The times., 1899-08-17
SHOT AT HIS AccUsER.
Rash Deed of an Infuriated Express
Messenger.


terday morning. The shooting occurred in
the Office OF Superintendent ]. B. Hocka-
day, of the Southern Express Company, To-
Gated on the third floor of the building at
| g21 Pennsylvania Avenue northwest, ana
appears to have been the result OF an I'M
putation alleged TO have been made against
! the character of Davis.
Four shots were fired by the man before
he was overpowered by Mr.. Hockaday ana
George Leonard a Pinkerton detective,
who were present at the time of the shoot
ing Baumgartn was not Injured, but
Leonard and Hoeka6ay received shsht
wounds. Davis was disarmed and turned
oexr to Special Policeman j. l. elliott,
stationed at the street railway crossing at
the corner of Ninth Street and Pennsyl-
vania Avenue northwest. He locked the
man up at the Twelfth Street station,
where charge of assault with intent to
kill was preferred by Mr.. Ho>kaday.
Davis will be arraigned in court this morn
ing.
The shooting was the closing incident In
an abruptly ended conference held In lne
office of Mr.. Hockaday. for the purpose, II
is said of confronting Davis with the eY-
| idence that he had purchased OF Baum
garten a Southern Express Company sea-,
BaumgaTten identified Davis as the man
| who had ordered il made and Claimed he
had told him that the manufacture OF 1t
was authorized by the company. 1t was
also said that Detective Leonard accused
Davis of having opened express packages
from which he distracted money and then
resealed them. The accusation infurlated
Davis, and he drew his revolver ana hred
pointblank.
Davis is employed as an express mes
senger on the run between Atlanta and
Washington. 1t is claimed that for some
time valuable packages entrusted TO mis-
care have been tampered with. and that
at one time a package containing Sl,UoO
was missed. An investigation followed
with the result that Detective Leonard,
who was employed on the case, suspected
Davis of the alleged thefts He made
known his suspicious to Superintendent
Hockaday and that gentleman summoned
Davis to his Office yesterday morning. 1t
is alleged that while Detective Leonard
was investigating the opening of the pack
age he was informed that Davis had pur-
chased a seal from Baumgarten. This was
revealed after the detective had visited
all the stamp and seal shops between New
York and New Orleans When Davis ar
rived at the office of Superintendent Hook
aday he was confronted by the alleged
evidence, and, as stated, identified by
Baumgarten.
When Baumgarten declared that Davis
was the man who had ordered the manu-
faeture OF the seal the latter, who was sit
ting near a window overlooking Pennsyl-
vania Avenue arose and began firing De-
tective Leonard rushed upon him as did
Mr.. Hockaday and while the men strug-
gled TO disarm Davis he fired three more
shots One bullet grazed the shoulder of
Leonard while another struck Mr.. Hocka-
day On the third finger OF his left hand.
Both bullets made holes in the ceiling
/ nile tho bullet embodied itself in a
window sash near where Baumgarten had
been standing. The fourth bullet passed
through the floor OF the room thence
through the ceiling of the room below
and buried itself in a bundle OF manila
envelopes lying on the desk of George W.
Moss. general agent Of the Express Com
ipany. Mr.. Moss was ar his desk at the time
in conversation with A. B. Bishop and j.
S. Moss. clerk in the White House. Both
George W. Moss and Mr.. Bishop had mar
row escapes from being shot, as their heads
were close together and the bullet passed
between them.
When seen by a Times reporter Davis
was vehement in his deBunciation oi
Baumgarten. He claimed that the man
lied about him, and that he tried TO kill
him because of it. Davis claimed that he
had never seen the man before, and thai
he had been paid to lie against him.
II value my reputation more than any
mans life said Davis, land any man
who would lie about another should be
killed" Davis expressed desire TO OBJ
tain counsel, and asked If Gen. Edgar Allen
was in the city. Davis has been in the
employ of the express company for num-
Der of years, and lives at Gel South Caro-
lima Avenue. His trunk was searched there
last night by Detective Parham and al
envelope found on which was described {
circle in the shape of seal with th'
abbreviation, Sou. Ex Co.. within th'
circle. The circle also contained the words
/ New Orleans. Other matter said TO b.
discriminating also found.
Arthur Baumgarten, the rubber stamI
and seal manufacturer in E Street north
west who Identified Davis as being tn,
man who on June IL ordered New
} Orleans express seal, when seen by
: Times reporter in regard 10 the shoot
. | ing, was at first disinclined TO talk
E but later gave the story of his con
a ! nection with the case. He stated that Da
Wis came TO his place of business on Jun
( II and ordered what he called a New Or
! leans baggage express seal. The man di
( not appear TO be anxious as to how tn
| seal should be made, and left 1t entirel
: to the discretion of Mr.. Baumgarten. MI
g Baumgarten stated that his suspicion
s were not aroused, as seal was brough
q from which TO make a reproduction.
I ton. He thought no more of the matte
s until yesterday when Detective Leonarl
/ came TO his place Of business and desire
? to know if he had made stamp answer
[ ing the description of one which the de
G teciiye exhibited. Mr.. Baumgarten re
: membered the order and the man wto haJ
: the work done Yesterday morning at tn
3 request OF Detective Leonard he went Z
the Office OF the Southern Express Com
lpany 10 identity Davis. Mr.. Baumgartei
says that at the time Of the shooting h
was standing not more than two feet fror
: Davis and he regards his escape as nirac
uious.
4 Shortly after having the New 0rlean
, seal made Davis went to the place O
business of Herman Baumgarten, SIS Sew
: enth Street northwest, taking with him tn
d seal made by A. Baumgarten, and state
d that he had il made In Baltimore, and
:. mistake had been made in the wording Of
= it, He requested that the word Mont
= gomery'' be substituted for the wor
:, New Orleans" H. Baumgarten after
ward found that the New Orleans sea
a had been made al his sons establishment
: RODE THE FARMER ON A RAII
The Township Committee Moved Hill
2 and His Fence Back.
b Riverton, n. j., Aug. 16.-Samuel Hoff