Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1901-09-13
JIM PARKER TELLS
COMPLETE STORY
HOW ATLANTA NEGRO SAVED
THE PRESIDENT FROM
SURE DEATH.

BUFFALO, Sept. 11.-James BENJAMIN
Parker Is the name of the negro who
saved the life Of the president Of the
United states. After the excitement sub
sided a court OF inquiry was held IN
which the actual facts of the assassina-
ton were brought out. The assassin held
the pistol carefully concealed in hand
kerchief wrapped around HIS right hand.
He made no EFFORT to take the hand OF the
president, but held his wrist firmly
against his right side and fired two shots
In quick succession. Immediately behind
Czolgosz was James Benjamin Parker, a
negro man. who was born in Atlanta, Ca,
fOrty-four years ago. He was educated
at Storr's public school and at the AT
lanta university. Of which Professor
Frances is principal He says hts mater
nal great-grandmother was a Cherokee
Indian squaw; that his father was the son
of Spaniard and negro woman who
lived on st. Johns Island or the coast
OF South Carolina. IFS mother, a native
of Savannah, Ca, lives fR Atlanta at No
26s Auburn avenue She had i've chill
dren, two sons and three daughters. OF
whom James Ben1amain Parker Is the
only survivor. Parker IS over six feet
six inches IN height and Is OF pow srful
build. / infer from what he says that he
had a number Of fights In Atlanta He
tells of whipping a man named Smith,
from Wilkes Barre, Pa. who accused him
Of circulating malicious stories about the
people of Georgia
He is remarkably intelligent and says:
Il was Immediately behind the assassin
at the reception in the Temple OF Music
and had on my waters jacket which 1
wear IN the restaurant where ] am en-
ployed. tried to pass the man because
he was so slow IN moving forward, but
he would stick his elbow In me, and finally
l concluded to follow quietly along behind
him. / am now glad l did So noticed
that he did not give hts hand to the presi-
dent but when I heard the reports Of the
pistol / saw the presidents face turn pale.
Glencfng down / saw what the murderer
was doing. / knocked him down in en- in
slant. as he raised his pistol as Il TO shoot
again. BY this time Detective Foster had
discovered something was wrong and setzr
ed the mans hand containing the pistoL
He wrenehed the weapon and the smoking
handkerchief out of his hand. while held
the assassin down to the ground. The
marines who were present for an instant
took Detective Foster for the murderer
and an Jumped on him. In a few seconds
Foster saw the mistake, gave up the
weapon and excitedly explained who ne
VAS All this time l had been In strus-
gle with the murderer and held him pinned
70 the floor. He Is supple and why, and II
had not been big and strong as / am
he might have gotten the advantage Of
me- He tore my walstc0at, but Old not
otherwise harm me. My only regret was
that Didn't chOak him to death while
had him down."
1 asked Parker why ne didn't kin him.
To which question he gave the character
istic Fep1y:A
You ought not to expect everything Of
q Niger"
It Is a matter of congratuIation that
Georgia darkey is really the hero Of this
occasion. His buckeye and strong arm
certainly saved the presidents hfe- he
is not puffed up about 1t and speaks OF -
In very modest manner. Judging from
letters he has received from the north
it looks as If be will not be waiter in
restaurant or hotel as long as he lives.
There Is a great demand fer photographs
and for buttons and souvenirs bearing his
head He has been waiter In the kim
ball house, Atlanta, for a number Of
years He came here last March and
speaks In most cordial terms of Mr.. James
w. Lloyd, Of Atlanta, and Of DIR. Con-
nelly, probably a local politician Of that
city. He seems to be moderately Well ed
ucated and speaks most affeetiOuately of
his mother.
His features show that he Is telling the
truth about his mixed descent. He Is tall
and slender, has a good profile and some
what suggests a Spanish type. which
have seen both IN this country and