The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-11-14
Exchanged a Few Words with Him,
Immediately Fired His Revolver
and Awaited Developments.
PUT UNDER ARREST AT ONCE
SEEMED TO GLORY ~ HIS CRIME,
BUT TALKED IRRATIONALLY.
Blamed Mr.. Green for Befriending q
woman who, the Negro Alleges,
Prevented His Marriage.

the father OF Greater New York., and
ore of the city's oldest and most remarka-
ble citizens, was shot and instantly killed
on the steps OF his home. on Park avenue,
to-day by Cornelius NJ. Williams. negro,
who Is believed TO be insane.
The she citing was evidently the outcome
OF an insane deIusion on the part OF the
nsgro that Mr.. Green had slandered him,
for when he was asked why he had commit
ted the murder he replied: II did it to save
my character"
There were three witnesses or the trag-
efy-Mrs. Anna Bray. domestic in Mr..
Green's family. Emil Nicholson. an errand
b~y. and Patrick Dyer, cabman. Accord
ir.g to these witnesses the negro must have
from his office He generally reached home
about 1:3o in the afternoon. AT that hour
he alighted from the Fourth-avenue car in
the tunnel at Fortieth street, and. ascend
ing the steps TO the street, walked slowly
toward his residence. almost directly across
the street. The negro was standing in the
vsstibule OF the house, and as Mr. Green
started to ascend the two steps leading to
the hall door Williams advanced toward
him. There was 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 from his head while his muir
derer. returning the revolver to his pocket,
leaned against the railing OF the stoop. as IL
awaiting arrest
TURNED OVER TO POLICE.
William II. Burns. carriage starter for
the Murray Hill Hotel, was one of the
first to reach the negro whom he seized as
re was about to walk away, and turned
him over 10 a policeman and a detective.
who rushed up a moment later. A physi-
clan 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 dying mans head in her lap. at the
same time calling upon him. in piteous
tones. to speak to her. As she tried in
vain TO get response, Williams turned
upon his victim and shouted: Damn you,
told you would get even with you"
One OF the negro's bullets imbeddel it.
self In the ceiling OF the vestibule. Ii Is be-
heved that all OF the others took effect. A
cursory examination by a physician and the
coroner revealed one wound In the left side
OF the head, one In left temple and another
Acient 10 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
drew his revolver and shot the old man.
As soon as the policeman seized the col
orded man. they searched him and found
hurried him TO the station house. where he
was subjected to a searching examination
the result of which left little doubt of the
negro's insanity. Besides the revolver the
police found In Wiiliams's pockets a razor
a purse containing $40 and dispossess no.
sice dated Aug. s. showing that he had been
put out OF apartments I'm Fifty-seventh
street. between Ninth and Tenth avenues
SELF-POSSESSED.
Williams appeared TO be perfectly self
possessed and acted as though he felt he
had performed a meritorious deed. He is
. well-built man OF average hight and of
not unpleasant features. He said he was
single. forty-three years old and lived at
15s West Twenty-sixth street. at which
place. however. he is not known.
The prisoner answered. without hesita-
Iion or any show OF irritation all auestfons
put to him and spoke like man firm I'm the
conviction that he had been deeply wronged
by the man he had murdered He told a
rambling story about a colored woman
Mrs Bessie Davis. who. until about four
months ago kept a lodging house for ne
groes In West Fifty-third street, who he
said, had circulated statements derogatory
ito his character and against whom he had
been trying 10 bring suit for 900 for SLAM
der The trouble. he said dated back to
the year 1896. when he was one OF her lOdp-
ers. Her sto.ies reached the congregation
OF the Mount Olivet Church, OF which he
was an attendant. and he was forced to
give up his membership there because his
feIlow-worshippers pointed the finger of
Bcorn At him Her slanders continuing o.
over eight years, cost him nearly all his
friends II would have been married now
only for her" he added. bitterly
he ia had
60 find the woman. who had been spirited
away by powerful friends He blamed Mr.
Green Tor berriending the woman. and en-
abling her 10 continue her slanderous sto-
rics- He said he had asked Mr.. Greene to
''get after her but he failed to do so.
I'm not sorry 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 20 TO rhe
electric chair. IL necessary to vindicate my
'.Do you believe that Mr. Green had any,
thing 20 do with your being dispossessed
from that Fifty-seventh street house?" he
NO. the landlord did that" was the re-
Ibid that have anything to do with the
Eyes. that as much as anything else"
PROBABLY INSANE
The prisoner said that he was a native of
Virginia and that he had supported himself
by taking care OF furnaces. He was re-
moved 10 police headquarters. where he was
questioned by Inspector McCIuskey, 10
whom he told substantially the same story
no had told at the station house Inspector
Mccluskey said he was satisfied the man
was insane From police quarters Williams
was taken 70 the Coroner's Office and then
20 the Tolabs. whore he was placed in a
cell.
Employees OF the Murray Hill Hotel told the
police thar they had seen the colored man
walking M and down the street I'm FROM of
Mr.. Green's house every day for the past