Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-03-25
FLEEING MAN KILLED
Policeman Fired Shot Which
Proved Fatal.
DEATH CAME QUICKLY
OFFICER WENT INTO CoNVUL-
SIoNS AFTER TRAGEDY.
Taken to Emergency Hospital and Vic
tim Removed to Morgue-
Story in Detail.
DEATH CAME QUICKLY

iiceman was ]. l.. II. Sawyer and his VIC
tim was William Wheeler. better known as
"Bill" Wheeler.
Wheeler was ON 33d street four doors
south Of the corner OF Q street, when he
received the shot and dropped on the side
walk mortally wounded. At the time he
was doing the best he could to escape from
the police. Policeman Sawyer remained on
the street with him until the arrival OF the
wagon and he then returned to the police
station and collapsed. His condition be-
came serious. and it required the combined
efforts OF four members of the department
to get him to the Emergency Hospital and
prevent him from injuring himself He was
found to be suffering from acute mania
when the hospital was reached and an
opiate was administered. His condition
was regarded as serious, and he was unable
to give his version of the affair.
The policeman has been detailed for duty
with the black maria for about two
years and has also acted as bailifr in the
Police Court. During the time specified he
has made the early morning trips with the
police vehicle in transporting prisoners
from the various stations to the Police
Court He was on his regular morning
| rounds this morning when he became in
volved in the affair which ended so disas-
| trously to Wheeler. There were three
| prisoners in the Georgetown station to be
taken to court-Charles Mobley, white; Fred
Jones, colored, and Whesler.
Attempts to Escape.
| Richard Anderson, the driver in charge Of
| the team, opened the door of the vehicle
and stood by, intending to close and lock
| the door after the last of the trio had en-
tered. When Sawyer walked from the sta
ton he had hold of Jones and Mobley. He
knew Wheeler. who had been in line on
similar occasions before and the officer had
believe
to escape.
The sunlight and the fine atmosphere were
more attractive to Wheeler than the space
between the four sides of a vehicle which
was likely to become crowded in a short
time. and with the remark. Good morn
ing" he turned and started west on @
street. He turned south at the first corner
with the policeman close behind him. Pc
destrfans who were on the street at the time
saw the policeman draw his revolver and
discharge one shot Some say that he at
tempted to fire low, and others thought he
was trying to shoot above the head Of the
fugitive. 1t turned out that the Shot took
effect with fatal results, stated.
/ Death Came Quickly.
Sawyer hurried to the dying man and
was STOPPING over him, apparently looking
for signs Of life, when Moses Booth the
colored janitor of the police station ar
rived, having been attracted by the report
Of the shot Wheeler had been shot
lodged under the skin covering his breast on
the right side. He had fallen on his face
and Sawyer attempted to turn him over.
He was still breathing. There were but few
other signs of life. Wheeler was placed in
the patrol wagon and driven to the George
town University Hospital When that in
stItution was reached the doctors examined
the body and pronounced life to be extinct
The man had died in the wagon and his
body was taken to the station morgue and
held until about noon. when IT was re-
moved to the city morgue in the rear OF
the sixth precinct station.
II didn't intend to shoot him." was the
remark of the policeman when he reached
the Georgetown station just after he had
fired the fatal shot. He had been in the
station but few minutes before he was
in commissions, and several of the officers
in the station had to hold him. He has
been subject to such attacks for several
years. but today's attack was the most
serious one he had ever experienced.
When the body of the colored man had
been taken from the wagon the policeman
was placed in the vehicle in charge of four
strong men and taken to the Emergency
Hospital. On his way from the station to
the hospital he repeatedly tried to in1ure
himself. 1t was all the four men could do
to hold him. When the hospital was
reached he was still raving..
The only remark he was heard to make
after. reaching the hospital, was Poor
Nellie" He referred to his wife. The ply
sicians at the hospital gave him temporary
treatment and sent him to a ward, where
he was Qufeted.
Wheeler's Offense Not Serious.
The offense charged against Wheeler was
not a very serious one He was under the
influence Of liquor last night and was ar
rested in the section known as Boston"
between NJ street and the river. A charge
of indecency was preferred against him and
he was locked up because he had no money
to deposit as collateral. He was much
under the influence of liquor at the time OF
his arrest that he became noisy In the sta
ton and had to be reproved several times.
Wheeler came near being killed by
policeman several years ago. While under
arrest he resisted in such a manner that
the officer used his club on him The club
dishgured him to some extent, but he was
able to stand trial in the Police Court, and
was sent to jail. After he had been In jail
several days his condition became serious
and symptoms of a fracture of the skull
appeared. 1t was reported that he was dy-
ing and he had to be transferred to hos
pital. He recovered, however, and had
been arrested several times since.
Coroner hewitt examined the body at the
morgue and reached the conclusion that
death was due to hemorrhage, and that the
wound was SO serious a one that the mans
life could not have been saved. Later In
the day Deputy Coroner Glazebrook per-
formed an autopsy and confirmed the coro-
ners opinion respecting the cause of death
Coroner hewitt said he would hold the in
quest as soon as the officer is in condition
to appear.
Jones and Mobley Talk.
Fred Jones and Charles Mobley, the prfs-
oners who were escorted from the station
ahead Of Wheeler, as already stated. had
not recovered from their fright when seen
in the Police Court by Star reporter:
Mobley said that the officer told him ana
Jones to step up just bcfore they reacheo
the van and said to Wheeler:
Come on old man."
Jones said that Sawyer pushed him ana
said to the driver:
Look out for them
wheeler. he stated, then said Good
the oficer say to some pedestrians:
s'Catch him.
He watched the pursuit until the men got
out of sight, and then he heard the report