The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1908-12-22
SALVADOR VINCENT
DID THE SHOOTING
Protection of Marines at the
Navy Yard Was Required
to Prevent Lynching at
Hands of Frenzied Crowd.
Vincent Now In County
Tail in Pensacola.

What appears to have been one OF
the most cold-biooded murders ever
committed in Escambia county and
one which has created the most In
tense feeling among the friends OF the
murdered man. occurred Sunday ar
ternoon at Warrington, when Robert
Laird, Jr., an engineer employed II
the Navy Yard, was shot and killed
by an Italian barber named Salvador
Vincent. The shooting occurred on
small bridge at the entrance of Cana
street. the affair having been the re-
suit OF q slight alteration IN which
the deceased young man and the ltai-
ian had been engaged on the Sunday
previous, when the former is said 10
have charged the latter with shaving
him from a dirty shaving cup.
The disagreement, which was not or
a serious nature. is said to have result
ed in MIR. Laird's walking out OF the
shop 1t is supposed that the foreign
er harbored reyengeful feelings, Tor
he began shooting on Sunday without
further provocation.
The assassin was quickly surround
ed by a company of marines, who
took him into the Navy Yard in order
TO protect him from the crowd which
had given chase, and from there he
was taken via the u. s. s. Poe to Pen
sacola in the custody of Deputy Unit
ed States Marshal Vim. Ray. He is
in the county Jail awaiting his preliml-
nary hearing, which is to occur this
afternoon at 3 o'clock in the United
States court room before United States
Commissioner Stokes.
How the Shooting Occurred.
Shortly after one o'clock. the DOOM
ed young man 1eft the home of his sis
fr-- E>,rad q tH1f4riE
happy frame of mind. His three
tiny nieces, the children. OF Mr.. and
Mrs. Brunei, who are here from Gulf
port to spend the holidays, had play
fully pursued him as far as the cor
ner. and he had finally escaped from
the tots and proceeded down toward
the Pensacola Electric Railway sta
ton Reaching the bridge, and meet
ing several of his friends, he stopped
for a few minutes chat.
Then Vincent appeared.
Shooting straight in the direction OF
young Laird. he grazed the eyebrow
of Mr. John Mooney, who was stand
ing near, and narrowly missed injurx
ing others. Four shots, according TO
witnesses, were fired before the fatal
one, the last having taken effect as
the unfotunate young man commenced
running down Canal street
He had succeeded in getting as far
as the home of Mrs. NJ. A. Chambers
on Canal street, when he suddenly
threw his hand to his back, and sank
to the ground. He was picked up and
carried to drug store, where, after
suffering untold agony; he succumbe1
at the expiration of half hour Ply
sicians were summoned. and the MEM
bers of the family notified. All thai
was possible was done for the DYING
man, but in vain, 1t having been ascer-
tanned that he had been shot through
the liver and intesttnes.
Assassin Hiccs Under House.
After Vincent had made sure that
at least one of his bullets had taken
effect, he ran under the house OF
Frank Willard. He was quickly cap
tured, however. and it would have
gone badly with him had not the ma,
rines from the Navy Yard. with fixed
bayonets. driven the pursuing crowd
back. Those -xho had witnessed tho
deed, and who had been lifelong
maddened at the enormity of the
crime of shooting an unarmed man in
the back, and the most intense excite
ment prevailed. When it was learned
that Robert Laird was dead. public
sentiment knew no bounds, and
crowds filed the block in which the
dead man had resided, with his sis
ter, Mrs. Fred Myers.
Born at Warrington.
When the lengthening shadows Of
evening began approaching. and when
fcoo<Inued a., s>cs,s PAGE,