The times., 1899-09-10
coNLEE HELD FOR TRIAL.
ihe Preliminary Hearing of James
McCarter's Assailant.

McCarter's Assailnnt.
cheever G. Conlee was arraigned in the
Police Court yesterday afternoon, charged
with assault with intent to kill James F.
McCarter in the latter's office in the
Stewart Building. corner of Sixth and d
streets northwest, Friday afternoon. The
nrst witness called was James McCarter.
the victim Of the assault McCarter told
the court that he was in his Office at the
tme named when a man entered the room
ana asked 10 see MIR. McCarter. The wit
ness stated that he was McCarter and
asked what was wanted. The man then
said his name was Conlee, and that he was
going to kill the witness. Conlee said he
would give McCarter three minutes to
make his preparations to die. The witness
argued with the man and told him the
time was too short. Conlee then said that
if McCarter had any letters to write he
had better write them at once as he in
tended to kill him at the end of three
minutes.
McCarter then asked permission to go to
his private room and use his desk. This
request was denied The witness asked
his self-appointed executioner to close the
door of the room intending to jump cut
of the window the moment the mans
back was turned. Conlee told McCarter
revolver from his pocket, he said;
Close the door, but do not attempt 10
leave the room, as l will shoot you at the
first move you make.
The witness went to the door ana ran
out. bending low as he ran, to avoid being
killed Conlee fired as soon as he saw
that his would-be victim was escaping,
and, running after the man, he fired three
more shots. The first shot struck Nc
rI,O n
others just grazed his finger. McCarter
fell down the stairs and ran into DR.. Stew
art at the entrance to the building. He
told DR.. Stewart an attempt had been made
on his life and asked him to catch the
man. Then the witness went TO have his
wounds dressed
The headquarters detective who made the
arrest was then called to the stand. de
said his attention had been attracted from
the Detective Bureau TO the place by the
firing of the shots, and when he arrived be
was told that Conlee, who was still in the
building. had attempted to kill man. Con-
lee was placed under arrest and was locked
up at No police station. The detective
secured the revolver with which the as
sault was made. The weapon is what is
known as bicycle revolver and is of very
curious construction. 1t is so made that
nothing but the barrel, which is short,
prOlru0eS from the manu-, the IcL1dlHutl VI
the weapon being concealed in the palm.
The cylinder in which the cartridges are
placed is about three inches in diameter
and is shaped like a watch. The cart
ridges are exploded by pressing the fingers
against the cylinder. When the detective
secured possession of the weapon there
were seven shells in the cylinder, four OF
which had been exploded.
At the conclusion of the detectives tes-
timony the prisoner made a statement to
the effect that he had gone to McCarter's
office in the afternoon 10 secure confes-
sion of the latter's alleged improper rela-
tions with the prisoners wife. The con-
fession was made, said Conlee, but McCar
ter refused to place it in writing. Then
the defendant was interrupted in his tes-
timony by the court, who said that he con-
sidered this irrelevant, as the charge of as
sault had been fully made out, and as this
was only preliminary hearing the pris-
oner could make his statement when the
proper time came. Mr.. Lasky, Assistant
United States Attorney, then asked that
the prisoner be held for the action of the
grand jury in $4,000 and the court gave the
necessary orders.