Smyrna times., 1903-08-05
CONSTABLE WRIGHT SHOT
WHILE ARRESTING HOLLIS
NfuRO WHIPPED OUT A REVOLVER AND
FIRED BULLET INTO wRIGHTS STOMACH

Tic lnen Made His Escape aud Is Still atLsrUe
"ea' Indignation In Clayton and Smyrna
a"u Posse Formed to Capture Him.
"nlIe attempting to arrest Fletcher
nolls, young negro, Monday even
ng' constable James d. WRIGHT of
clayton, was shot in the abdomen. and
- ls oeileVed almost fatally wounded
uOiils then made his escape. The
shooting occurred near the Delaware
rallroad station at Clayton about & On
clock in the evening. Constable
wright and Constable Jones, of Smvr-
ma mad been looking for Hollis and
H"oHuay they received word that he
was IN Clayton. The officers went to
'ne railroad station where he was snn-
posed to be and after a short search
lound him in company with some col
ored people. Hollis was arrested on
charge OF shooting at Dover and an
otner charge of breaking the peace at
MI friendship camp-meeting near
Olayton' on Sunday evening:
Constable Wright approached tho
group and telling Hollis he was wanted
iald his hand on his shoulder. At this
instant Hollis whipped out a revolver
ana nred st Constable Wright. The
bullet took effect in the abdomen. and |
the official fell to the ground with a
moan. Several persons witnessed the
scene but the shooting was so sudden
1t took them unawares.
hollis Lost No Time 10 Making Escape
Hollis, on firing the shot. made q
dash for liberty and soon outdistanced
tne crowd OF pursuers, led by Consta-
ole Jones. In the meantime number
OF persons had gone to the assistance
OF the wounded constable and carr;ad
hlm to the StOeckle Hotel, near to the
place OF the shooting, and a physician
summoned. 1t was soon seen that his
injuries were very serious, and Drs
harmonson and Grier were called in {
attend uce. At first the physicians g
mad but little hope for the recovery of f
the injured man, but later in the even /
ing they gave out statement in which @
they said that his condition was more I
hopeful. Q
dreat Indignation 10 Clayton and Smyrus I
The news of the shooting spread
rapidly and Clayton and SMYRNA was
soon agog with excitement Consto- q q
Die Jones and a searching party
the section round about for
race of the fugitive, posse of over a L
hundred men was made up at Smvr- 81
Ia, and the creek from a point near Ii
clayton as far down as Smyrna Land n, NJ
ng was thoroughly searched. Hollis ST
vas known to have a boat and some 0
hought he might have rowed down
ne creek and escaped. Others felt he SO 80
7as near. In the meantime his COL
red friends drove around in a team Cl
nd 1T is supposed gave him every
sslstance. The officers are firmly of On
le belief that they disguised Hollis in on
oman's clothes and drove him off mn . Z
le State road. This story is borne wa
ut from the statement that carriage or
opped in front of the old Stocklv snl
arrack near the Bombay Hook rail- 81,
'a3, low whistle was given, and a Sn
CURE in wOman's apparel jumped ere
)ldly out from behind the building. the
't in the carriage and was driven off wcs
the direction of Middletown. The ert
'sse, however, continued their search On
It'll about midnight, but without re- fea
1T. Indignation was at a high pitch wa,
I'd had he been captured he would wa,
We been severely dealt with, If not I
'ung up to the nearest tree. Yester- by
y Detectives Francis and Rutledge. tho
Wilmington, came down to work up littl
case. They visited Clayton and Do,
lyrna, obtained all the information Ioca
BY could about Hollis, but at this it lc
iting they have no clue to his where sool
puts. A description of the fugitive aga
been telegraphed to offices all over wer
State and Governor HUM has Doy
engthened the situation by offering pen,
lOO reward. with
,,,noro,, 40 So so, ..--, SmJ
'''''''O' ~" ~ lA'I rN''AiI OANA' tory