New-York tribune., 1906-03-17
NEGRO SHOOTS THREE.
CAUGHT IN BROADW AZ.
Wild Hest Ei'' Starts Out to
Shoot Up" TenderIoin.

Eli Lucas. a negro known in the Tenderloin as
Wild West Eli" started to clean up" the dis
trict last night and shot down three men
Johnnie Jones negro. proprietor of the Crss-
cent cafe; Rounds1nsn John Walsh and De-
tective James Scott
Lucas arrested shortly after midnight az
5sth street and Broadway. after a desperate
battle with Detectives Brosnan and NcAndrews.
The detectives say he fired several shots at
them, and they closed in on him and bIazed
away, too. Not one of the three was hit
Lucas was talking to his wife when the de-
tectives spied him. He Immediately fired
them. then turned on his heels and down.
Broadway. The detectives left the woman. got
into cab and chased Lucas blazing away al
him in the mean time. He was finally overcome
and taken to the Tenderloln police station.
Detective Scott is the most seriously injured
of the three. His condition is alarming He
was shot in the chest. and is now in the New
York Hospital. Walsh was shot IN the hip but
was able to go to his home. Jones returned TO
business after hurried visit to the New-York
Hospital. where a bullet which lodged in his
extracted.
The shooting occurred in the Crescent cafe. at
No. 1OS West 32d street. Johnnie Jones IS the
proprietor Of the place, which is largely fire.
quented by the lowest types Of negroes men and
women. and also whites. II has been raided sew
eral times. but Johnnie jones always looned
UP as active the day following the raid
He was manager Of the notorious Bon Ton
dive also. Anybody was welcome at Johnnie's
except wild West Eli" He down on
Johnnie's books as "the black bad man
Throw him out bodily was Johnnie's order
to the lookout, and if you can't do that. just
say Mister Eli Lucas, won't you please go? The
boss don't want you
Lucas rolled into the place about 10 o'clock
last night. He was "up to the eyes in hghtin'
stuff" according to Tenderloin parlance The
lookout negro saw blood in Wild West Elfs'
eyes and did not throw MIN out He invited
him to leave. But the words died in his mouth.
wild West ELI brushed him aside tore the
door from It's hinges, and. planting himself
against the bar. whipped out two big revolvers-
I'm goin to kill you. Johnnie Jones. right
here and now. Then I'm a-goin' 70 clean up
the place." he said.
With that he hurled pitcher at Jones. then
a chair, then bottles and chairs and pieces OF
glass.
Jones darted for rear door Some one slipped
revolver into his hand. Eli saw this and
blazed away. now with one. now with the other
revolver.
Kill you. sure as you live. Johnnie Jones!"
he yelled.
There were several hundred men and women
OF all CCIOTS IN Iue place. anu NilNC9N ca
citement prevailed for nearly an hour Jones
fell and as he did so Roundsman Walsh and
Detective Scott rushed into the place
Kill you. too" the negro shouted. and blaSed
away again.
One bullet lodged in Walshs hip, another in
Scotts chest. Scott fell to the floor. but got to
his feet again and blazed away as the negro
was dashing through rear window He
mounted tree in the rear jumped into the next
yard and vanished.
BY this time there were fully a thousand peo-
pie outside of the place A moment later the
reserves from the Tenderloin station, forty
strong. pushed through the crowd into the place
and arrested twenty-five of the inmates. Two OF
the negroes were held suspects
Jones slipped quietly out of his place, got
cab and went to the New-York Hospital. He
was back in less than hour. little the worse
for his experience. Roundsnan Walsh was at
tended to at the Tenderlon station. while De-
tective Scott was hurried TO the New-York Hos
pital
Lucas according to the police, has done time
before and his record is in the Rogues' Gallery.