New-York tribune., 1903-06-16
POLICY PLAYER KILLS.
INDICTED HOUR LATER.
Negro Shoots Mocfarlane IN Grim
inaL Courts Building.

Fulfilling the threat he made last Friday
you'll never go the stand to testify against
me- William Spencer. a negro ex-convict yes
terday, few moments before the time set for
HIS trial for having policy slips. shot and in
stantly killed Superintendent Charles F. Mac
farlane of Captain f Norton Goddard's Anti
Policy Society. I'm the corridor of the second floor
cf the Criminal Courts Building.
An hour afterward he was indicted for muir
DER in the first degree by the grand jury and
arraigned before Recorder Goff, and District At
torney Jerome gave notice that he would move
FOR trial in week.
Macfarlane in telling friend of the threat
Rad said:
I don't like the way that coon spoke.
think he may try to shoot me-
one bullet pierced his brain and issued from
Ihs head Another lodged i'm the brain and a
third in his heart. a fourth bullet struck Phil
81 z. Bray Of No. 36a West Forty-eighth-st.,
also an Anti-Poicy Society agent, in the left
arm.
The corridor was crowded at the time. and in
few minutes the building was in an uproar.
The noise Of the firing heard plainly in
all parts Of the building, and in many cases
proceedings I'm the courtrooms were stopped
temporarily. nearly every one rushing into the
corridors to fird out what had happened
TOOK DELIBERATE AIM.
Spencer has been arrested several Ilf1leS loI
playing policy or having slips Macfarlane had
testified against the several times, and
Srencer had a erudge against him. Macfarlane
and Bray entered the building by the Cen1re-st
entrance lust before II a m. They took an
elevator to the second floor. Spencer was walt
ing in the corridor. AS soon as he saw Mac
farlane he walked over to him and began talk
ing Bray walked few steps ahead and be-
gan TO talk with George Simpson, of the law
firm Of Levy & JTnger. They heard Macfarlane
utter an exclamation. and then they saw MIN
walking away from the negro.
When Nacfarlane reached them. he and Bray
hepan walking toward the Part III, General
Sessions. courtroom. Simpson turned to walk
-he other way and he saw Spencer pointing a
revolver At Macfarlane. The lawyer uttered
cry and Nacfarlane turned his head sllghuy 10
,be left Just as he did so two shots rang out
and two bullets struck Macferlane on the IeIt
side of the head. He spun around until ne 1"ceu
the negro for about second Spencer hreo d
.,,4r5 a,5 9 fourth shot The third shot went to
NTacfarlane's heart, and as he feh the loul'i
no+ u,ent over him and into Brays arm
sirnuson said afterward:
The negro was cool as cucumber ne
had one eve shut and was taxing ann "heh
saw him first, and then dropped on the noor'
as 7 did not want TO run the risk OF having any
of the shots hit me.
after the fourth shot, but he was selzeo siiiiui
+,eo,elx, bv Detective Tunney, Of the oak-st
..;or and Rounds1nan Kelleher, or the Rlch-
ards-st- station, Brooklyn. County DeleeoiNe
,9osrdon knocked the pistol out of his hahu anu
took him by the throat.
a hurry call for an ambulance was sem -
.,o 4Jr5son Street Hospital. DR. Marshall aiter
.;,,i,,e Nacfarlane's body, said he had died
AT once. Bray had tainted and fallen on the hool
,s35e tho todv Dr. Marshall revived HIM ana
,ben Spencer was taken before him.
Il +bis the man who shot you?" asked De-
.active Sergeant McNaught, who was holding
the negro. .,,o,,o
Yes, that's him. said Bray. weakly Take
him away and kill him
Nv this time about fve hundred persons mad
hacked the corridor and the policemen nad a
hard time making them move along. There
80 about TWENTY-FIVE negroes in the crowd
Assistant District Attorney Rand appeared on
,ta ecenA and at once took charge Of the case
He got all the witnesses that were necesSais
md +ben sent word TO the Coroners once on 'he
ground floor TO have coroner view 'he pouS
and give permit for its removal. A coroner
aid not appear until over a half an hour later
In that time about a thousand persons s9Neu a.
,be Indy living in a big pool of blood
WILLING TO GO TO ELECTRIC CHAlh'
s,onoer at Police Headquarters, said he was
4bir+zave wears olr, and lived at NO "a west
-rv,er+,,-nirti1-st He admitted the shooting ana
,r cold matter of fact way said to inspector
McClusky: q,
I'm, no chicken hearted nigger- thought
might as well go for something as nothing-
7or,t care if 1 go to the electric chair to-mor-
row -,
4 messenger was sent to find Captain COO
=or5 but # WAS learned he was out OF town.
District Attorney Jerome arrived at ms once d
fer, ,,,inufes after the shooting, and was told
Of what had happened
Spencer has served two years ana d nan III III
Sing Sing for burglary and attempted assault
and twice for policy playing.
In one of the back pockets OF MacIarlahes
trousers was a pearl handled revolver fully
loaded.
Macfarlane lived al No. 136 EdGecomoe-aVe
with mis- wife and his two-year-old daughter
He was thirty-eight years old.
He was a deputy under eA-t-iectIoiis
Sl,rerintendent John McCullagh- Before thal ne
rad held position with the metropolitan street
Railway Company. 80, -,
Nacfarlane had been three years with the
society and had taken the place OF EDWARD
RearSor who resigned as superintendent 10
enter the District Attorneys office. Reardon
&c ore Of those who helped carry Macfarlane's s
l,o5,, 10 -Fr coToners' Office.