The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-08-22
Richard Pettus Seriously Wounded by Dickerson.
BOTH PARTIES WHITE MEN
Witnesses Allege That Shoot
 ing Was JuStifiable.
Sunday Shooting Array Came as . Re- suit of Pettus Flourishing Pis
 toI.-Pettus May Recover.

Richard Pettus. a young white man of West End was seriously and proba- ply fatally shot by E. E. Dickerson. brick mason, shortly after twelve o'clock yesterday afternoon. in the rear of Venable's store. 454 Bell Street The shooting was the result of an af- fray in which Pettus received three pistol wounds, one in the neck and two in the chest. and Dickerson sustained a slight scratch on the side of his neck from a ball from Pettus's pistol. which merely grazed him.
 Pettus is in a precarious condition at a local hospital where he was taken about eight o'clock last night, though hopes are entertained for his recovery. Dickerson Is confined in the county jail on a charge of assault to murder sworn out by Deputy Sherif S. g. Bel ser, who removed him from the city prison late yesterday afternoon. when 1t was known that Pettus's chances of recovery were slim. After the shoot
 ing, Dickerson walked to his home and awaited the arrival of the police. who
 had been sent to arrest him, going quietly to Police Headquarters where
 he was locked up under a charge Of
 assault to murder
 Witnesses to the shooting say that young Pettus was intoxicated and was
 responsible for the trouble which fol- lowed his actions toward Dickerson. It is stated that Pettus had pistol drawn and that he persisted in point ing the pistol in Dickerson's face, though Dickerson objected and asked repeatedly that the pistol be lowered from a level with his head. His ef-
 forts to persuade Pettus from flourish ing the pistol in his face being futile during which time some warm lan- guage was used between the men, 1t is alleged that Dickerson made a motion toward his pocket when Pettus aimed
 at his head and fired, the ball grazing his neck.
 Dickerson then opened fire with his | revolver, Ss calibre Colts pistol Speaking of the affair at Police Headquarters Dickerson said that he did not know how many times he fired
 as he did not know how many car- | tridges he had in his pistol. He said that Pettus had his pistol cooked dur ing the time that he was fnenacing him with 1t and that he said he would kill him If he made move to draw his gun. When Pettus fired,
 he said. he tucked his head and to this
 act he attributes his unharmed condi- | tion. as the broken skin on his neck indicates a close call.
 Witnesses COrrobOrate Dickerson's Story of the Shooting. When seen later at the county jail, Dickerson declined to make any state-
 ment in regard to the. affair, saying that ho had always heard that 1t was | bad policy to talk before prelimina KY
 hearing had been had
 He expressed hopo that Pettus would
 survive his wounds. The prisoner is
 twenty-four years old and came to
 Montgomery about eight months ago from Lowndes county He is a mar
 ried man having wife and children.
 His reputation, so far as known. is
 good and he has clean police record
 in Montgomery. Pettus has figured in
 one or more fights in West End and his
 reputation in that respect Is not of the best.
 At late hour last night, advices from the bedside of the wounded man
 stated that he was sleeping and doing as well as might be expected under the circumstances