The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1908-04-03
REPRESENTATIVE
SHOOTS TWO MEN
THos. J. HELM. or ALABAMA
USES HIS PISTOL ON WASH
TON STREET CAR.
HITS A NEGRO and WHITE MAN
Former Probably Fatally Hurt,
Latter Received Only Very
Slight Wound.

WASHINGTON, March 27.-In q
desperate ARRAY On a Pennsylvania
avenue car tonight negro and white
man were shot by Congressman Thorn
as ]. Hehin, Of Alabama.
Thomas Lumby, the negro. was
shot in the head and is in a critical
condition, and Thomas McCreary, a
New York horse trainer, is suffering
from a wound in the leg.
The shooting Of McCreary was ae-
cidental. Mr.. Helm was arrested and
taken to the Sixth Police Precinct Sta
ton, where a charge of assault with
intent TO kill was placed against him.
Later he was released on $1,000 bail.
The shooting occurred shortly after
Z O'Clock as the car reached the cor
ner of Pennsylvania avenue and Sixth
street, bound for Capitol Hill. Con-
gresham Heflin, accompanied by Con-
gresham Edwin ]. Ellerbe, of South
Carolina, had boarded the car at
Twelfth street and Pennsylvania ave
nue.. Mr.. Hefiin being On his way TO
deliver a temperance lecture at the
Metropolitan Methodist Episcopal
Church.
Upon boarding the car he observed
two negro passengers, one OF whom
was Thomas Lumby, and who was in
the act of taking drink from a bottle
of whisky. There were number OF
other passengers, including several
ladies'.
Mr.. Heflin demonstrated with Lum-
by. and asked him to stop drinking,
saying:
Don't take that drink, there are
ladies' here, and it is not right 1t Is
against the law for you to do this
thing in a street car, and ! hope you
will put that bottle away"
The other negro, who was sober, at
tempted to take the bottle away from
his friend, but failed. 1t is said that
Lumby became offended at Mr.. Hef-
Inns circumstances, and applied vile
epithets to him. AS the car reached
Sixth street and Pennsylvania avenue,
Hefiin and Lumby were engaged IN a
desperate struggle. Mr.. Hefiin, who
is a large, powerful man, started to
throw Lumby of the car as it came
to a stop. Most of the occupants OF
the car hastily alighted, including Mr..
and Mrs. Thos. McCreary. The ne
gro fell to the ground on being pushed
off the car.
He rose and it is said began cursing
Mr.. Hefiin again and made a motion
for his hip pocket as If to draw
weapon, whereupon Mr.. Hefin fired at
him through the car window, missing
the negro and hitting Thomas Nc
Creary, who was about twenty feet
from the car. Mr.. Hefin fired once
or twice again, one of the shots str1k-
ing Lumby in the head above the ear.
Lumby ran a short distance and fell.
An ambulance was called and he was
taken to Emergency Hospital. The
conductor of the car disappeared and
Officer George N. Scriven took charge
of the car and ran it to Third and
Pennsylvania avenue. There Mr.. Hef-
lin was escorted by Officer Scriven
to the Capitol Hotel and later was
taken to the police station in cab.
He was not locked up. Mr. Nc
Creary's wound is not serious and al
ter treatment at a hospital ne re-
turned to his apartment.
At the Emergency Hospital II was
said Lumby, though badly wounded
and unconscious, has chance to re-
cover His skull was fractured, but
the surgeons were unable to ascertain
tonight whether the bullet entered the
brain.
Mr.. Heflin explained at the station
his reason for going armed. he IL
the author Of a Jim Grow" car law in
the District OF Columbia and says that
since he introduced the measure ne
has received many letters Of threat
ening character and secured permits
sion from the police authorities to 90
armed.
Mr.. Hefin represents the Fifth Ala
bama District in which is located the
Tuskegee Institute. Of which Booker
T washington is at the head.