The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-03-26
a COLORED GIRL KILLED
REV. PORTER WILLIAMS ACCIDEN-
TALLY FIRED THE SHOT.
1t Sought as n Target His sixteen
Year-OId Daughter, Who Was in
a Shed-WiIIiams Released.

Bertha Williams, a thirteen-year-old coll
ored girl, was shot and almost instantly
killed at 2:SO o'clock yesterday afternoon
by her father. Porter Williams. with whom
she lived at Prospect and St. Peter streets.
Williams was arrested by Captain Kruger
and Bicycle Policemen STREET. and Losh and
charged with murder. The shooting seems
to nave been accidental and Williams,
who is a relief Baptist preacher. shows
intense grief, continually mumbling re-
marks about his daughter. This is aw-
full" he said repeatedly, "she has gone so
auckland my favorite daughter, too-she
favored her mother so-God have mercy,
have mercy" Williams is ffty-nine years
of age and has lived in the city for twelve
years, coming here from Greensburg, Ky.
The police were advised at 2:4O o'clock of
the shooting, and in a few minute they
were at the Williams home, which is an
old brick shanty of two rooms, standing
back i'm the commons at Prospect and st.
Peters streets. Bicycle policemen arrived
first and found the girl lying dead on the
kitchen floor, surrounded by several or
her sisters. The father was running about
the house and yard, frantic with grief. To
the officers he said he had some time ago
secured the services of Louis Taylor, coll
ored, of Norwood, to do some work for him
and, being unable to pay him in money.
had promised to give him a revolver which
he owned. Williams works most of the
time as a laborer, and yesterday, being
idle, thought he would clean the weapon
and pay the debt. In the front room were
several of his nine children. He cleaned
the pistol in the front room and then
went 10 a drawer and got one cartridge.
This was inserted in the cylinder. which
would not revolve as IL should. He went
to the kitchen door and, while preparing
to take aim and shoot, the weapon was
prematurely discharged. A moment later
his daughter Bertha, who he thought was
in the front ROOM, ran from an Clubhouse
eighteen feet from the kitchen door and,
with her hands clasped TO her berast, said;
"Pappie. you've shot me-" She passed her
father in the doorway and dropped to the
floor just inside, expiring at once. TIL
bullet entered the left side just below the
shoulder, it's course being downward, indi-
eating the sitting posture OF the girl. The
bullet passed through a crack in the out
house, barely leaving its mark on one side.
The revolver was a thirty-eight-calibre
and had only one cartridge in 1t. Williams
made no effort TO get away.
There were no. witnesses to the shooting
found. Some OF the %neighbors said they
heard the shot and went TO the house. His
knew nothing of 1t until the girl reached
the kitchen.
Williams was unable. when being ques-
toned by Captain Kruger. 10 understand
why he was suspected of having shot the
girl after a quarrel. Captain Kruger
asked: Did you have any quarrel with her
before that?' INC the reply was: why,
man. she was my daughter-she was my
daughter-what, man, quarrel with my
daughter" The dead girls sisters said
there had been no quarrel. The body of the
girl was removed to the city morgue in the
Dispensary ambulance, at the same time
Williams was taken TO headquarters in the
patrol wagon.
Coroner Brayton, after Investigating the
case. decided that the girls death was the
result OF an accidental shooting and recon-
mended Williams's release without bond,
which was done by the police.