The sun., 1908-03-28
CONGRESSMAN SHOOTS Two
BEFLIN or ALABAMA WOUNDS A
NEGRO AND A WHITE MAN.
He was on His Way to q Church to Deliver
Temperance Lecture and RenOn.
Itrated With n Drunken NegrO-says
Negro was About to Pull q Weapon.

WARRINGTON. March 27,-James Thomas
Helm. Representative in Congress from
the Fifth Alabama district, an ardent
temperance advocate. negro hater and
gun toter, stood in the middle Of Penn
sylvania avenue street car at Sixth street
at about o'clock this evening and fred two
shots from a .Ss calbre revolver at Louis
Lumby. half intoxicated negro. One Of
the bullets struck the negro in the head
back Of the right ear, and he lies in semi
conscious condition at a late hour to-
night at tho Emergency Hospital,
The other bullet lodged in the right leg,
just above the ankle, Of Thomas McCreary,
horse trainer for August Belmont. who is
here attending the Bennings race meeting
and who with his wife was alighting from
he car when the shots we're fred. Owing
10 the uncertain condition OF Lumby
Representative Hehin was held a prisoner
at the Sixth precinct station on a charge Of
assault with intent to kill but later was
released on 5000 bonds furnished by
George w Driver, a retired saloon keeper.
The physicians at the hospital insisted
upon viewing it as serious case but
admitted that they we're not certain whether
Lumby's intoxicated condition was re-
sponsble for the semi-unconsciousness or
whether the shot had produced a serious'
effect. McCreary's wound was very slight
Up TO the time of his release Mr.. Hefin was
surrounded in Capt. Byrnes's room at the
station house by twenty-five or more Of his
colleagues in the House, who were max ing
all sorts ef arrangements for his release,
Mr. Hehin is the author Of Jim Crow
street car bill for the District of Columbia,
which he introduced in the House at the
last session Of Congress. He said tonight
that since introducing and urging the pas
sage Of that measure he had received a
large bundle Of threatening letters and
had thought it proper to arm himself in
expectation Of an attack which might be
made upon him by the persons, evidently
negroes. who had threatened him. Ao-
cordingly, he says, he made application to
the chief Of police Of Washington for per-
mission to carry a revolver. This was
granted through the local police court
A. the time Of the shooting Mr.. HeAin |
vas on his way TO the Metropolitan Metho- |
dist Episcopal Church, at -and-a-half |
and c streets, Northwest to deliver lecture |
on the subject Of temperance, Five hun
dred men and women had gathered there.
Mr.. Hehin and Representative James
Edwin Ellerbe of the Sixth South Carolina
district were riding on the car together
when the shooting occurred Ellerbe was
Just slighting 10 go to his rooms at the
Metropolitan Hotel when he hurried back
10 Hehin's aid
4 crowd Of moro than a thousand whites
and blacks, including many Of the racing
contingent living at neighboring hotels,
was on the scene in a moment, and while
McCreary and Lumby were removed to the
hospital Policeman Scrivener escorted
Helm and Ellerbe to a carriage and the
trio drove TO the station house, where
Hehln was formally arraigned and then
allowed to use the telephone to summon
friends, Among the first to arrive was
Henry Neal, Speaker Cannon's messenger,
who bore word that the Speaker was deeply
concerned and asking if Mr., Cannon could
aid In the situation in any way.
According 10 Representative Ellerbe's
story as told tonight he and Hehin boarded
the trailer Of a two car train on the Penn
sylvania avenue line in front of the Raleigh
Hotel, running east toward the Capitol.
When Hehin and Ellerbe boarded the car
their attention was Immediately attracted
to two negroes, one OF them being Lumby,
evidently intoxicated and talking and
laughing boisterously, as they sat opposite
McCreary and his wife, who were the only
other Iassengers. Hefin and Ellerbe stood
On the rear platform Of the car and when
Lumby pulled flask Of whiskey from his
ocket and PREF ared to take drink Hehin
rpmOnstrated
You had better not take that drink in
his car. said Heln. according TO Ellerbe.
There's lady present and it is not right
Tend to your business the negro
ia said by Mr.. Ellerbe to have answered
Lumby was again raising the bottle to
hs lips when Hehn. half starting forward
objected again.
It's against the law for you TO conduct
yourself that way in public conveyance"
said HeAn Drop that bottle Of whiskey,
| say; you are doing wrong"
Mr. Ellcrbe says that Lumby mumbled
something unintelligble, and HeAin was
about to say something further in OBJ
oction when Lumby's companion reached
forward and took the bottle away from
him and stuck il in his own pocket. just
hen the car reached the corner Of Sixth
street end Mr. Elerbe prepared to alght
80 did Mr. and Mrs. NcCreary and the two
negroes.
81 this point the various versions differ,
Mr. EIIerbe sayz that when he alighted he
turned and said
Come on, Tom addressing Mr., Heain;
'vou had better get OF here and walk over
the rest Of the way. ri go with you.
Mr. ElIerbe says he expected further
trouble from the intoxicated negroes and
wanted to avoid it by having Mr.. Hehin
mrn north and walk away, When Mr.,
Hehin declined, saying he would ride on,
Mr. Elerbe turned TO walk away, when he
heard a scuffie and wheeled just in time
10 see Mr.. Helm, standing inside the car
near the front platform, fire two shots
through the forward window in the general
direction Of and toward the ground where
The negroes stood and whence Mr.. and
Mrs McCreary were walking. Mr.. Ellerbe
says that at the same time he saw Lumby
with his right hand in his hip pocket, as II in
the act Of drawing a revolver to attack