The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-11-22
SHOT ON COURT SQUARE
PATR0LMAN SWEENEY DROPPED PISTOL AND WOUNDED NEGRO.
Pevton Reese Received serious Wounc While Helping OfIeer With Dereltct WagOn--Accident
 Aroused Much Sympathy.

Y TO shoot Q mdns II lS NtHA ibiVs never regretted anything more in my life. I do hope he will not die. | In this strain Patrolman P. J.. | Sweeney talked of an accident which may rob Peyton Reese. a negro, of life. The patroIfnan dropped his pistol, The revolver was discharged and Reese was seriously wounded
 Patrolman Sweeney, the oldest mem ber of the Montgomery department. is as tender-hearted as he is courageous. The accident unnerved him
 The spirit of willingness to help one who is in trouble shown by Reese. who ics a drayman. makes the acci- dent more regrettable. with a bull let wound through his neck, he lies in a bed at St. Margaret's Hospital with about even chances to die or recover and with the memory of the peculiar circumstance by which he received the wound from the 41 calibre pistol of Patrolman Sweeney.
 The accident occurred at the inter section of North Court Street and Court Square about 5:Ib o'clock yester- day afternoon. Patrolman Sweeney was engaged in trying to place a wheel back on an axle of a wagon loaded with bricks, which had broken down at this point and was blockading the narrow street. Reese, who is employ ed by Graves and Anderson, as a driv- CT, was passing and Patrolman Swee- ney called to him and asked him to give him a lift. The negro quickly got down off his wagon to help raise the heavy body of the wagon so that the wheel might be placed back on the axle.
 The two men and one or more other helpers took bricks from the wagon n oc 1Oa1 slowly with a bar as a lever. they placed the props under the body until it was almost high enough to receive the wheel on the axle. Just as every thing was about ready and the job was about finished. Patrolman Sweeney raised up quickly from a stoopihg posi- ton and his revolver fell from the scabbard striking the butt on the ground and exploding a cartridge. No sooner had the pistol fired than Reese. who was bending aoSer on the lever straightened up. elasped his handsto his throat and fell at the feet of the start led officer. -c
 The negro was qHickly placed in hack and was taken to police head quarters where he received immediate surgical attention. It was found on examination, that the bali had entered the neck near the throat and had come out through the back of the neck A surgeon worked on the wound for some time and had the negro sent to St. Margaret's Hospital where he could be made more comfortable and receive better attention.
 Patrolman Sweeney was visibly af- feoted by the accident and waited out l side of the room where the surgeon was at work, eagerly seeking informa- l tion as to the negro's condition.
 1T never regretted anything more in my life" he said ''I do hope he will not die. I cant understand how it | happened. When I straightened up after bending over the wagon, my pis- tol dropped on the ground and the | cartridge exploded though I don't know how 1t could have gotten out of the scabbard. It Is the first time I ever dropped my pistol and then to 1 shoot manN do hope that 1t is not serious ''
 The accident Is especially regretted | at police headquarters because Patrol man Sweeney is one of the oldest and most efficient members of the force He is experienced and Is recognized by his superior officers as careful and | cautious.
 Reese is a we'll known negro of good character and Is well liked by both | races. He is about 35 years old and bears an excellent reputation. He was well thought of by his employers and they deeply regret the accident to | one of their best and most trusted 1 drivers. Ills home is in West End. l It was stated at the hospital at an early hour this morning that the ne-
 gro was resting comfortably and was conscious