The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-06-15
A SHOOTING AFFRAY
HOsTLER WOUNDS NEGRO AND
 WHITE MAN.
Negro said To Have Struck Chitwood With Pipe, The Latter Fired,
 And The Stray Bullet
 Struck White 1Inn.


 Birmingham. June 1i---,Special) )---R l.. Chitwood a hostler at the round house of the Alabama Great Southern Railroad, shot Andrew Thompson, boiler maker, and John Humphrey, a, negro helper in the boiler shops. this morning about 9 ocloc-s. The shooting occurred in the round house.
 The pistol in the hands of Chitwood. which was d 32-calibre Smith and Wes- son. was emptied at Humphrey. the ne- gro. but MT. Thompson received stray bullet in the shoulder. Only two bull lets took effect, one in the abdomen of the negro, which will pro ably prove fatal. and the other in the shoulder of Thompson. which Is believed to have caused only a slight injury.
 Both wounded men were carried to te Copeland-Solomon urner infrm- ary in the ambulance of the Gaudin Company, where their wounds were treated After the shooting Chitwood came to the city and surrendered at the sheriff's office He will most prob ably make bond. claiming that he shot the negro in self defense.
 It Is said there were many men around the scene of the shooting at the time and it is regarded as miraculous that more were not wounded. Chitwood Is said to have shot five times.
 According to a statement made. the men were being paid off when the shooting occurred.
 Officers Parker and Devine of the police force. were called to the scene of the shooting and secured the names of many witnesses
 According to Officer Parker. Chit wood claims that the negro struck him over the head with piece of lead pipe when he shot him. The trouble is said to have grown out of some argument between Chitwood and Humphrey
 Thompson the wounded man. Is a brother in law of Walter Burson, City Sanitary Officer. and this gentleman went to the hospital immediately. He told a representative of The Birming- ham News that Thompson gave the fol : lowing version of the matter.
 T was standing in front of the pay window just having been paid off, when I saw Chitwood draw a pistol. I tried to get out of the way but was | unable to do. so" According to the statement credited to MT. Thompson by MT. Burson, Humphrey and Chitwood had an argument about a cock being | off the steam pipe of the engine. The negro complained that the steam was | falling on him while he was in the pit and asked that Chitwood, who was on | t.-e engine. put the cock on or put a piece of wood over the hole This | started an argument and it is said I Chitwood struck Humphrey over the | head with a hammer.
 1 It Is said the negro then ran. The | matter was thought to be over. The | negro returned to the shop as it was | pay day. It Is said that when the men | were being paid off that the quarrel | was resumed.
 | Andrew Thompson is a married man | and lives at Woodlawn. He is a boiler maker by trade.
 R. L. Chitwood lives at 500 South 1 Twenty sixth Street. warrant has been sworn out against Chitwood on the charge of assault with intent | to murder warrant has been sworn out against Humphrey. the negro. on the same charge. upon the complaint | of MT. Chitwood