Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-01-17

thread, while two others miraculOusly
escaped with painful injuries, occurred
here at / o'clock to-day. The princi-
pals in the treagedy were ex-Congress-
man David G.. Colson, of Middlesboro,
and Lieut.. Ethelbert Scott, of Somer-
set. Scott was shot six times by Col
son and almost instantly killed.
Luther w. Demarree, assistant post
master at Shelbyville, an innocent by
stander, was shot three times and died
instantly. Charles Julian, another by
stadner, was shot and died a half hour
later, and Capt. B. B. Golden, of Bar
louisville, commonwealth's attorney,
of the Twenty-seventh judicial district,
was shot in the back and is not ex-
pected to survive the night. Col. Col
son himself wa shot twice in the arm.
Harry McEwing, of Louisville, was
shot in the foot, and w. o. Ridpath, Of
Chicago, sustained a broken leg by the
lifeless form of Scott falling against
him as 1t rolled down the stairway.
The tragedy. is one of the most SEN
sational in the history of "the dark
and bloody ground" The killing oc-
CURED in the lobby of the Capitol Ho-
tel, the principal hostelry of the State
Capitol, the room being well filed at
the time with politicians and others
who are attending the contests for
State offices before the Legislature.
Col. Colson is in Jail tonight, charged
with murder, but he claims self-de-
Tense.
The witnesses to the affair were tax
en- so much by surprise when the shoot
ing began that most of them were al
most panic stricken, and there are
Macy Conflicting Stories
as to how the fight began.
Col. Colson and a party of friends,
among whom a Demarree, were
sitting in the lobby engaged in con-
%versation as Scott and Captain Golden
came up the stairs from the bar room.
when they had advanced about half
way across the room, walking in the
direction of Colson, the latter, it is
said, half rising from his chair, fired
at Scott, who instantly returned the
fire. The shooting then became gen
eral and bystanders are at variance
as to the number engaged in it. De-
marree was standing slightly in front
of Colson and young Scott is said to
have crouched behind to escape bull
lets from Colson's revolver. In an in
slant Demarree fell dead, pierced by
three bullets. Captain Golden, who
accompanied Scott, reeled to one side,
falling into the arms of Ex-Governor
james B. McCreary, exclaiming Il am
shoti"
The smoke in the locality Of the
antagonists became dense, but Colson
continued to press Scott, who retreated
backward, shooting as he moved. Col
son emptied the chambers Of a SO cali
bre revolver and quickly brought a A
into action. Scott by this time had
been shot several time and as he stag
gered back and fell. down the stairway,
Colson, who was within a few feet Of
him, continued to fire till the form Of
Scott rolled over and showed life ex-
tinct.
The battle was terrific, and bullets
fairly rained through the lobby of the
hotel, several of which went wild,
pierced window glass or imbedded
themselves in the walls and furniture
OF the hotel.
It was not discovered for several
minutes afterward that Julian, who
died later, had been shot, and at first
his wound was thought to be only trif-
ling. After the killing Col. Colson
ran out of the hotel and hurried to the
residence of Chief Of Police Williams,
where he surrendered. He was almost
exhausted. and as he entered the house
gasped, Il am sorry; he would not let
me alone. There were three of them
shooting at me-"
Meantime the widest excitement
prevailed in the hotel lobby, where the
killing occurred, and in the dining
room nearby, where about four hun
dred guests had been seated at dinner
when the fusilade began.
Men Fell over Each Other
In frantic efforts to get to places of
safety, women tainted. and it was sew
eral minutes before the awful scope of
the tragedy was fully known. The dead
were LEFT lying in pools of blood, and
messengers were despatched in every
direction Tor physicians and nurses to
care for the wounded.
Charles H. Julian. who was shot in