Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1900-08-25
A LIVELY TIME
Officer Outrow has a Long Chase.
Fires Down Tain Street.

Great excitement was caused on the
main thoroughfare Of the CITY few min-
utes past seven 0 clocSp m Monday by the
somewhat unusual sighe OF a negro rum
ming down Main street followed by blue
coat and a bullet, the alter OF course,
travelling little faster than the wearer OF
The blue, bur no, hitting lis mark. The
chase, the shooting and the subsequent
arrest OF the pursued BY the pursurer.
caused universal excitement and general
outbreak of lawlessness was looked tor
at any minute. The colored population
was enraged al the act of the officer in
firing at his intended prisoner and the
white people who congregated on the
street were indignant by the stubborn
resistance offered TO the officer by the
prisoner and the remarks Of his colored
friends, which were heard here and there
in the crowd. 1t would have taken the
slightest provocation to fan the sparks OF
anger into flames of conflict, resulting in
a general race riot. Happily the danger
period was passed, however. and about an
hour afterwards affairs assumed a normal
shape again.
The originator OF the trouble was
William Ford, a transfer-wagon driver for
whom Policeman Dutrow has had a war
rant since Friday. Ford and another base
ball player, Arthur Fisher. got into an
alteration over baseball game at Ran
dolph Ramer's restaurant Friday night.
Officer Dutrow got onto the scrap and
had warrants issued for the scrappers.
He was unable 20 find either of them TN
I'll last evening, however In walking down
East Martin street he saw Ford and
walked toward him. Ford started for
the opposite side of the street. Officer
Dutrow overlook him and impaired TO
him the unwelcome information that he
had warrant for his arrest. Ford would
not listen to the proposition to accompany
the officer until the warrant was read to
him. The officer proceeded to do so and
while handling the PAP ers he looked up
to see that his bird had flown.
The fleeing prisoner turned southwark
at. Queen with Dutrow in pursuit. Chief
of Police Freeze and his dog also took
hand IN the chase. When the fleeing man
was aoout the middle of the square Off
Ger Dutrow, who was a good distance be-
hind him, pulled his gun and fired. The
bullet flew wild of its mark. Bystanders
say they heard it strike the Peoples
Bank building, having travelled almost
the entire length Of the SQUARE without
striking anything or any one.
The tleet-footed runner seemed to be
impelled onward all the swifter BY the
noise of the bullet singing merry tune
past him. He turned eastward at the
corner Of Queen and Burke, ran to Wa
ter street and then turned southwark
again. In going down the Burke street
hill the officer came across buggy, which
he got into and resumed the chase with
greater celebrity. By this time crowd
had collected and, yelling and whooping,
joined in the chase. Ii is said that the
fleeing man had to dodge number of
stones thrown at him on Water street
by people endeavoring to stop him.
The space between the purser and pur-
sued was rapidly made shorter after the
officer got into the buggy and on East
John street in the yard of Jacob Custer
ne finally came up to his man. He had
just climbed over the fence. when Officer
Dutrow arrived and leveled his gun at
his prisoner. The latter was overawed
this time by seeing the muzzle OF the
gun staring him in his face, with the off,
GERS hand upon the trigger and the nip
pers were soon upon his wrist.
The march back TO the lookup, which |
also proved 10 be very interesting. was
then resumed. the two followed by a |
large crowd OF colored and white men
and boys. Everything passed off alright |
until Queen street was reached, when,
while walking along the street, the prs
oner gave the officer shove and threw
him into the street. he being pulled on
top of him by The officer, who still held |
onto the nippers.
Another provoking incident occurred at
the corner OF Queen and Martin streets |
earlier in the evening. A young man from
the country, d. Fl. Baker, was walking
past the corner, when Frank Sampson,
colored, better known as Club, without
any provocation or. warning, hauled away
and struck him, knocking him to the pave
ment. The man got up and meekly walk
ed away. probably afraid TO offer fight
amid such crowd of colored people as
was on the corner.
Officer McBee arrived few minutes
later and gave chase to Sampson, chasing
him as far as Maple avenue and then
turning back. He had a warrant sworn
out for him and when he went off duty
turned it over to Officer Dufrow, who ar
rested him about nine O'Clock in the
evening.