The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1901-09-26
CUTTING HIS WAY
Cullud Gemman Was Anx
ious to Be Known as
The Lamplighter. "

There was a serious cutting match in
"Coontown.' last night. 1t was Harvey
| Williams's ambition to have as gallant a
| title as an acquaintance, who was known
as The Lamplighter of the South" He
tried so hard for his sobriquet that now
he is prisoner at Police Headquarters,
| held without bail to await the result of
the injuries he inflicted on Philip Webb
with a razor. It is feared at the City
Hospital, where Webb is confined, that
he cannot recover. He has an ugly cash
about eight inches long across his left
breast, and it is feared that his left lung
was slashed.
| The stabbing affray is part of the aft
termath of the swathe cut by ssDr. c. c..
Johnston" a spurious colored physician
| who robbed Syrian woman in this city
and for that offense and for prescribing
medicine without a license is now in jail
awaiting trial. "Dr. Johnson came
here several months ago from Baltimore.
He was accompanied by Miss Laura
Brown. He promised to marry her and
then refused. The two took up their res
fdence here with Mrs. Hattie Williams of
No 275 Washington street. who is also
colored. She is the wife of Harvey Will
Jams, the "Lamplighter of New Jersey"
as he wishes to be known. They have
daughter, Mrs. Hattie Myles, who is
visiti them.
When DR.. Johnston" went to Jail he
left quite bill at Mrs. Williams's, and
she decided to hold all his baggage until
the debt was liquidated. She made the
mistake, however, of holding Laura
Browns belongings. Yesterday Justice
Mccormick as Acting Police Justice of
! the First Criminal Court, made an order
for Mrs. Williams to surrender Laura
| Browns trunk. Laura had decided 10
change her residence to the home Of Mrs.
Tillie Trotter. at No. 80 Plymouth street.
Shortly after six O'clock last evening,
while Laura Brown was on her way to
the home of the Williamses with two boys
whom she had engaged to carry her trunk
she met Phillip Webb of No. 103 Plymouth
street. Webb was invited to accompany
her and he did so. While the boys were at
Mrs. Williamss house following instrue-
| tions in asking for the girls trunk she
and Webb went into saloon and had a
drink. After what they considered suffi
cient time had elapsed to allow the de-
livery of the trunk at Mrs. Trotter's
home they started for that house.
AS they reached the rrotter nome they
heard commotion. Mrs. Williams and
T her daughter were abusing Mrs Trotter.
for taking boarder away from them and
threatening Mrs Trotter with arrest lhe
cause of the trouble paid no attention to
the wrangle but went into the house.
Webb, it seems, was more interested.
He stopped and gazed at Mrs Williams
| In manner that raised her wrath.
''Wha' yoh iookin' at, yoh black trash?"
she demanded.
Webb alleges. that he calmly and polite
| ly replied:
II may have looked at you rather close
!ly madam, but I meant no harm Please
excuse me He started to walk away.
Just at that time Mrs. Williams's husband
happened along. He wanted to see how
the women were getting along with their
argument Upon seeing her husband Mrs
Williams shouted
/ dat black trash suited me-
webb approached Williams with an ex-
planation. He was met more than half
way Before Webb could make a move to
defend himself Williams whipped out a
razor and slasfed at Webb. He cut the
Iunfortunate man from shoulder almost to-
waist. aud Webb fell to the street bleed
/ ing and fainting. Williams made fur
/ ious rush at his PROSTATE victim a second
time, but was held back and hustled
away, his friends fearing the police. Webb
was taken to the First police station.
He was then removed to the City Hospi-
/ tai.
/ CAPTAIN John Cody and Detective Lee
started out to arrest Williams. They
found him and his wife at their home be-