Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1905-09-23
Negro Killed.

A coicred desperate named William
Roll said TO have been native OF Sa-
vannab Ga. was shot and almost in
stantly killed BY Richard Pines, colored,
late Yesterday Afternoon, in what is known
as Mushpot bottom, between Spring
Park and Braddock Heights, on the
electric railway. Bell had Hreyiou'iy
shot colored man named WEnami
Thomas. The desperate had barricaded
himself in a small house. He was arm
ed with two pistols and had found two
muskets in the house. Bell Knocked
holes in the side of the house and kept
Officer Gill and others who had pursued
him at bay, and he was about to shoot
Mr.. Gill when Pines, who had been
deputized to assist the officer, shot the
negro through the heart and he died a
few minutes later.
The origin of the difficulty was as fol-
lows
Bell and a companion named, Law
renee Bennett, became engaged in an al
tercation with a cOlOred man, Charles
Jackson, on Princess street, between
Fairfax and Royal streets. They at
tempted to deprive Jackson of his coat,
and when the latter resisted Bell drew
pistol and shot at him, the bullet, how
ever, missing him.
Officer Gill and number of
people in the neighbOrhOod gave
chase, among the number being Mr..
Herbert Beach. The latter armed him
self with a Winchester repeating rifle
and followed the fleeing negroes in
buggy. The fugitives kept running I'M
ill they reached Mushpot bottom.
Bell took possession of small frame
house occupied by white woman named
LLOYD, having driven the woman out and
barricaded himself on the inside. Ben
nett hid himself at the nearby resi-
dence of Mr.. Wolfe, where he was ar
rested by Mr.. Beach. Bell, however,
showed fight. As stated above, he was
armed with two revolvers of large size,
and in the house he found two loaded
anuske.s. With these weapons he climb
ed to the upper half-story of the little
house, which is not plastered, and
quickly made portfolios on every side by
knocking out knots in the weatherboard-
ing.
No one dared TO approach within
shooting distance, as Bell keptup furi-
Gus fusilade. At one time William
Thomas, coored, ventured triAe too
near the house and was shot in one knee.
He was removed TO the Alexandria Hos
pital for treatment.
After the arrest of Bennett, Mr.. Beach
tnrued his rifle over TO Pines and started
to police headquarters with his prisoner
in the buggy, and Pines was promptly
deputized by the officer to aid in the ar
rest of the other man. Pines took up a
position in clump of bushes about
hundred yards from the house, and the
officers attempted to close in. Bell
fired several shots at Officer Gill, and
the officer had started to creep up TO the
house, using a stone wall to protect himself
from injury, when suddenly Bell slipped
out of the house with the intention OF
making his way to an clubhouse. The
negro, while at a distance of about
ten feet from Mr.. Gill, raised his
gun for the purpose OF shooting him,
but before he could pull the trig.
ger Pines discharged his Winchester at
Bell. The latter turned around several
times and fell, the bullet having struck
him in the back and passed out of his
body through the right breast, Bell
died in about five minutes, and his body
was turned over to Undertaken Whestley'
Lieutenant Smith, who was on duty
at the station house at the time OF the
difficulty, telephOned Officer Ferguson,
who was stationed in the western portion
of the city, to go to Mr.. ellis assistance.
A buggy was sent to Mr.. Ferguson and
he repaired to Mushpot bottom as soon
as possible, but Bell had been killed be-
fore he arrived.
Pines accompanied Officer Gill to
police headquarters and at 1880 last
night he was given a hearing before
Police Justice Cation. The room wa;
filled with spectators. Officer Gill in
his testimony stated that Pines had saved
his life, and others testified substantially
to the facts given above. AT the end o.
the hearing Justice Cation said briefly
that it was clear case Of excusablt
homicide and dismissed Pines. The de-
cision was greeted by cheers from tn
spectators.
Bennett was brought before the Polio
Court this morning charged with adm
Bell to escape. ana his case was posi-
poned until Monday.
DIR. Purvis, the Coroner, after hea
ing the statements of the policemen an