Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-04-01

shooting.
| When witness saw the officer have the
| revolver in his hand he paid no attention
| to anything but the weapon. He did not
| see Wheeler at the time the shot was fired.
! The shot was fired just after the officer
| turned the corner.
The man who was shot was his side
Wnen witness saw him on the sidewalk He
was alive, but seemed to be unconscious.
| Witness said the wounded man was not
| dead when he was placed in the wagon. The
policeman, prisoner and witness were the
| only persons on the street at the time the
! shot was fired.
| Questioned by Mr.. Sinclair witness said
| the colored man seemed to be gaining on
the officer. After the shot was fired the
| policeman stood over the dying form of the
| man and said: MY God. didn't mean to
| kill YOU
Mr. rulton questioned witness about the
distances. and the coroner said the man
| fell ninety-three feet from the corner.
Witness wanted to know If he might give
his opinion about the bullet striking a tree.
Did you see it?'' the coroner asked.
mo, sir
He was excused.
Heard the Cry Of Murder.
Louis Lippin 1881 SD street, was next ex-
amined. He conducts store at the adj
dress given. Witness said he was at his
store about ITO o'clock last Wednesday
morning
he also heard the cry of murder" Witness
went to the door and saw the colored man
pass his store.
How far was he from you?"
.One or two feet
Was he going fast?"
Certainly; he was running
A policeman was running after the col
ored man. but witness did not remember
that ne had pistol in his hand. He after
ward saw the policeman fire the shot The
njnor md CHI
catch him." and it was the opinion of
witness that the policeman tried to shoot
up IN the air. About twenty five people ar
rived upon the scene in about two minutes
puI witness did not leave his store.
Driver Anderson's Story.
william L. Anderson. the driver in charge
OF the van. explained that he had been the
driver of the vehicle about four years 1t
was after o'clock when the van reached
the Georgetown station and backed against
the curbstone. His duty is to open the
door and see that nobody Hampers with it,
he also has to look out for the horses
The officer in charge usually brings out
two prisoners at a time The morning of
the shooting, Policeman Sawyer brought
out two prisoners, and after he had reached
the van door Wheeler came out Of the
station and ran. Sawyer told witness to
take charge Of the second of the two pris-
oners and then went in pursuit of Wheeler
before leaving Sawyer told witness to look
out for the second Of the two prisoners at
the van. The first one had already entered
the vehicle.
did you hear the officer saw ANYTHING
to the prisoner"
II heard him say to anybody who might
hear him, Catch him.
Witness watched the officer until he turn
ed the corner Of 33d street, but saw him
make no effort to get possession of his
weapon. He heard one shot fired.
But I can't swear who fired the shot,"
he said. because man has to see thing
to swear to it."
In short while Policeman Sawyer re-
turned and remarked to witness: BILLY,
I'm In trouble" The officer looked very
much distressed before witness left the sta
ton.
Fired at Fleeing Man.
Clara Edwards, colored 1905 Q street, tes-
titled that she saw the officer put two gen.
tlemen In the van and saw the third one
when he started to escape. She heard the
ofiicr say: Catch him." and when he
reached the corner he called halt and
fired. The witness said the officer was run
ming when he fired and she said he fired
directly at the fleeing man. She said the
coIored man was not running fast and the
officer was only about ten feet behind the
man ma n, when .t he fred the shot. She said she
heard the wounded man say: "Oh, Lord"
The officer took hold Of the wounded man,
continued the witness, and said: II didn't
shoot at that man; l intended to shoot in
the air.
Francis McNerhaney 17Os 34th street.
testified that he was walking south on 33d
street when he saw a coiored man turn the
corner Of SD and Q street and go south.
heard him say, Catch him. or halt" At
the time the shot was fired he thought the
colored man was fifteen or twenty yards
ahead of the officer. Witness did not go to
COG ha Qp'S ho11y 10 n
continued on his way down the street.
josephine Ransom, colored, 1905 @ street,
testified that she was standing at her door
when the shooting occurred.
WHO was with you?"
Il was by my lone self"
Witness said she heard the policeman
say Stop" He was taking his revolver
from his pocket at that time, and he fired
She heard the policeman say, Catch him.
several times before he turned the corner
I'm sure he pointed the revolver straight
at that man." said the witness.
Lulie Hunter, colored, 454 Franklin street
testified that she was visiting friends in
Georgetown the morning Of the shooting.
she said she was seated at the window
when she heard somebody CALL Catch
him. She looked out Of the window and
saw the colored man being pursued by the
policeman Just after turning the corner
she heard the policeman say Halt" and
saw him fire one shot.
Policeman in His Own Behalf.
Coroner hewitt announced that all the
witnesses summoned by the police had been
examined and asked Mr.. Fulton if his
client. Policeman Sawyer, had any state
ment to make. Counsel said the officer de-
sired to explain the affair to the jury. After
being advised of his rights the officer was
sworn, and he told the jury of the shooting.
The morning in question, he said, there
were three prisoners at the Georgetown sta
ton to be taken to court. He was given
the list of prisoners and received the keys
to the cells. Witness was in hurry that
morning and had no time to examine the
papers.
Il have a route twelve miles long" he
said, land must have the prisoners at court
by $50 o'clock in order to have them fed
by 8 O'clock"
He looked at the prisoners, he said, be-
fore opening the cells, in order to see what
kind of prisoners they were. Two of the
three were taken out and witness left
Wheeler in the office with the desk SER
geant to get what had been taken from
him at the time of his arrest
Saw Wheeler as He Ran.
He walked to the van with the two men
and one of them had entered the vehicle