the contest Of eX-COngrossman James
A. Walker for the seat of Judge Rhel.
in the Fifty-sxth Congress. eliminated
in a bloody episode here tonight
William S. Hamilton. OF counsel for
Judge Rhea. was shot i'm the abdomen
and perhaps fatally hurt. and General
Walker received two bullets in the right
shoulder, but is not seriously wounded.
There Is some conflict of testimony as
to who did the shooting. but the state
mont OF one Of the eye-witnesses TO the
affair regarding it is as follows:
Judge Rhea began the taking Of tes-
timony on Yesterday and introduced one
witness. asking him about forty ques-
tions. General Walker asked the witness
over 900 questions. consuming nearly the
entire day and part Of the night. To-day
George L. Steiner. proprietor Of Stcn-
ner's restaurant. was introduced. and
Judge Rhea asked him about thirty ques-
tions. and General Walker i'm person be-
gan the cross-examination Some 200
questions had been asked at 6 =. NJ
when an adjournment was taken TO 1870
| 7. NJ. At the time set the witness Mr..
Steiner: W. H. Price. Notary Public:
General Wake. his friends. X. VI. CAL
fee. Of Pulaski and A. Il. Hickman Of
this city. We're present. Judge Rhea. the
contestee. his friends-C. L. Kidd. NJ Il.
owen. George +. Davis Attorney w. s.
Hamilton. and J. A. stone Clerk Of the
Corporation Co1rt-were also present.
HAD SOME WORDS.
The examination had not gone far when
Mr.. Hamilton and General walker had
some words. but friends of both finally
succeeded in getting them TO take seats.
and il seemed that trouble would be
avorted. During this quarrel General
Walker held Derringer pistol i'm his
hand. Upon resuming his seat General
Walker said that ha did not intend TO
! proceed further in taking testimony, UNI
| less the contestee would get sober coun-
sci and that ne wouldn't associate with
a drunken -- any longer Mr. Hamil-
ton said TO him that If he (Walker said
he was drunk he was d-n liar. dene-
raj Walker at once pulled his Derringer
and shot Mr. Hamilton In the abdomen
The General had apparently been drink
! ing. Mr. Hamilton may have had one or
two drinks. but not more. The deposit
lions were being taken in the jury-room
OF the Corporation and Circuit Court OF
this city.
WHO SHOT WALKER?
The room. being only some L. feet
sauar,. was crowded ana the cOmmOtiOn
when General Walker fired became 50
great that il was impossible 10 tell who
shot Walker.
some persons claim that Hickman shot
I D., ..Ia hsf InIsra
Rhca's stcnographer g. T. Davis. shot
him. Mr.. Davis denies the shooting and
having had pistol.
General walker it Is said, dropped his
! Derringer on the floor and claims he did
not shoot at all.
Warrants are i'm the officers hands for
General walker, but his physician. Dr.
Vance. will not permit Of his being dis
mrbed. Re is in his room al the Hotel
81. Lawrence. and the building ~ being
guarded by the police force Hamilton
has been carried TO his home. on Cumber-
land street lie has a wife and several
small children. He is eX-COmmonwealth'
Attorney of this city a graduate of the
University OF Virginia, and lawyer OIL
ability.
ANOTHER ACCOUNT.
Another account says:
"Nhile General Walker was question
ing George u. Steiner. one OF Judge
Rhea's witnesses. he became involved ~
, vordv quarrel with Mr. Hamilton
Rhea's attorney. Some very insinuauhS
language passed between them ana MI
Hamilton advanced upon General walker
in a threatening manner. Quick as a
dash revolvers we're drawn. but General
walker. long trained in the use OF such
formidable weapons, got the drop on
Hamilton. and hred a shot that struck
him in the pit OF the stomach. MT. liam
utou. fl stems, rad first put his mana Oh
his hip-pockct, cursing and threatening 10
shoot. but g. +. Davis, VINO Is private
secretary TO Judge Rhea. promptly fired
two shots at General Walker, so IL Is
Cbaraed striking him in the shoulder.
caTeral Walker. whose wounds, as
above stated. are slight. is resting easily
ana in good spirits. one bullet entered
NJ tho right OF his neck and ranged
downward towards the shoulder BLADE.
The other entered the top OF the right
sboulaer and ranged inward and down
ward towards the right lung. ana i
thought by physicians to be lodged heaI
The same. The last-named shot is thought
~ have touched the main artery,
bur not TO a serious or fatal extent
rhr Republicans claim that Private
Secretary Davis made statements wv
weeks ago about what he would 90 IL III
case of an alteration with General NdiN
or and the Democrats charge tha' inc
AFFAIR was prccipitated by bulidUzlhs '"'
Tics on the part of General Walker
EXCITEMENT RUNS HIGH
This cuiet CITY has been reused 10
hieh tension by the Taeedy' anu w
strongest accusations are MADE Oh po.n
sidee some have been rash enough 10
,"ores, that extreme and immediate pun
igi'ment might be visited on both OF ,he
,snmnded men. but The counsels OF wiser
man viii prevent any action Oh 'hat ma
, ,'.e The courts will be called upon IN
ana tim. I'm regular order OF proceuuie
Wv, y, ds,ermine who are the guiity ohes'
70 has not been arrested, ana some
a.. thst he fred at General w aiheI'
,,,a,. phea left the courthouse lilihe-
1io,sl,. after the shooting.
usr,ilton is a Republican. VINO Voiuh-
..aa hIs services as counsel for Judge
obao warrant has also been sworn
out for his arrest
n...s. Guse at AshcNtiIe.