Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1904-12-05
SHOT by ITALIAN.
Murd ,rouS A tack by Alfonso A. Dan
tonic Upon ColOred Man Named
jam - Wiakfield.

tonic Upon a ColOred Man Named
jam Is Winkfield.
At twenty minutes past five o'clock
last Saturday, evening the western part
of the city was aroused by murderOus
act Of Alfonso Dantonio, an Italian,
who deliberately fired two bullets into
James Winfield, colored, who ia en-
ployed at one Of the brick yards near
this CITY. The shooting occurred near
The northwest corner Of King and West
streets. In twenty-five minutes time
Officers knight. Lyles aud Nicholson
had the would-be murderer IN custody
and the injured man in the Alexandra
H spital.
Two of the bullets passed entirely
through Wink6eld's body, making dan
eerous wounds, and although the in
iured man was reported this morning las
doing well as can BE- expected" his con
dition is critical The balls were re
moved by Drs. Purvis and Klipstein. .
Dantonio was under the influence OF
liouor when he was taken in custody IN
q boarding house on Peyton street, De
tween King and Prince. The Italian Is
sa;d to be the same person who created
some excitement in the western part OF
the city one night recently 10y claiming
that he had been held up by four negro
men and robbed of $25, and then shot
at by the robbers. The police were
notified that he had been shot and seri-
ously injured, but when they arrived on
the scene they were unable to find any
trace of wound, snd finally came to
the conclusion that be was drunk. Dan
tonic is also the same individual who
caused some excitement in the streets
few days ago by falling in drunken fit
and leading people to suppose he was 10
critical condition. The Alexandra
Hospital ambulance was summoned and
when he arrived at that institution IT was
discovered that he was intoxicated, and
after emetics had been administered be
was discharged.
From all that can be learned the at
tack was premeditated. Before shooting
WINFIELD Dantonio is said to have re-
marked, "Black man takes Italians JOB. "
aud his deed is supposed to have been
su 1ernduced by the importations by
railroad contractors of colored men from
North Carolina to take the places vacat-
ed BY Italian laborers about two weeks
ago
II seems that Dantonio had started
out in the afternoon with only 80, had
loaned S. to friend, and had spent the
balance in tie saloon. WINFIELD in
his statement to a notary in the preserc
of Commonwealth Attorney Brent snd
others stated that he was leaving the
saloon with c0l0red man named Moses
Davis, and that they had gotten several
steps from the door when the Italian
came out and opened fire. He said that
he had noticed the Italian in the saloon,
and would be able tn recognize him, but
that he had no recOlle ,tiOn OF ever hav-
ing seen him before, and was positive in
his statement that he had not only not
had an alteration with him in the bar
room, hut that he had not even talked
with him. Winfield closed his state
ment with the assertion that The shoot.
ing was entirely without provocation.
Dantonio in a statement made yesterday
set up plea that he acted in sef-deien.
by asserting that WINFIELD has held him
up at the point OF revolver on three
different occasions, robbing him the Gr't
time Of 500, the second time of Sl4 and
IL watch, and the third of two rings.
nantOuio says that on each occasion the
negro caught him in an isolated place
aud pointed the weapon at his head
while be relieved him oi his yaluables.
Goaded TO the point of desperation,
DantoniO armed himself with revolver
10 defend himself the next time he was
attacked. Saturday nighthe met Wink
field in KelIy's saloon, aud being under
the Influence OF liquor, decided to have
vengeance on the spot, and when the
negro left the place he followed and shot
him.
Justice Cation committed the prisoner
to jIIl this morning 10 await the result
OF Wink6clfs injuries.