The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-11-14
FELL At HIS FEET
: BATHEO IN BLOOD
An Insane Negro Shot Down
Andrew Green.
RAMBLING Story TOLD
the Negro Said Hs Killed Green to Save His
Character-.A Dram stic SCENE Followed
the Shoollng..- Capture Of
tha Negro
(By the Associated Press.)


New. York, Nov. 13.-Andrew H. Green,
the father of Greater New York and
one Of the city's Oldest and most rcmali1-
able citizens was shot and instantly kill
ed on the steps of his home on Park
Avenue today, by Cornelius NJ Williams,
a negro, who is believed to be insane.
The shooting was evidently the outcome
Of an insane delusion on the part of the
negro that Mr. Green had sandered him.
for when he was asked why he had com
mitted tie murder, he replied:
II did it. to save my character"
There We're three witnesses or the
tragedy, Mrs. Anna Bray, a domestic in
Mr.. Green's family; Emil Nicholson an
errand boy, and Patrick Dyer, cabman.
According to these witnesses the negro
must have been waiting for Mr.. Green to
come home from his office. The negro
was standing in the vestibule of the house.
and as Mr.. Green started to ascend he
two steps leading to the hall door, Viii
Hams advanced toward him. There was
4 brief interchange of words, and then
the negro drew a revolver and fired five
shots in rapid succession. Mr. Green sank
to the stone pavement, blood streaming
turning the revolver to his pocket, leaned
against the railing OF the step as if await
ing arrest.
William II. Burns, OF the Murray Hill
Hotel, was one of the first to reacn the
negro, whom he seized as he was about
to walk away. and turned him over to Il
policeman and detective who rushed up
a moment later. 4 physician was on the
spot almost Immediately and pronounced
Mr.. Green to be dead. As the negro'S
aged victim fell a young woman rushed
out of the house and took the dead or
dying mans head in her lap, at the same
time calling upon him in piteous tones, 10
speak to her. AS she tried in vain to get
a response, Williams turned upon his vic
tim and shouted:
Damn you, told you would get even
with you
One Of the negro's bullets imbedded it
self in the ceiling of the vestibule. 1t is
believed that all of the others took effect.
Any one was sufficient to cause instant
death.
Mrs. Bray told the police that she was
Just about to enter the house when she
saw Mr. Green accosted by Williams, and
heard the former say, in answer to some
words addressed to him by the negro:
Go away, ! don't know you.
Then Williams drew his revolver and
shot the old man.
AS soon as the policeman seized the
colored man, they searched him and found
the revolver, which was still warm. They
hurried him 80 the station house. where
he was subjected to a searching examina-
ton, the result of which lett little doubt
of the negro's insanity.
~ ho W
possessed and acted as though he felt he
had performed q meritorious deed. He Is
well built man, of average height and
Of not unpleasant features. He said he
was single, 43 years old, and lived at No.
156 West 26th street, at which place,
however, he is not known.
The prisoner answered, without hesita-
ton or any show of irritation all ques-
tions put to him and spoke like a man
firm in the conviction that he had been
deeply wronged by the man he mad muir
dered.
He told a rambling story about col
ored woman, Mrs Bessie Davis, who, un'
til about four months ago, kept lodg.
ing house for negroes In West 53rd street,
who he said. had circulated statements
derogato1y to his character, and against
wnom be had been trying to bring suit Tor
500, 900 for SANDER. The trouble, he said.
dated back to the year 1895, when he was
one of her dodgers. Her stories reached
the congregation of the Mount Gave
church of which he was an attendant and
he was forced to give up his membership
there because his fellow worshippers point
ed the finger of scorn at him. Her SIAN
ders continuing over eight years cost him
nearly ell his friends.
would have been married now only
for her, ne added bitterly.
Continuing, he said he had rot been
able 20 find the woman, who had cen
spirited away by powerful friends. he
blamed Mr. Green for befrionding the wo-
man. and enabling her to continue her
slanderous stories. He said he had asked
Mr.. Green to "get after her., but he had
failed to do so.
I'm not sorry I shot him. exclaimed
the prisoner. He got what he deserved.
/ may not be justified by society but I'm
justified in the eyes of God. I'm willing
to 60 to the electric chair, if necessary
to vindicate my character"
The prisoner said that he was a native
of Virginia, and that he supported him
self by taking care of furnaces
The prisoner was then removed to police
headquarters, where he was questioned by
Inspector McCluskey. to whom he told
substantially the same story he had told
at the station house. Inspector McClus-
key said he was satisfied that the man
was insane.
From police headquarters Williams was
taken to the coroner's office and thence to
Continued on Page Five.l