The Washington weekly post., 1900-12-04
speelal . - W.shlnrton -

Special 10 The Washington Post
Petersburg. Va, Nov. 3o-United States
Deputy Collector Charles Gee. who. with
Collector John II. Chapman. was shot yes
terday. while making a raid on an Illicit
sun In Brunswick County, arrived here
this afternoon. Capt Gee says they were
not SHOT by moonshine-s. as had been re-
ported, but by revenue officers from North
Carolina, who mistook the Virginians for
moonshiners. Gees statement In regard
to ths shooting is that Collector Chapman.
United States Marshal Bendit, and HIM
self, drove to a point in Brunswick Coun-
~. on the border line OF Virginia and
North Carolina, to make search for the
Illicit still of the Bradley brothers.
AT the same time Deputy Collector Lew
is and two posse men, named Cooper and
Johnson, from North Carolina, were
searching for the same Illicit stIll. They
reached the still before Gee and his party
did. opened fire on the Bradleys and drove
them of. The Bradlevs offered no resist
ance, but Lewis and his men fired some
twentN shots at them as they ran OF.
Capt. Gee says that he and his party
heard the firing, but thought ii was Being
done by the moOnshiners "a frighten of
The officers from the still Capt. Gee said
that he and his party moved stealthily to-
ward the still, and as soon az they came
In sight Lewis and his men commenced 10
fire on them with Winchester rifles, At
range of about fifty yards.
Thought IL a Ruse.
Capt. Gee declares that he called out
to Lewis and his men that they were rev.
enue officers and did not intend 10 shoot
any one, and asked them to stop firing.
The North Carolina officers paid no at
tention TO them, but came nearer and
nearer all the time. keeping behind large
pine trees. until they got within twenty
or thirty yards of Capt. Gee and his men.
firing all the tire.
Marshal Bendit called out to Lewis and
his men, I'VE surrender"
Gee and Chapman said:
yes, we give it up, we are revenue
officers, but do not want to shoot any
one" The Carolina officials evidently
thought that a ruse 20 throw them on
their guard, for Capt Gee states that Lew
is and his party continued TO advance and
shoot until they had fired five times Gee
was shot with No. 1 buckshot, two or
them going through his left arm. and
Chapman was shot with four shots. all
of them taking effect in his left side Al
ter Gee and Chapman had been shoI,
Lewis and his party discovered their er-
ror, and said that they were sorry 1or
what they had done. Chapman was taK-
en- to-day to South CASTOR.
DsputT Lewis Statement.
Raleigh Y. c.. Nov. 3o.-peputy Col
iector Allen arrived here this evening and
brought news to Collector Duncan from
Deputy Collector r. J. Lewis that the
lei nd al zhOf npnutX coll
lectors from Virginia. Lewis said he and
his posse were destroying an Illicit dis
tillery in Northampton County. y. c.,
near the Virginia line, when they saw
armed men hastily approaching. Taking
these to be mconshiners, Lewis fired his
rife and two were hit
The terrible mistake was instantly dis
covered and a telephone message was
rushed to Littleton for DR.. Aston TO go
TO the scene of the shooting. Allen says
Lewis feared the men wero severely hurt.
The Virginia officers evidently had To-
Gated the same still which the North Car
olina officers were cutting to pieces. The
shooting was done in daylight.
Richmond, Va, Nov. s0.-John II. Chap
man is tWenty-seyen years old, son or
Col. William II. Chapman, deputy collec-
tor of Lynchturg district, and has been
studying for the Episcopal ministry. Tie
took an appointment this year under his
father to make money 10 prosecute his
studies. Mr.. Charles Gee Is an ex-mem-
Der of the Virginia senate. Col. Chap
man passed through here this evening en-
route TO Brunswick County 10 see his SON
who Is at DR.. Powells home. He had not
been apprised of the nature of his sons
injuries. Deputy Bendit has made no re-
port of the circumstances of the shoot
ing TO the department here.