The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-03-28
Fires Revolver and Hits an In
nOcent Bystander.
SECOND SHOT BETTER
Bullet Took Effect in Head,
Causing Serious Wound.
Had Previously Thrown Him
Off a Street Car.

| washington, MdTcn Io.-fSepIoSell-
tative Heflen of Alabama quarreled
with negro on a street car last
evening and fired at him several
times. One bullet slightly wounded
| the negro and another hit a white
passenger named McCreary, wound
ing him seriously. Mr. Heflin was ar
rested. McCreary is the manager of
! the Belmont stables Belmont park,
New York. He was not in the car at
the time but was on the street near
| the ST. James hotel to meet Mr.. and
Mrs. Chas. W. Mayne, the latter pro-
prietor of the Palo hotel, New York
| city. Mr.. McCreary was shot in the
right side, but his wound is not con-
lsidered dangerous. The negroS name
| is Lewis Lumby.
| Upon boarding the car Mr.. IIeflen
| observed two negro passengers, one
of whom was Lewis Lumby and
who was in the act of taking drink
from bottle of whisky. There were
a number of other passengers includ-
ing several ladies. Mr.. Heflin says he
demonstrated with Lumby and asked
him to stop drinking. 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 I hope you will put that bot
tie away he said.
| The other negro, who was sober,
| attempted to take the bottle away
from his friend but failed. 1t is said
that Lumby became offended at Mr..
| Helms remonstrance and applied
vile epithets. AS the car reached
Sixth street and Pennsylvania avenue,
Helm and Lumbly were engaged in
a desperate struggle. Mr.. Heflin, who
is a large, powerful man, succeeded
in throwing Lumby off the car as it
came to a stop. Most of the occu-
pants of the car hastily alighted, in
Guiding Mr.. and Mrs. Thomas Nc
Creary.
The negro fell to the ground on be-
ing pushed off the car. He rose and,
it is said, began cursing Mr.. Heflin
again and made a motion for his hip
pocket as if to draw a pistol, where
upon Mr.. Heflin fired at him through
the car window, missing the negro
and hitting Thomas McCreary, who
was about 20 feet from the car. Mr..
Heflin fired once or twice again, one
of the shots striking Lumby in the
head above the ear Lumby ran a
short distance and fell. An ambulance
was called and he was taken to Elmer
gency hospital. The conductor of the
car disappeared, and policeman
took charge of the car and ran it to
Third and Pennsylvania avenue. Then
Mr.. Heflin was escorted by the police
to the Capitol hotel, and later was
taken to the police station in a cab.
He was not locked up. Mr.. McCreary's
wound is not serious. and after treat
ment at a hospital he will be return
ed to his apartment. At the Elmer
gencY hospital it was said Lumby
though badly wounded and uncon-
scious, has chance to recover. His
skull was fractured, but the surgeons
were unable to ascertain whether the
bullet entered the head.
Mr.. Helm explained his reason for
going armed. He is the author of a
| "Jim Crow" car law in the District
| of Columbia, and says that since he
!, introduced the measure he has receiv-
: ed many letters of a threatening ma
ture, and secured permission from the
police authorities to go armed.
Mr.. Heflin represents the Fifth
Alabama district in congress
Hefin's Colleague Makes Statement.
Washington, March 2S.-The shoot
ing of Lewis Lundy, negro and
Thomas McCreary, a white man, by
Congressman Thomas ]. Hef1in, of
Alabama, created a sensation in
: Washington. The negro received a
dangerous wound in the neck and Nc
Creary was slightly wounded in the
leg.
Mr. Hefiin authorized his colleague
| Representative Clayton to prepare a
statement, giving his version of the
: ARRAY and in connection with this
wish, Mr.. Clayton gave out the fol-
lowing:
1.-THE facts as I have gathered them
are substantially as follows:
"Congressmen Ellerbe and Hefin
were riding down PENNSYLVANIA ave-
nue. in the direction of the capitol
about $50 o'clock. Ellerbe OBJ
served before he left the car at the
corner of Sixth street, two negroes
drinking whiskey and cursing in the
presence of a lady who sat on a sea-
:, with them.
J, HE demonstrated with the two
= negroes about their conduct and TOLD
= them to cease their cursing an6
a swearing. After this occurred Repre-
i sentative Ellerbe got off the car or
: the west side of Sixth street to gt
il to the Metropolitan hotel. where hi
boarded. leavinb no one on the cal
negroes.
"EHerbe did not anticipate an,
" further trouble. Just as he alightet
: | from the car he was attracted by the
g noise of a scuff1e between Mr. Hef1ir
and the two negroes. He heard one
q | Of the negroes use vile language to.
ward Mr.. Hef1in. Hef1in was beine
: assaulted in the car.
a "Mr. Hef1fn drew his revolver t.
defend himself, and struck one of hi.
4 assailants on the head. One made 6
: motion as if to draw a weapon from
~ his pocket and at that moment botr
70 rushed at Mr.. Hefiin. They struggled
= to the platform and the representativ,
forced both of them to the street
when off the car the two negroe,
renewed the vile oaths and turned
K with the evident intention of re
newing their attack. Mr.. Heffn free
ii two shots with his revolver through
L one of the car windows. He did no
aim at either OF the two negroes, blu
% shot at the ground with the fnten
s. ton Of dissuading them from con
II tinuing their assault. One bulle
y glanced and struck Thomas McCrear-
lie in the leg"
,e Wounded Negro VIII Recover.
Washington, March 28-Louis Iundx
the negro who was shot by Represen
tative ]. Thomas Hefiin, of Alabama