Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-07-19
NEGRO IS SHOT down
Trooper Uses Gun in Mix-Up
on Aqueduct Bridge.
FOUR SOLDIERS ESCAPE
Told They Are Under Arrest, They
Take to Woods.
VICTIM IS BADLY WOUNDED
Two Companions Say They Were
Not Aggressive-Police Parted
Them Once.

gether on ,Aqueduct bridge about 1910
o'clock last night.
One of the negroes, William L. Smith,
thirty-nine years old, was shot and dan
gerously wounded. The bullet entered
out near the left hip.
Smith was taken to the Georgetown
University Hospital. An operation was
performed upon him at an early hour
this morning.
Headquarters detectives were hurried to
Fort Myer as soon as Lieut.. Hartley, In
charge Of police headquarters at night,
learned OF the seriousness OF the anair
Policeman Short, on duty on Aqueduct
bridge when Smith was shot, was taken
to the fort by the detectives.
Culprits Not Recognised.
At 2 O'Clock this morning there was q
lineup of the troopers of the 18th Cav
airy, who were at the post. No soldier
was positively recognized, however, As
one Of the trio in the mix-up.
About daybreak the detectives and
Policeman Short returned to the city.
Capt. W. d. Newbiil, acting post COM
mander. had done his best TO aid the de-
tectives to find the man who had done the
shooting.
Still Investigating Case.
At the lineup here at noon today
Policeman Short viewed all the men at
the post. but was unable to positively
identify any one of them. Capt New
bill is still investigating the case.
Capt Newbill says that the wound
was not inflicted by a service pistol. as
none Of them was of the reservation
at the time of the shooting. They ali
were accounted for.
He thinks that it was done with q
pistol of smaller caliber. He also sug-
gested that the crime might have been
committed by District mi1itiamen, as
several of them live in Baliston and
Clarendon. Policeman Short Is satisfied
that the men he saw on the car were
regulars.
Negroes Say They Gave No ofense.
The shooting, the negroes say, was
without the slightest provocation. The
three cavalrymen and the four negroes
had been in Georgetown during the even
ing. Smith, the victim OF the bullet,
was somewhat under the influence OF liq-
uor on the return trip.
The soldiers and negroes got into q
war OF words near the north END or the
bridge about ten minutes before the
shooting was done near the south END
Of the structure.
Policeman Short OF the seventh precinct.
who was detailed on the briGge last night.
was appealed to by the negroes for pro-
lection. He separated the men.
lone Of the soldiers pushed my friend
OF the footway,' said the negro who
soldiers be made to let them alone.
Short started the negro Virginians
across the bridge. The cavalrymen went
down the steps in the direction OF the
tOwpath, or X street.
1t was thought by the policeman that
Their thought TO them until he heard a
noise on the bridge about 100 feet from
the Virginia end OF the structure.
Knocked Down and Shot.
The policeman did not hear the report
Of the weapon. The negroes declared
Smith had been shot after he had been
Knocked down.
The wounded man walked from where
the shooting occurred to the Virginia end
of the bridge and took a seat on a bench
at the terminus Of the Falls Church CAY
line.
Policeman Short hurried to the end OF
the bridge to make further investtga-
ton. He found that three soldiers had
entered a car that was due to start to-
ward Fort Myer at IL 80 O'Clock.
Gentlemen" said the policeman, ''you
are under arrest"
them. The three men left the car and
took to the woods.
Near the Virginia end Of the bridge
last night. the police say. there was q
United States marshal and an army
to give any clue to the identity OF the
three soldiers.
Detectives Burlingame and Warren of
the headquarters force and the police Of
the seventh precinct were soon upon the
pital to interview he wounded man, and
later went to the fort.
1t appears from statements made by
the wounded man and his companions
Depto Goldman and Jerry Howard, Ross
lyn companions. had been in Washington
and had had several drinks There Is no
suggestion that the soldiers had been
drinking.
Negro Pushed or Roadway.
Soldiers and negroes were on their
way to Virginia. The negroes intended
to walk to their homes. The enlisted
men were going to Rossiyn to board Q
car to return to the military post
They were only . short distance from
the north end Of the bridge when. It Is
charged, one Of the soldiers pushed Jerry
Howard of tho side to the roadway.
The negroes deny that they offered
fight to the cavalrymen, pfeferring to ap-
peal to the police for protection.
The three cavalrymen did not remain
Oft the bridge many minutes after they
We're started down the steps by the po-
Hcemen. They returned to the bridge al
most before the policeman had time to
turn his back.
Starting toward the Virginia end Of the
bridge, they overlook the negroes about
100 feet from where the Districts juris-
diction ends.
The witnesses declare Smith was
knocked down by one Of the cavalrymen
without a word of warning, and that the
bullet was fired into his body while he
was down. both sides having INDUCED in
uncomplfmentary remarks
Companions Were Msnaeed.
do you want some of 1t, too?" Jerry
Howard was asked when he started to
The soldier who had done the shooting
brandished his weapon and threatened to
shot, say the negroes, and Richards and
Goldman ran to Rosslyn, while Howard
beat a hasty retreat in the direction OF
Washington.
When the police went to the south end
of the bridge to assist the wounded nina
to the hospital Smith objected to getting
on the stretcher. saying he would rather
walk. He was able to walk to the
wagon.
At the hospital he entered vigorous
protest against being operated upon.
Don't cut me open," protested the