The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-03-25
CRAP SHOOT. Frs
FIRE ON OFFICERS.
A Sunday Raid Ends in Death Of
the Proprietor.
SINCLAIR FATALLY WOUNDED
Gamblers Fire on the Officers from a Dark
Room, and They Return the Fire-Large
Parties of Excursionists at Old
Point-The Olympia
Especial Dispatch to The Timcs.)

~
NEWPORT NEWS, VA, March "a
Two police officer sand one negro We're
badly wounded Sunday as a result OF a
clash between a posse and q gang OF
crap-shooters. The affair occurred yes
terday morning between and O'Clock
near what Is known as 1.-The Cross
Roads, in the vicinity of Hampton
Information was brought to Sheriff Cur
It's that a negro named James briggs
was running Il gambling house at tiiis
place. The sheril1, taking Cons tables Roy
Sinclair, Jonn Iignor ana j. Z. Gidd1ngs,
repaired to the scene shortly after 3
o clock in the morning and surrounded
the building, within which a great racket
were concealed was dark The constables
We're in the light.
positions at the rear of the house, the
sheriff guarding the front entrance.
Presently the three constabes entered
the house through the rear. The gam
blers had left the room in which the
game was being carried on and had con-
cealed themselves in another room. while
the officers took charge of the gaming
room. The room in which the negroes
cealed was dark. The constables were In
the light.
L 1Ik1LD oAS OILE 1SIIltS.
The negroes opened fire as soon as the
officers were We'll in the room. The first
shot struck Tignor in the right arm,
splintering the bone. The arm may have
to be amputated. Officer Sinclair opened
fire; in the next minute he fell in the
doorway, q bullet his head. 1t entered
the left eye and lodged near the ear at
the back of the head. He cannot re-
cover.
Sheriff Curtis meanwhile was pumping
lead into the room in which the negroes
were concealed, ard the gamblers became
alarmed and began to escape through the
side entrance. When the fuslade finally
ceased. it was discovered that Briggs
had been shot twice in the left side.
Admiral Taylor and William Grundy,
Of the gang. were slightly wounded
The wounded officers were taken to
Dixie Hospital, where their injuries were
dressed. The surgeons stated after an
examination that Sinclair could not re-
cover.
WOMEN GAMBLERS.
In addition to Briggs and Taylor, ten
Of the alleged crap-shooters are in jai!
Two of them are women.
The fracas created the greatest sensa-
ton in Hampton, and there was talk of
lynchng. Should Sinclair die, as ex-
pected, there may be serious trouble.
James Briggs, proprietor of the den,
died this afternoon at o'clock from
pneumonia, superinduced by the bullet
wounds.
Sinclair is still alive, but his death is
expected hourly. Surgeons are trying to
save Tignor's arm.
The Merchants and Miners, the Old
Dominion and the New York Pennsyl-
vania and Norfolk lines landed about
six hundred Northern excursionists at
Old Point last evening and this morning,
most OF them from Boston and Brooklyn.
COLONIAL EXCURSION.
The Old Dominion crowd, which came
on the Guyandotte. is q regularly organ
lied party for the purpose of seeing Co
lonial Virginia. They were at Yorktown
yesterday. To-day they took in Old
Point, Hampton and Newport News. To-
morrow they will go to Williamsburg and
Jamestown. The party 4 is accompanied
by the Continental Military Band, of Man
haitian Island.
Everything is being done after Colonial
style, programmes and menus beinG
printed in the quaint form Of 125 years
ago.
The cruiser Olympia, Admiral Dewey's
flagship, IS to-day occupying. exactly the
same anchorage as that occupied by the
cruiser Brooklyn, Admiral Schley's flag
ship, four years ago.
Superintendent Jones, Of the public
schools, has decided to continue the use
Of the Lords Prayer in the public schools
until the School Board renders a decision
in regard to the protest made by Hebrew
patrons against the custom. The first or
der of the superintendent suspended the
CUSTOM pending action of the board.