The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-03-28
Terrible Tragedy Before
 Thousands. DRAMATIC SETTING
 FOR THE ENCOUNTER
Engineman Empties Revolver Into
 Enemy and Turns It on Self.
w. H. west, Accused of Larceny of Diamond and Money, Meets F. H. Fraxier on Crowded
 yhoroughfare and Com
 mits DoubIe Crime.

Maddened, perhaps, to insanity on account of charges of grand larceny preferred against him by F. H. Fraz- fer of Mobile, w. H. West of Montgom- cry shot and desperately wounded his accuser and turned the death dealing revolver on himself, dying in a few moments in a pool of blood on Dexter Avenue.
 No more dramatic surroundings could bave been picked for the tragedy than those West chose for his deed. Death could not have come to him in a more sensational way and the circumstances could not have been more harrow ing.
 At o'clock yesterday afternoon West and Frazier were seen conversing on the southwest corner of Dexter Avenue and Perry street. In a few seconds a shot was heard Frazier fell and two more shots followed in quick succession. West was seen to dash 1p Dexter Avenue toward the. Capitol The great crowd that had as- sembled as If by magic, surged slowly forward. Standing in the middle of Montgomery's historic thoroughfare. with no man within ten yards of him. West stopped. The revolver that had just sent It's leaden missiles into the body of fellow man was raised. The crowd halted and turned, The gaze of hundreds were on the man as he placed the weapon to his head. The fourth shot sounded The pistol dropped from the weakened hands. In paroxysm of pain. the arms shot up over his head. The body swayed second and limp. almost lifeless, fell to the pavement.
 Deafh on the Pavement.
 The great crowd again surged for ward. Surgeons were hurriedly sum- moned. A seconds glance told them their skill would be useless. crIm- son stream came from a black hole in the. mans right temple. His breast moved up and down once or twice. As the doctors and policemen bent over him, trying to make his last few sec onds on earth comfortable. West gave a convulsive sigh, there was a slight rigor of the body. He had paid the self inflicted penalty for the taking Of the life of another.
 Then came the reaction-the horror of 1t all. The throng of women, Easter shoppers, saw a scene as stern aE Montgomery womanhood has been com pelled to witness in many years. They saw an aged man, the father of the suicide, crazed by grief. dash forward to the body of the slain, uttering im- precations on the fates that caused the taking away of his first born. They saw the policemen in the grewsome task of keeping back the morbid. They saw the throng part to allow a basket covered by an awful black cloth to pass as 1t was borne by blood stain- ed hands to nearby undertaking es- tablishment
 This is what the Easter shoppers saw, while Gods sun was shining and signaling the approach of his most favored season and when all Christen- donl's thoughts are turned to Him. who taught the lessons of peace and the brotherhood of man.
 Cause of the Tragedy.
 The history of the tragedy dates back nearly a year. At that time West and Frazier wer fellow Iocomo- tive engineers for the Mobile and Mont gomery Division of the Louisville and Nashville Railroad. West was A low ing husband, a considerable father. a dutiful son. He lived comfortably in a modest home in Montgomery Fraz- fer about the same age, had home at tachments in Mobile. Both men were comparatively well of in the things of the world
 The philosopher who remarked Money is the root of all evil" could derive a certain sort of ghastly satis- faction over the occurrences of yester- day afternoon, for the possession of money by Frazier and its loss caused him to bring the charge against West. It caused the mind of West to become @4nhamed. It caused his passion to burn. It resulted in his seeking soIace in whiskey and the rum demon caused him to take his revolver in hand and go out to slay if he met his accuser face to face.
 Last July at Greenville, the freight trains, whose engines were guided by the principals of yesterdays tragedy, met to await orders Shortly after he turned hls iron steed toward the Gulf City Frazier discovered that a valua- bIe diamond. over $20O fin cash and va- rious other articles of value. had been taken from the locker in the cab of his engine
 Taken to the Courts.
 few days ago he met West, snd West was wearing a diamond similar to the one taken from his locker. His suspicious were aroused and he de- manded to know where his ! rother engineer secured the bauble His an swer was not satisfactory to Frazier and a warrant was sworn ut before Police Sergeant Oscar McDade, charR- ing West with the theft of the Jewelry and money.
 The trial was set for yesterday in the Recorders Court. One hour be- fore Recorder Baber took his seat on the bench, the case had been dismissed by the Supreme Court of all courts. Death had laid it's hand on the Gofend- ant. The afiiant was in a hospital. a slender thread binding his life to this world.
 The charge of larceny against him caused West to brood There had nev- ha.n rhar1a ne aiVafIaH aRpon,.