The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-05-02
ALDERMAN AND EDITOR FIGHT.
sTANsELL AND WILLIAMSON En-
CHANGE PISTOL SHOTS.

StanseII Attacked Williamson on Ac-
count of an Editorial Charging
Bribery II Knocked the Editor
Down, Shot Him in the Thigh and
Ran-WiIIiamson Then Fired at
stanseII Hitting Him in the Back.
stanseII's Wound Serious.
jacksonville, Fla, May 1.-Early this
afternoon, c. W. Stansel, alderman from
the Seventh ward and A. W. Williamson
editor Of the Florida Journal weekly
paper. published here, met in front of the
Postotfice on Forsyth street, and exchanS-
ed shots, both men being badly wounded
Williamson in the left thigh and Stansel
IN the small of the back.
The trouble resulted directly from fery
editorial in Williamsons paper Sunday
in which ne arraigned the Mayor and
City Council and denounced Stansell by
name as "bribe taker and worse"
Williamson rode up to the Postoffice on
his wheel. Stansell stepped up to him and
struck him over the head with stick,
knocking him off his bicycle. AS he lay
on the ground, Stansell pulled his revolver
and fred three times at him point blank
and then turned and ran.
Williamson, with the blood streaming
from a wound in his leg. rose unsteadily
to his feet and, drawing his pistol, sent
a ball after Stansell that caught him in
the back. Another shot was wild and
then the editor fell to the ground, Stan
sell also falling down at the entrance to
q cigar store three rods away.
A large crowd gathered around and the
men were conveyed to their homes, after
being seen by doctors. Williamson had
severe wound in his left thigh while
Stansell was badly wounded in the back,
the ball lodging near his spine.
Late tonight both seem about the same,
though Williamsons wound is not thought
40 be dangerous, while Stansell's is bad
one, and If blood poisoning ensues may
be fatal.
Cause of the Shooting.
For weeks there has been much talk re-
garding the desperate fight being made
by the Plant System, formerly owning
the street railway franchise, and the At
Iantic, Valdosta and Western Railroad
90 obtain new franchise for the ensuing
thirty years. The Council was stirred up
by the contest and the aldermen were di-
vided as TO the parties. Talk of bribery
was made, anonymously and some bad
blood stirred up.
Last Sunday Williamson had lead
ed leader" in which he denounced the city
officials, or some of them, as ne stated
and Stansell was named as "bribe TAX
err" in that he had received, or had claim
ed to have had, $1,000 from the Plant Sys-
tenn for his influence in the Council. Will
Hanson added:
IF this charge had been made against
honest men, it would mean a funeral. If
this don't suit they can take legal meas
ures or a club"
He also stated that he would stand for
all he had written.
The shooting to-day was the direct re-
suit of this editorial. Stansell is a we'll
known citizen, who has been resident of
Jacksonville for years. In the past year
he has been a conspicuous figure in city
political matters and a subject for many
cartoons by the city papers. Williamson
is from Pasco county, South Florida where
he was state senator. He Is a plucky man
and never refuses to stand to anything
that he has written.
The matter has caused much comment
and is the exciting topic of the city to-
night Prominent citizens deeply deplore
the encounter