The Savannah morning news., 1903-11-14
SHOTS OF A NEGRO
SLEW THE "FATHER OF GREATER
NEW YORK"
ANDREW H. GREEN A VICTIM
OF A MAN WHO FANCIED GREEN
HAD SLANDERED HIM.


New York, Nov. 1S.-Andrew H.
Green, the father of Greater New
York." and one of the citys Oldest and
most remarkable citizens, was shot and
instantly killed on the steps of his
home on Park avenue to-day by Cor
nelius M. Williams, a negro, who is
believed to be insane.
The shooting was evidently the out
come of an insane delusion on the part
of the negro, that Mr.. Green had
slandered him, for when he was asked
why he had committed the murder, he
replied: Il did it to save my charac-
ter
There We're three witnesses of 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 tor
Mr.. Green to come home from his Of
flee.
The negro was standing in the vesti-
bule of the house. and as Mr.. Green
started to ascend the two steps lead
ing to the hall door, Williams advanced
toward him. There was a brief inter-
change of words, and then the negro
drew q revolver and fired five shots in
rapid succession. Mr.. Green sank to
the stone pavement, blood streaming
from his head, while his murderer, re-
turning the revolver to his pocket.
leaned against the railing of the step
as If awaiting arrest.
Negro Was Seized.
William H. Burns, carriage starter
for the Murray Hill Hotel was one
of the first to reach the negro, whom
he seized as he was about to walk
away, and turned him over to a police
man, and a detective, who rushed up
a moment later.
A physician was on the spot almost
Immediately, and pronounced Mr..
-Green 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, to speak
to her. As she tried in vain to get
a response, Williams turned upon his
victim and shouted: D you, 1 told
you l would get even with you"
One of the negros bullets imbedded
itself in the ceiling of the vestibule.
1t is believed that all the others took
effect Any one was sufficient to cause
instant death.
Mrs. Bray told the police that she
was about to enter the house when
she saw Mr.. Green accosted by Will
liams, and heard the former say, in
answer to some words addressed to
him by the negro: Go, away, l don't
know you" Then Williams drew his
revolver and shot the old man.
As soon as the policeman seized the
negro, they searched him, and found
the revolver which was still warm.
They 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.
Statement of the Murderer.
Williams appeared to be perfectly
f-possesssed, and acted as though
he felt that he had performed a meri-
torious duty. He is a we'll built man
of average height, and with no un-
pleasant features. He said he was sim
gle, AZ years old, and lived at 156 West
Twenty-fourth street, at which place,
however, he is not known.
The prisoner answered, without hes
questions put to him and spoke like
a man firm in the conviction that he
had been deeply wronged by the man
he had murdered. He told a ramb-
ling story about a colored woman,
Bessie Davis, who, until about four
months ago, kept a lodging house for
negroes on West Fifty-third street,
who, he said, had circulated state
ments derogatory to his character, and
against whom he had been trying to
bring suit for $4,000 for SANDER. The
trouble he said, dated back to the
year 1885, when he was one of her
dodgers. Her stories reached the con-
gregation of the Mount Olivet Church,
of which he was an attendant, and
he was forced to give up his MEM
bership there because his fellow wor-
shippers pointed the finger of scorn at
him. Her ISLANDERS, continuing over
eight years, cost him nearly all his
friends.
Il would have been married now
only for her." he added bitterly.
Continuing, he said he had not been
able to find the woman, who had been
spirited away by powerful friends.
He blamed Mr.. Green for befriending
the woman, and enabling her to con-
tinue her slanderous stories. He said
ne had asked Mr.. Green to get after
her." but he had failed to do so.
I'm not sorry shot him" exclaim-
ed the prisoner che got what he de-
served. l may not be justified by
society, but I'm justified in the sight
of God. I'm willing to go to the cleo
trio chair If necessary to vindicate my
character"
The prisoner said he was a native
of Virginia, and that he supported
himself by taking care of furnaces.
No Truth i'm His story.
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 McCluskey said he was sat
isfied the man was insane. From po-
lice headquarters Williams was taken
to the coroner's office and thence to
the Tombs, where he was placed in
cell.
Mr.. Green, who was a bachelor, lived
with his nephew, Timothy r. Green,
and his three nieces, the Misses Lucy
NJ, Julia and Mary Green. Two of
the nieces were at home when the
shooting occurred
Timothy r. Green said tonight that
his uncle had never before seen the
man who shot him, that ne had never
heard of the woman, Bessie Davis, and