The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-10-26
THE DANCE HALL MURDER
RESULT OF THE INQUEST HELD YES
TERDAY MORNING
The Jury Declared That James Wells
shotPeter waddell, and Mayor Wad-
dell Bound Wells Over to the Crfmi-
nal Court to be Tried for His Life.
Wells Bought a Pistol.

Wells Bought a Pistol.
The Messenger yesterday Noted that
Peter Waddell, a negro twenty-one
years of age, was shot through the
right lung Monday night at a frolic
at the hall on Ninth and Bladen streets.
and died at 2:10 o'clock yesterday
morning at the city hospital. We also
stated that a number of negroes were
arrested as principals and witnesses
to the affair and were locked up in the
guard house.
One of the negroes arrested after the
row in the dance hall was James Wells
alias 'Stokey''. 1t appear that Nor
man Lindsey. colored. the ianitor or
the dance hall. saw Wells shoot Wad-
dell and he laid hold of him and held
him till the police came. Policeman
E. Skipper having arrived on the scene
placed Wells under arrest
Yesterday morning at $50 O'Clock
when the city court met, Mayor Wad-
dell gave Wells a preliminary hearing
on the charge of murder. The Witness
es examined were Norman LINDSEY
Sarah Walker, Charles Russell, VIII
liam Collins, James Townsend, WIN
Townsend, n w. B.. Bennett, all col
ored. The principal witnesses were
Norman Lindsey, the janitor, William
Collins and William Townsend Lind
sey testified tina he saw Wells o
waddell and that he caught the muir
derer and held him till the police came.
Collins testified h a on Monday morn
ing he was down town with Wells and
that Wells bought a pistol on DOCK
street from Henry Brinkley and SAID
II am going to kill me a man or make
him a a tree" VIII ToWnseno tes-
tilted that when Wells and Waddell
got to fighting at the dance be Sepa-
rated them and that Wells fired on
Wadde while he was retreatlng,
shooting him without p~rovocation.
Mayor Waddell, after warning Wells
that he need not say anything TO con-
yict himself, unless he so desired, tolo
him that it was his privilege ID make
a statement. He declined to make a
statement. He had no counsel pres
ent.
Upon hearing the testimony Mayor
Waddell committed Wells to jail With
out bond to be tried for his life at the
next terms of the criminal court Of
New Hanover county which conVeneS
Monday, November 18th.
THE CORONER HOLDS AN y
QUEST.
DR.. r. ]. Price, coroner of New Han
over county, upon being notified or the
death of Waddell summoned a jury
Yesterday morning and held an Inquest
over the remains at the city hospltal.
The following constituted the Jury:
John w. Plummer, foreman, II. GUM
Ivan. z. Blackman, G. II. Daniels,
lanes Nj. Hall, and j. T. McIver, sec
rotary.
Sarah Walker, colored, being sworn
testified as follows:
L saw James Wells take a pistol
from his pocket and shoot the deceased
who fell to the floor. L know mourning
more of the cause T.,
Normal Lindsey, colored, janitor OF
the hall where the shooting occurred,
was sworn and his testimony was as
follows:
Last night about IL o'clock I was
outside in the passage and went INTO
the hall. L heard a rush beh1nd me
and turned towards the crowd. l. saw
Peter Waddell backing back, and saw
Stokey draw a pistol and fire. Then L
grabbed Wells and held him until a po-
liceman came and took charge OF him.
/ am positive Wells shot the deceased
without provocation.
Charles Russell, colored, was sworn
and his testimony was as follows:
II went into the hall about IL O'Clock.
and noticed a rush. / saw Stokey
Wells take out a pistol and heard the
firing but did not see the shooting.
The rush referred to was doe
wins to get out of reach of Wells who
did the shooting
William Collins, colored, under oalH'
testified as follows: E.
1T was down street last night about
s o'clock with Wells alias Stokey, VINO
bought a pistol, saying he was going
to kill him a man. I was not at the
l1ory nnfhfnO M fne
shooting"
w. B. Bennett, colored, being sworn
testified as follows:
II was at the hall and heard a pistol
which I saw Wells fire. / heard Wells
and the deceased quarreling before the
shooting"
William Townsend having been
sworn gave the following testimony:
II saw the difficulty between Wells
and Waddell. saw the deceased have
a chair and Wells was making towards
him. 1 heard the report of a pistol but
did not see the shooting"
James Townsend, colored, Delns
sworn, testified as follows:
Last night about 1O:30 O'Clock 1
was in the hall called Leody. / saw
James Wells alias "Stokey' between
Z and s o'clock have a pistol and ne
said he was going to kill a man. In a
scramble near the door I heard shoot
ing. 1 did not see the shooting.
After hearing the evidence the Jury
deliberated ten minutes and rendered
the following verdict:
THAT the deceased, Peter Waddeli,
came to his death from the effects of
a pistol shot in the right lung, received
at the hands of James Wells, alias
'Stokey.'"
No arrest followed the verdict as
Wells had already been committed to
jail by Mayor Waddell on the charge
of murder.
ladies Can Wear Shoes.