The times., 1899-01-01
SHOT THROUGH THE LUNG.
william Fox Probably Fatally
Wounded by Horace Smith.


An assault which may result fatally
ushered in New Year in the vicinity of
Zion Baptist Church. colored. on L Street
between 1 Third and Four and a-half
Streets. after the watch meeting service
last night William Fox, of No. 352
Street southwest, received a shot in the
right breast, fnear the collar bone. and
lies in precarious condition at the Emcr-
gency Hospital. where he was conveyed
in the patrol wagon OF the Fourth Precinct
station shortly after the shooting.
Horace, known to the police as Billy.
Smith colored. aged twenty-five years, was
arrested and locked UP at the Fourth pre-
cinct station. charged with assault. The
fact is pretty strongly established that
Smith did the shooting. No cause is as
signed for the deed.
i,otn men attended the watch meeting
at the Zion Church. After the .nestins
Fox and number of companions ieit tne
church and were spending the time in
hllarity and general celebration in front
OF the edifiee. The snow was bein5 driven
through the streets in binding sheets, so
| that it was impossible to see distinctly Tor
any considerable distance in either di-ec-
| tiun.
The crowd. of which Fox was a mem
! Street Suddenly and out Of the blurred
| distance a flash was seen and crack
| heard like that made by gun. Almost
simultaneously Fox fell at the feet OF his
companions a man was seen running In
| the distance and recognized as the negro
| Smith.
| Fox's companions raised him, covered
| with snow and bleeding, from the ground
| and endeavored to take him to the Fourth
/ AlI oto Ton mo a
of the party hastened ahead and informed
| the police at the station of the shooting
| The precinct patrol wagon was called in o
service and sent to take charge of the
| wounded man. He was conveyed to the
Emergency Hospital and placed under the
| care of the staff.
| 1t was learned upon Investigation that
| the bullet had entered the left chest of the
man and lodged in the right lung. perfor-
| ating that organ. Fox was afterward
| placed in a ward. At late hour the ply
sicians said his condition was critical. The
great danger lies in the probability of the
mans contracting pneumonia as result
of the wound and his long ride through the
| blizzard to the hospital.
Witnesses OF the affair asserted that
Smith did the shooting. The police accord
ingly began to make search for him and
| telephone instructions were sent to all the
I
ant Policeman Ais, of the Fourth precinct.
who has been detailed on special duty at
police headquarters, But who returned to
his former duties in his precinct last night,
captured Smith at his home, No. 919 Knox S
Alley southwest.
No motive can be assigned for the crime.
AS matter of fact, it is not known wheth-
| er the shots were fred Intentionally or ac-
| cidentaliy. 1t is the custom with some
people to fire off revolyers on New Years
morning in celebration of the holiday, and
as the shooting of last night occurred sew
eral minutes after midnight. and while the
din of hooting horns. ringing bells and
screaming whistles prevailed, some are in
clined to think that Smith fired the revol-
yer in a fit of jubilation and that the
shot struck Fox. Friends of Fox assert
however, that this could not have been the
case. as the shot was not fired in the air.
Both men were drivers, and it is believed
that some trouble arose between them dur
ing the holidays which led up to the climax
OF last night.