The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1906-05-04
NEGRO SHOOTS CONDUCTOR
Mr.. W. A. Virgins, Employed by the
Salisbury-Spencer street Railway
Company, the Victim-The AssaiI-
Makes His Escape and a Re-
ward of $50 is Offered for His APP
urehensi0
Especial to Charlotte Observer

Especial to Charlotte Observer.)
Salisbury, April 29.-The whole city
is in arms today searching all the Sc
cret places of the town and surround
ing community for the negro who laid
Conductor ". A. Virgins at the door
Of death with a bullet in his abdomen.
The unprovoked affair took place this
morning between 10 and II o'clock
when people were going quietly to
church and its sensational nature
broke into their devot1ons.
The best story obtainable from the
street car people is this: Conductor
Virgins was on his way TO Spencer
with a well-flled car and the negro
man and his feminine companion went
! into the car, sitting down in the middle
of the car instead of the end reserved
for colored people. The woman fiaunt-
f; ed a S. note in his face and said she
could pay the bill, at the same time
tearing it in two. Mr.. Virgins then
said to her: You ought not to have
done this" when the man broke III
with an impudent remark. Virgins
told him that he would have to get off,
that he had nothing TO DO with the af-
fair and directed the man to the door.
This occurred at the switch half way
between Salisbury and Spencer, and as
the negro went out he turned and
| drew his pistol, shooting the conduc-
tor in the stomach. Mr.. Virgins fell
towards him and the negro shot again,
the bullet going wild and striking a
stranger in the arm.
y. o~-~ 49,. NOV o-l hoe M how
heard from since. Mr., Virgins "a
then brought back to Salisbury and
taken to the Whitehead-StOkes SANTA
rum, where an immediate operation
was seen to be the only hope for him.
1t was seen that the bowels had been
perforated in eight places and the ali
mentary canal punctured badly. There
is hope for him if no complications set
in. He is one of the best men i'm the
employ of the company and could
have been offensive ever to a bigoted
negro. He was merely carrying out
the practices of the company when he
was shot down without warning.
The stupid brutality and needlessness
of the crime have shocked the town
greatly. All through the day the Off
GERS and hundreds of the citizens AVE
been on the hunt for the man who
made the most of the excitement and
took a long lead on the chasers. The
woman was caught and is in Jail. She
refuses to tell who her companion was
but it has been learned that he former
ly worked at Whitney and his name Is
Joe Black. A report this afternoon
said that he had been seen in Jersey
City, a colored suburb of the city and
seemed to be making his way towards
Whitney. Another has lad him near
Majolica, a flag station five miles from
Salisbury on the Western railroad.
The stranger who witholds his
name, is a wealthy Philadelphia who
fears unnecessary alarm from his
mother until he can write her. The
bullet lodged in his arm and this
ing the doctors are after it with the
X-ray apparatus. 1t came neal strik-
ing a more vital point and the young
fellow hardly understands the escape.
The crowd of men chased the negro
who had emptied his pistol before he
fed. Eye-witnesses say the dispute
arose over the conversation between
the woman and the conductor. Anoth-
er negro is under arrest for informa-
ton that he may be able to furnish.
Sheriff Julian this afternoon offered a
reward of $50 for the arrest of the ne.
gro. He seems to have come from
South Carolina and has worked in Co.
lumbia and Union.