The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1905-03-28
THE NEGRO Will Die.
He Was Shot YcSteterday Afternoon by
Gus Williams, COl0red.
Boy Did Not Know Negro Who SHOT
uin1-Ffve Negroes lave Been Shot
During the Past Ten DAYS and Two
~iou Cut-WiIIiams Was Drunk
and Shot the Boy Without Giving
HIM Any Warning-Bnllet Lodged
i'm His Right Lung.

The seventh of the series of crimes
committed within the past ten days
yesterday afternoon at about 3 O'Clock
when Gus Williams, a drunken negro,
shot Wilson McClammy. The wound
inflicted in a most dangerous n and
the boy has no chance of recovery.
The shooting occurred at the Almont
factory, which is just beyond Hilton.
Will Davis, a negro who witnessed the
whole affair and who also came near
being a victim of the drunken negro,
was seen yesterday afternoon. He said
he had been in this city on business
and was returning to the factory aid
Wh5n on Fifth street, where the street
crosses the Seaboard Air Line railroad,
he came across Gus Williams, VINO
drew a pistol and fired at him. DAVIS
stated that the ball missed him and
he started across Hilton park in a
run, the negro following him and shoot
ing. He started across the Hilton
bridge and before he could get across
he says Williams overttok him. By this
time Williams had emptied the pistol Of
cartridges but he snapped it al Davis
several times. Davis stated that when
he reached the further side OF the
bridge he caught hold of Williams, took
the pistol from him and threw it to
side of the track. Williams, he said,
picked up the pistol and he saw him
break il and take some cartridges from
his pocket and reload it. Davis says
that he fastened or in the direction
of the factory and just as they reach
ed the yard they came across Wilson
McCIanlmy, a sixteen year old boy who,
is employed to roll a truck at the fac
tory. Without any warning whatever
and without the McClammy boy utter
ing a word, Williams shot him, the,
bullet entering me right breast and
lodged in his right lung.
When Williams saw what he had
lone he e~ndeavored to escape but was
soon caught by Abram Price, a negro
employed at the mill and was turned
over to Mr.. Bert Strickland, the time
keeper, who kept guard over him I'M
It'll nae constable arrived. He had j. 32-'
calibpe, Iver-Johnson pistol.
In the meantime preparations waral
made to carry the boy to the hospital.
He was placed On the tug boat Marion,
which was at the factory, and brought
to Princess street dock, where he was
n6Eed IN the ambulance and carried
20 the James Walker Memorial hos
pital.
Upon examination it was found that
the bullet had lodged in the right lungI
and that he had bled considerably. in-|
ternally. The boy was conscious all
of yesterday afternoon and last night
but he has no chance Of recovery.
When the negro "a arrested Con-
stable Savage was sent for and he went
to the factory and brought the negroI
to the city and placed him in Jail. He
claims that he did not do the shootiEg,|
but he was in such a drunken condition
that he did not know what he was
saying. There we're a number Of wit
nesses, who saw the shooting. las
Williams home is at Rocky Mount
and he came to Wilmington yester-
day on the train from New Bern.
Last night Justice John j. Fowler,
and Constable Savage went to the hos
pital and got a statement from the boy
who was shot. Wilson McClamn,v
stated that hen ever saw the negro
who shot him before yesterday. Said the
man shot him, then kicked him and
was reloading MS pistol to shoot again
when some one started after him ana
he ran. Stated that he had 10 dispute
with Williams. The boy said he was
originally from Rocky Point but that
his parents now lived in Wilmington
on Blood Black" alley.