Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-07-25
FIVE SHOTS At CONDUCTOR
DFSPERADO MAKES MURDEROUS
ASSAULT ABOARD TRAIN.
Disappears in Darkness and Avoids
Arrest-Had Two Revolvers
in His Possession.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

| Special Dispatch to The Star
| ALEXANDRIA, Va, July 25.-While his
| train running early this morning at a
| high rate of speed between Catletts and
| Noakesville, Va, Conductor j. E. johnson,
| in charge of northbound freight train over
| the Chesapeake and Ohio railroad, known
as train No. 9S. on the Washington division
| of the Southern railway, was attacked as
| he standing on freight car laden
| with pipes by negro desperate, who made
an unsuccessful effort to kill him. The col
ored man fired five shots in succession at
! Mr.. Johnson, one of the bullets entering
| on the left side of his face inficting a pain
| full flesh wound. His face is also badly
| burned from the powder from the shots.
| all of which were fired at close range. I'm
| meiiately following the occurrence the
| train was stopped and the negro made off
| in the darkness. He has not yet been APP
| pretended. Mr.. johnson reported the mat
ter to Chief Goods of the police department
| in Alexandria shortly after o'clock this
morning. Prior to reporting the matter to
| the police he went to tn office of DR.. w.
! NJ. Smith, where his injuries were dressed.
| The negro stealing a ride on the
| train, and as Mr.. Johnson was passing
over the train between 2:iO and o'clock
to see that everything was in order he
encountered the colored man and asked him
what he doing aboard the train. The
negro replied that 1t was none of his "d-n
remark when he was knocked down with
a lantern in the hands of Mr. Johnson,
and Mr.. Johnson says he broke his Ian
tern over the mans head. The negro at
once sprang to his feet and whipping out
a revolver from a big broad belt. to which
was attacked two Colts pistols, he com
menced firing, Mr.. Johnson running for
his life over the rapidly moving cars. The
negro emptied one of his pistols, evidently
a five shooter, and at this point the train
slowed down preparatory to stopping at
Manassas, when the desperate leaped from
the train. After making the usual stop
at that point the train proceeded to this
city
Boarded Train for Washington.
The police are inclined to believe that
hte man boarded the northbound mail
train, known train No. "a, which reach
ed this city shortly before s o'clock this
morning and proceeded to Washington. 1t
is reported that a man answering to the
description of the one who attacked Mr..
johnson was seen on the rear end of the
mail car of this train it passed here
this morning The police at that time,
however. had not been notified of the
shooting. 1t is supposed he continued on
to Washington.
The fact that the man had two big re-
volvers attached to big belt around his
waist leads the police to believe that he is
escaped convict.
The description of the negro given
by Mr.. Johnson is that he is of light cop
per color and weighs about $50 pounds; is
about five feet ten or eleven inches nigh;
has long nose and kinky hair. He wore
dark clothes.
Inspector Boardman received a message
from the Alexandria police this morning
asking that the police here make an effort
to apprehend the man who did the shoot
ing aboard the Chesapeake and Ohio train
near Catletts station in Virginia. A de-
scription of the colored man was furnished
the local police, and a message was sent
to the several precincts directing that
search be made for him. 1t was sug-
gested by the Alexandria police that the
man who did the shooting had come here
on the train due here at 30 o'clock this
morning. but the message was not received
until about one hour after the train reached
here.