The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-01-17
ISHOT BY A TEACHER
NEGRo WoMAN FATALLY WOUNDED WILLIE BA~ FORD.
A. J. Stokes, We'll Known Negro Preacher, Figured in the Melee and is Locked Up in
 Prison.

Willie Binford, negro, employed as of- flee boy in the ofiice of Probate Judge J. B. Gaston of Montgomery County, was shot and fatally woundel at Il o'clock last night in stuart's Alley which runs into High Street between Jackson and Ripley Streets. Binford will die.
 A. J. Stokes. perhaps the best known negro preacher in Alabama, Frazzie AL len. a negro woman teacher at the Ceme- tery Hill school and Lottie Inge, who lives with the Allen woman. are locked up at police headquarters Frazzie Allen says she shot Binford with Stokes's pis- tol The police doubt the statement of the woman.
 Binford was shot In the house of the school teacher, Fraxzie Allen, who is a brown-skinned woman, 2S years old and wears glasses. The house is frame structure of i've rooms in Stuart's Alley. Lottie Inge. the other woman arrested. lives with the Allen woman. She Is 8 bright mulatto girl about IS years old.
 Both of the women are educated and wore good clothes.
 The Allen woman says Stokes took sup per at her house and was spending the evening there in a social visit. Binford knocked at the front door and the knock was answered by Lottie Inge. Binford began shooting, according to the Allen woman. She says she borrowed the pistol of Preacher Stokes and returned the fire after Blnford had broken open the door. Binford fired five shots. Frazzie Allen says she shot three times.
 Binford used a 32-caiibre pistol. Each of his shots went wild, doing no damage. The Allen woman used a 3S-calibre pistol which Preacher Stokes gave her. Only one shot struck Blnford. This shot en- tered the breast near the right nipple and ranged downward. It was cut out of his back by a negro doctor after the negro had been removed to his home at 622 South Union Street.
 Enfield fell to the floor after being shot, and Stokes went after the negro doc tor.
 A report of the pistol duel in the house of the negro woman was made to police headquarters by Patrolman Downs and Police Captain W. H. Taylor and Mount ed Patrolmen Miles Smith and Ed Ora ham hurried to Stuart's Alley. They found the place in confusion.
 Stokes and the two women were plaed under arrest and were taken to police headquarters, where they were locked up. Binford was placed in a hack and re- moved to his home on Union Street. It Is confidently believed that he will die.
 The police say Binford bears a good reputation. He has been employed in the County Court House several years, and is well known to court officials and Court House attaches.
 The Allen woman says Binford was drunk.
 At police headquarters Preacher Stokes said he would willingly talk about the matter if 1t were not for the fact that thinking people usually consult lawyers before giving out statements in such crit. | ical cases.''
 He corroborated the statement made by | the Allen woman, and declared that hS was merely a victim of circumstances. Stokes had a confused wound on the | white shirt front was spattered with | blood. He said there was general melee at the Stuart Alley cottage and he could not state exactly how he was hurt. Both Stokes and the Inge woman de- 1 clared that Frazzie Allen shot at Finford l three times and the Allen woman admit ted that this was true, saying that Bin l ford fired his pistol three times and was l in the act of relocating the revolver when he was fatally shot. Stokes has figured in police circles te- | fore. He is pastor of the Colu.no ous Street Baptist Church, said to have the largest membership of any negro church in the South. He lives in his own nome at T1f Columbus Street, has travelled abroad, is intelligent and is said to be wealthy. About six years ago Stokes was arrest ed, charged with conspiracy aft'r the murder of Patterson, a negro preacher who was shot dead in the ColImk us Street church during church convention. negro named Pritchett was convicted of killing Patterson, Pritchett is now serving a sentence of fifteen years in the penitentiary. Stokes after a trial which attracted considerable attention, was ac- quilted.
 Stokes and the negro women will re- main in prison until their preliminary hearing, which may take place before Re- corder Arlington this afternoon.