The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-10-17
SHOT NEGRO
TAMMANY
LEADER.
EglIuw Politician Pulled Gun In
BrawI With CaIsi Slmms
and Killed Him.

New York. Oct. r.--Caleb simms, lead
sr of the United Colored Democracy. was
uhot dead Thursday night in the mead
,oaarters OF that organization, NO. SA
kvest Fifty-ninth street Alan Padro, or
MO. a1l East Fifty-third street, is the
man who shot him
gtnns was president OF the orgamza-
.tton and also proprietor OF the Albany
sho&ei- in which the Colored Democracy
q. housed at the address given. He was
one os the best-known negroes IN the
etata. He succeeded Edward K. Lee
s.the Colored Crocker." as head or the
colored Democrats. whom Crocker hrst
organized In the last presidential cam
paign.
He was once Republican. one OF Ed
ward Lauterbach's lieutenants, ana that
leader got him appointed Janitor Of the
nfate senate in 1896. He fell out with
the Republicans Ave years ago and join
ed Lees forces. LAtterly he was power
among the negroes OF the west side. He
ovned a large amount OF tenement
property in "Heil's Kitchen" and fre-
ouently appeared at police stations 10
give BAN for negroes arrested In the daily
petty fights OF that neighborhood.
Padro is a clerk I'm the department OF
buildings, lighting and supplies. He is
chairman OF the house committee at the
Coiored Democratic headquarters.
Simms dined last night at the head
quarters with Monroe j. Ralford. of No.
S55 West Fortieth street. After dinner
ne met Padro in the rear parlor Of the
Democracy's rooms. They sat down and
seemed to have n heated discussion.
There are two accounts-Padro's against
that of several witnesses-of the shooting
that followed this conversation Padro
says ne told Simms that the club owed
$50 TO Thomas Gill. the steward He said
that Gin had been asking anxiously for
his money.
QUICKER ON THE DRAW.
Padro says they wrangled over the
subject quite a while. Then he says
6imms shouted II will not be insulted
by you" and made a motion toward
lis hip pocket.
"I was quicker on the draw than he
reas." Padro told Police Captain Handy
II shot him thinking my own life was IN
danger"
Padro fired four shots. One struck
Simms In the mouth and another I'm
the left breast. or the other two shots
one wounded Jacob IT. James, Simms'
cousin I'm the right shoulder Police
man Tallant. Of the West Forty-sev
'enth street station, seeing crowd rush
out OF the colored Dcmocracy's headquar-
,ters, ran In. Padro, pistol in hand met
him in the hall
I'm your prisoner" said Padro. hand
ing over the weapon
DIR. Rhodes OF the Roosevelt hospital
examined Simrns and said the shots had
killed him instantly. He dressed James
wound. and the police then took James
and Ralford, with Preston n. Bailey, OF
~ Trinity avenue. the Bronx, one OF
Simm's district leaders, and Louis WILEY.
or 70 West Twenty-sixth street, To the
police station as witnesses These -FOUR
told Captain Handy that they knew there
Mad been I'll feeling for some time be-
tween 5fmms and Pedro None had
heard any OF the conversation between the
two men last night
They said they saw Slmms jump up sud
denly and heard him cry out. Your,
liar" Sims rushed toward Padro I,
strike him. They seized Simms from be
hind and were pulling him away. At tina
moment they say. Padro yelled with Al
oath, You've been hollering at me thI
way too often and I'm not going Z,
stand 1t. I'm going to settle II all u,
with you right now"
Then he drew his revolver and begal
nrfns at simrns.
When Padro was being led TO his eel
he took the George M. Mcclellan buttoI
out OF the lapel of his coat and threw 4
,on the floor. II suppose" he said. =.
can't do any more good in this camnaign
and I wanted 20 do n lot OF work 10,
Colonel Mcclellan"