New-York tribune., 1904-08-06
KILLED By A NEGRO.
ALMOST 4 LYNCHING.
Er-Pol'Ce Commissioner of Hart
ford Shot By Former Seruant.

Hartford. Conn. Aug 5-Henrr osborne. a
former police commissioner and ons Of
the leading business men Of this city.
was murdered by his former body SER
want. Joseph Watson. negro. to-day.
The murderer found this evening hid
ing under bed in the hsemeu, Of the osborne
home, No. % Capitol-aVe afte- = search for
him had been made IN ali sections of the city
Outside the house at the time the murderer was
found were gathered fully thousand persons.
and as Watson. heavily manacleI was taken
down the steps to the police patrol wagon the
air resounded with cries Of XIII him Lynch
him. from the crowd. which surged in toward
the officers as II il desired to take the prisoner
As the wagon started toward the police sta
tion the crowd. which was rapidly increasing
in size, swarmed after il. wildly demonstra-
tive mass Of humanity, presenting spectacle
the like Of which has never been seen here be
fore. and has hardly been duplicated under Ike
circumstances IN New-England. At the police
station the scene was even mora striking. for
people almost fought among themselves TO get
a glimpse OF Watson, and it only by the
greatest effort on the part OF many officers
that the crowd kept from forcing its way
into the guard room
watson is only eighteen years old. and is uri-
prepossessing IN appearance. He did not quail
even when face 10 face with the crowd which
seemed so anxious 10 avenge the murder When
brought into the police station he Was asked
several questions and without hesitancy an
swered them. He said he killed Mr. Osborne
Il had it in for him. and I killed him" said
Watson I am not afraid TO die; and I am sat
isAea now that I killed him" He then de-
scrihed IN detail the killing after which he was
locked up.
Mr Osborne was killed by Watson out Of re
venge for being discharged as valet on July 10.
He went TO the Osborne house TO commit the
murder and not 10 rob. as 1t was first supposed
Mr. Osborne's family were at their summer cot
tage at Crescent Beach near New-London. hut
Mr. Osborns slept at home each nigGt Watson
says tha, he got into the house by a key last
night and went TO bed in the basement. Mr.
Osborne was in bed at the time.
Watson intended TO commit the deed early, but
he slept late and SO was unable to get into the
upstairs bedroom while its occupant was asleep.
This explains how 1t that Mr.. osborne was
killed while in his night robe As Watson went
upstairs he heard Mr.. Osborne stirring about.
and met him at the bathroom door. firing one
shot Mr Osborne ran into his bedroom, leaving
a trail Of blood on the floor The negro fol-
Iou,ed and twice more shot at Mr.. Osborne.
hoth bullets taking effect. The wounded man
rnus. have undergone terrible agony. powder
marks on his face and body indicate that the
negro stood right over him as he fired the second
and third shots II just at this point that
the first inkling Of the tragedy reached the
neighbors. for with the pistol shots were heard
the words Save me-" The sound Of the shots
and the words Of the victim were heard by sew
eral persons on the street, and some one ran for
a policeman. Sergeant Dietrich. with several
officers, rushed to the house and forced AN en-
trance Nr Osborne was found stretched at
fun length on the floor of the hall on the second
story a pool of blood being ~ mis- side. He was
faint but managed to say 10 the officer that Joe.
the negro. had shot him. and that there was no
cause for it, Dr. F. G. King, a neighbor, ordered
the removal of the wounded man 70 the hospital,
but Mr. Osborne died just after reaching teat
institution.
Mr. Osborne was prominent in social and mu-
nicipal life and his death IS considered a great
loss the city He IS survived by MS wife, "A
son and "A daughter the son being employed in
the Office of the Durham Hosiery Company. OF
which Mr.. Osborne was secretary. TWO rela-
tfvcs OF the family left Hartford this morning
for Crescent Beach where the family was spend
ing the summer and conveyed the news OF the
tragedy 10 them. Mr.. Osborne's family reached
Hartford late this afternoon.