Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-03-06
CoMMITTED SUICIDE.
Alfred Davis, Colored, Found Dead in
Room of His House.

When Sergt. Brown and Policemen New
ton and Allan of the third precinct went to
the home of Alfred Davis. colored, 5Oahs
ODD street northwest. about 80 o'clock this
morning. with a warrant for Davis arrest
on a charge of discharging firearms, they
were startled to find Davis lying dead on
the floor in the second-story front room OF
the home He had bullet wound through
his head and the revolver was found be-
side him. Davis was wanted in connection
with an attempt to shoot his wife Monday
night. as published in The Star yesterday.
She refused to prosecute him. and the Off
GERS made no attempt to arrest MN until
they had procured warrant for him.
Coroner hewitt was notified. and made
an investigation about IL O'Clock this morn
ing In his opinion it was clear case OF
suicide. and he gave certificate accord
ingly. The body was then turned over to
his wife to be prepared for burial.
According to the story told by Mrs. Da-
Wis to the coroner today Davis was under
the influence of liquor last Monday night,
when the trouble for which he was wanted
occurred. He went to get her at her serv-
ice place. she said and when accompanying
her home she noticed he was drunk soon
after they had reached her home a friend
of Davis came to see him and invited him
to go out. Davis. against the advice OF MS
wife, went away for about an hour Ihen
he returned and went upstairs.
When he came down and met MS Wafe IN
the dining room of the house she saw ne
had his satchel. in which she knew that he
kept his revolver. He had taken II out on
previous occasions. and she was FAMILIAR
with what the receptacle contained. she
advised him not to take out the weapon,
but he was determined. Mrs Davis tried
to snatch the satchel from her husbands
hands but he prevented her, and, quickly
pulling the revolver from the valise, she
says he began firing it.
did he fire at your? she was asked.
mo. he fired in the air." she replied.
At sight of the weapon she rushed up
stairs. and her husband followed her, con-
tinuing to fire the revolver She ran to the
window in the front of the second story
and leaped through 1t to the ground below
Davis was close behind her. and the bullet
holes found in the walls about the window
Indicate that he fired several times at her
while she was passing through the window.
She escaped to a neighbors house The
pistol shots attracted large crowl.' and
while they were looking for further deyel-
opments they saw a flash in the second
story room and heard the report Of the pis-
toll 1t is beievd now that Davis then fired
in the crowd thought he had fired at them,
and there was a wild scramble for shelter.
Mrs Davis was afraid to return to her
home yesterday. and nothing was seen OF
Davis AS she had refused to prosecute her
husband for assault Policeman Walters of
the third precinct soon after the shooting
procured q warrant for Davis discharging
firearms. The officers went to the house to
serve that last night and, as stated, found
Davis dead.
The deceased was employed as assistant
engineer at the Naval Hospital. He was
forty years old. His wife alone survives
him.