Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-12-05
ATTEMPTED MURDER
CHARGE AGAINST WILLIAM HAIR
PER, coLoRED CANADIAN.
Alleged Murderous Assault Upon Ed
ward Grifin-The Defendant
Goes to Jail.

committed to Jail from the police court
this morning to await hearing on charge
Of having attempted to kill Edward Grit
fin. The former Is forty-eight years old
and the latter twenty-three. Griffin mar
ried the stepdaughter Of Harper and the
two families lived In house In Pierce's
court southwest. The man who was COM
mitted to Jail shot the victim twice and, 1t
is said. expressed regret that he did not kill
him and then end the life of his (Harper's)
wife. The only reason he did not kill the
latter, 1t Is said was because the police
caught him before he had an opportunity
to commit the deed. When Harper re-
turned home about z o'clock last night and
had dispute with his wife the son-tn-law
took the woman'S part. and this enraged
the husband. who announced that his step
daughter was the only one in the fam1iy
who would live to tell the story. The sight
Of a pistol was followed by a stampede,
and, saying he would get Griffin out OF the
way FIRST the enraged Canadian fired at
him. Two additional shots were fired and
one bullet entered Griffin's back.
Leaving the house, Griffin started in the
direction of the fourth precinct police sta
ton, about twelve squares distant. The
wounded man was within 200 or 300 feet of
the station. when another shot was fred,
the bullet striking him in the leg. He hur-
ried to the station and from there he was
removed to the Emergency Hospital. Po-
licemen hurried out when they heard the
shot fired and went in search of the man
who had used the weapon.
who did this shooting?' one Of the
bluecoats asked the man who had Just
put the smoking weapon In his pocket. ~
Il don't know" Harper responded. Il
guess 1t must have been done by police
man."
Harper Starts Home.
no 20 <o
the house and kill his wife, started in the
direction Of the railroad tracks from ~
street and had to stop at the crossing
because a train blocked his way. While
standing there another policeman called
to him, but he was not apprehended. The
house where the first shooting had been
done was visited by the police and two
badly frightened women were found.
They feared Harper would return and at
tempt to murder them, and a policeman
remained with them until after Harper
had been arrested. After 1 o'clock Po-
canal bridge on his way back to the house
and placed him under arrest. Detectives
Warren and Lacy were at the house at
the time the arrest was made and they
disarmed him after he was taken into
custody.
IF had gone around the back way"
the prisoner calmly remarked, II could
have killed the old woman before you
He declared to the officers that It was
his intention to have killed his wife and
declared he Will kill her when he gets
out of prison If he is able to find her.
This morning Harper was taken to po-
lice headquarters and photographed for
the gallery. While being measured he
discussed the shooting with a Star re-
porter and said the result of his trial
would not trouble him in the slightest If
he could only kill his wife.
I've got to die some time" he remarked
to Photographer Johnson, and what diff
ference does it make how go?"
Origin Of the Trouble.
The trouble last night was brought
about by Griffin informing his stepfather-
in-law that he would have to seek rooms
elsewhere. Then Harper turned upon his
wife and the shooting was the result It
Is claimed by the prisoner that he was
struck on the nose before he fired the
first shot.
Harper has been in numerous fights In
this city and 1t is regarded as surprising
that he has not been killed before now
He has large silver plate in his head to
cover wound that was made with
Ratchet. He also bears numerous cuts
and stab wounds, one OF them being near
the heart. The prisoner says he thinks
he was not born to be murdered, but he
Is not sure about his ending on a scat
fold.