The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1906-08-21
WADE ACQUITTED.
CoRONER'S JURY FINDS THAT
KILLING OF ARMSTRONG
WAS JUSTIFIED.
Had Drawn Pistol 10 Shoot officer
When Latter Killed Him
Refused TO Re
Searched

Refused TO BE
Searched.
Coroner McAIanua held an inquest
yesterday at the undertaking estab
lishmeni Of Mrs NJ r. Felth. over the
remains of Lem Armstrong, the negro
who was killed Saturday night by
Police Officer John Wade The jury
was composed Of Fl, NJ. Sullivan, r.
Laurent, Albert Kratky, August Bode,
Otto G. Fahr and w p. Fraser, and
their verdict was as follows
I'VE the undersigned jurors, sworn
TO inquire into the death of Lem
Armstrong, on oath do find that he
came to his death by gun shot wounds
in the chest through the sternam bone
and in the left chest along the border
of the ribs, caused by bullets fired
from a revolver held in the hands OF
Police OFFICER John Wade. We further
fin the said John Wade was justified
in the act and we therefore recon-,
mend that he be exonerated from all
blame. The said shooting took PLACE
at Thirtyeighth ana Sycamore streets.
in Cairo, Alexander county, Illinois,
on August 18th. 1906.
The evidence upon which the fore
going verdict was based was given by
the two officers concerned in the
affair. Wade and Bradley. upon that
of W. c. Charles, who was a member
of The jury which acquitted Arms rong
OF The killing OF Wilingham, and upon
that OF Thos johnson, who was with
Armstrong Saturday night when the
latter was killed. The story Of the
shooting as developed was substan-
TALLY as told in The BulIein Sunday
Mr. Charles identified the revolver
taken from the dead man al the same
with which he ttrm .rongl had killel
Johnson, the negro who was with
said he vas 10 years OIL
came here from Belmont Mo. an
had lived in Future City several
months He said, 7 was not ac
quaintel with he deceased. but met
up with him ON the oJ;side of the
bridge. We were met near Fortieth
street on Sycamore by two policemen
who asked us where we Were going
md if we had any guns. | said no :
Amt got any gun Ny partner the de |
leased began backing in the dark and |
Is wa facing Ae officers didn't Sc /
what he was doing The only remark |
/ heard the deceased make was that |
he was going down town. There were
.hree shots fired and they were fired
by Officer Wade.
OFFICER Bradley who was Officer
Wades compan On at the time gave |
testimony a. follows John Wade, a |
police officer. and myself. had a war |
ant for one Henry Decker, who was |
watching on the bridge, and as we |
we're going up Sycamore street we |
net two negroes coming toward IL. |
We stopped them and asked where |
hey were going and from their sus-
licious actions we thought they were
Irmad. Neither one could give
..editable account of himself aad we
started to search them when the de-
eased began back ng and fumbling
in his left front pocket,
nd pulled out a gun. AS he did the
nicer fired TWO shots in quick sue
ession at the deceased Lem Arm
trong. Thos Johnson who was with
he deceased was then searched and
found a IS Iver Johnson in his righ'
ip pocket"
Officer Wade's story was the came
gave to a Bulletin representative
aturday night. II was told by Ofi-
er Lutz that the chief Of police |
,ished Officer Bradley and I to 90 ana
srve a warrant on and arrest one /,
Ienry Decker who was working on ,
le !. c bridge We got off the street
ar at Thirty-fourth and Sycamore /
nd were walking up The street 10 /
ard the bridge when we met two
range negroes. ! said to Officer Brad 1
~ those fellows have got something q
n them ald ON qu 1stiC7ing tlem I
hich was very m satisfactory we told
rem they would have 10 stand a II
arch. The deceased was trying 70 4
witch something from his r. ght front a
lsket. AMI was walking around ~
.p same time, edging away from me
hen he finally pulled gun from his
II front pocket. and as he did ihi-
fret two shots in quick sHcce sion |
him. and when he fell a gun was
uud al hi feet officer Bradley
.archcd the partner " the deceased q
I'd found in bis right hip pocket a
liver Johnson eyHlver."
FUNERAL NOTICE.