Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-05-23
George Gambler Shot by a Colored
Highwayman.
OBJECT BELIEVED TO Be ROBBERY
Was Stopped on Long Bridge
Early Last Night.
THREE SUSPECTS ARRESTED

The Long bridge was the scene or
| ''hold-up" last night that may result in the
death of George v. Gambler. thirty-four
years old. whose home Is at Oakton, Fair
fax county, Va. Gambler was shot through
| the head by one of three colored highway
| men who attacked him. The affair hap
| pened between 8 and 10 o'clock. and Cand-
| Ter. with the bullet hole through his head.
drove from the bridge to the Emergency
| Hospital, where he received medical treat
'ment.
A colored man who gave his name as
John Williams was arrested in Jackson City
about 1:3O o'clock this morning by Detec-
| tives Helan, McNamee. Herndon and Lacy,
on suspicion that he knew something Of the
circumstances attending the shooting. he
was taken to the hospital. but the WOUNDED
man was unable to identify him. From the
| hospital the colored man was taken to the
first precinct station. where he was locked
up to await developments.
Soon after Gambler reached the Emer-
gency Hospital the doctors notified the po-
| lice, and Sergt. Carter directed the detec-
tives mentioned to make an investigation or
the case They started out by interviewing
the patient at the hospital
Gamblers Statement.
Although very weak from loss Of blood.
Gambler was able to give them pretty
good account of what happened on the
bridge. According to his statement he was
| driving south on the bridge when the three
colored men appeared. One of them grab
| bed the horse by the bride, while another
of the trio jumped in the buggy. 1t was
| the latter man, Gambler thinks. who fired
| the shot, succeeding which, without stop
ping to rob him. the three men ran OH, as
they evidently became frightened. me De-
| tectives had Assistant District Attorney
Semmes visit Gambler. with the intention OF
having his ante-mortem statement taken,
| but this purpose was not carried out, as the
doctors said the patient might recover
Harry Gambler, a brother of the victim OF
| the hoidup is in business in Jackson City.
He has been sick several weeks and MS
| brother George has remained with him
Last night about I OF clock George left jack
| son City with friend in his buggy and
| came to the city to see the parade ana hre-
\ works. He started home about O'Clock,
but the friend did not return with him IL
is understood that when he reached the
| second span from the south end OF the
draw the three colored men appeared.
1t Is the opinion Of the officers that Mr.
Gambler does not remember just how the
| shooting occurred. That he saw three men
| the officers have no doubt. but the shot
they believe, fired by the man VINO
stood in the rear of the buggy, for the bull
| let entered behind the right ear and passeu
out near the left eye, tearing away part
of the nose.
The Arrest Follows.
The detectives went to Jackson City and
Policeman Yoe took charge of the horse
and buggy In the vehicle was old army
| blanket that was saturated with blood.
When the detectives reached Jackson City
| they found John Williams seated on
chair in front of a bar room. He was
asleep, and when the detectives aroused
| him he went with them to the bridge to
search for evidence of the crime that had
been committed. John Wade, colored,
| bartender in Frank Fosters saloon. also
| went with the officers, taking a lantern
| with him. They had not gone far when
one Of the men in the party found the
blood-stained hat Of Gambler, and a short
| distance away was the dashboard Of the
| buggy, which had been knocked OF, indi-
| eating that Gambler had struggled with his
assailants. After proceeding short dis
| lance further north the officers found
pool of blood. which showed that Gambler
had been out of his carriage during the
struggle.
John Williams. who had accompanied the
detectives from Virginia soil to the District,
| was then arrested. His statement Is that
his home is in Richmond and that he came
here yesterday. Some time after 10 o'clock,
| he says, he went across the river and stop
| ped in front of the saloon to rest himself.
The Long bridge is regarded a danger
Gus place after 9 o'clock, as by that time
gambling on a small scale in Jackson City
| have gone to their homes this side of
| the river. There are no lights on the bridge
nor there any watchmen or policemen
stationed there to protect the public. Last
night it was impossible for a person to
| have seen any object on the bridge several
| feet away. One man who crossed the
| bridge late last night told Star reporter
that he and another pedestrian collided
There several men employed about the
| bridge by the railroad company. but their
duties keep them where they could not pos
sibly render assistance in the event Of hear
| ing a distress call
Believed to Reside Here.
1t is believed by the people in Jackson
City that last nights shooting was done by
colored man who belongs in this city. and
who is acquainted with the people in the
village south of the bridge. 1t is thought
the highwaymen believed they were attack
ing Frank Foster. and when they realized
they had made a mistake in their victim
they ran away. Foster is in business in
Jackson City. He usually drives over in a
buggy and frequently returns at night.
1t was reported this morning that two
other attempted robberies occurred on the
bridge after Gambler was shot. One man
who was "held-up, 1t was stated, fright
ened his assailants off by shooting at them
About 3 o'clock this morning complaint
was made to residents of Jackson City that
a man had been stopped by highwaymen.
and they turned out to apprehend the out
two poorly dressed white the
bridge. but they claimed that they knew
nothing of any trouble.
Two Arrests This Afternoon.
The condition of the patient seemed to be
much better this afternoon. and his two
brothers, Harry and William. were permit
ted to see him. Two arrests were made
this afternoon in connection with the case.
Walter Brim, a resident Of Jackson City.
and Joseph Clark. who says he lives on P
street, were the parties taken into custody.
The former was arrested by Detectives
Helan and Lacy and the latter by Detec-
tives McDevitt and Herndon. The men
deny that they know anything about the
shooting.
FOR SESSIONS DURING RECESS.