Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-03-24

Philadelphia. March 23.-One Of the
crew of the train on which Porter
Williams and Conductor Wellman
were shot tonight, gave graphic story
Of the tragedy. Bethea, who had been
drinking from the time the train left
Washington, was quarrelsOme; he
seemed to fly into rage every time
the porter approached him and the
subsequent double murder was the
elimination of one of these violent
outbreaks.
I'VE left Washington at 8 o'clock"
said the trainman, but nothing Pc
culiar in the actions of Bethea was
observed until the train pulled out of
Baltimore. We had scarcely reached
the outskirts of the city when Bethea
who was occupying a chair in the par
Tor car, threatened to chastise Will
liams, because of no apparent reason,
other than he took exception to the
porter being a Negro.
"A short time later the porter again
had occasion to pass through the car.
He was busy opening a ventilator
when Bethea arose and hinged toward
him. The porter hurriedly left the car
and reported the matter to Conductor
Wellman. The latter told Williams to
remain out Of the car unless it was
absolutely necessary for him to enter.
Bethea in the meantime had taken a
seat in a coach.
When the train was between Havre
De Grace and Newark, the porter start
ed through the coach not noticing
Bethea. The latter was apparently
doing N his seat, but just as the
c"lored man passed him he rose and
said: You Negro, I'll shoot you full of
holes
Nv illiams was less than four feet
rom the enraged man, and as Bethea
SPOKE Williams t,Irned half round in
evident surprise. AS he did so Bethea
fired bullet into the porter's heart
Williams fell back into seat, and
as Conductor Wellman approached
Pethea fired again. This last shot
went through Williams thigh and
buried itself in the woodwork in the
side of the car. By this time pandem
ojnun reigned. There We're about 80
persons in the ca and they made
mad rush for both doors. Conductor
Wellmar apparently did not know that
Williams had been fatally shot, as the
Negro was sitting upright in the seat.
AS Wellman spoke to Bethea. the lat
ter turned, livid with rage, and plac-
ing his revolver almost against the con-
ductor's chest and fired Wellman
dropped without moving an inch and
Bethea, 1ourishing his revolver, back
ed toward the toilet room, entered and
closed the door
I'm the meantime the train had reached
Newark. No stop was made, but a mes
sage was thrown off asking the railroad
officers at Wilmington, l. miles distant, to
have policemen on hand to arrest Bethea.
None of us at this time knew that either
Williams or Wellman was dead. Before
the train reached Wilmington the door
was barred from the outside and a hasty
examination of both men showed that
life was extinct
$50 bitter was the feeling against the
desperate man among the passengers
that he would have been torn limb from
limb had they been able to gain admit
lance to the toilet.
when Wilmington was reached a score
| of policemen and citizens were waiting
on the station platform. The top of
Bethea's head could be seen above the
| window blind as he was standing in the
toilet. Capt Kane of the Wilmington po-
lice force was the first man to step on
our train. He was followed by half a
dozen other policemen. AS they approach.
| ed the toilet room Bethea threatened tC
| murder the whole bunch if they at.
| tempted to enter the room. The officers
withdrew from the car and held a con.
sultation. Their conference was inter.
| rupted by several shots from the toilet
window. Bethea then drew back as the
policemen returned the fire.
AT this juncture a fire apparatus ap
peared and a stream was turned into the
| broken window. Bethea kept on firing
but we had all secured convenient post.
and waited developments. In few min
utes Bethea staggered from his arsenal
| He was still firing his revolver AS HI
| started to leave the car an officer sho
lin in the face and second later an
other shot shattered his arm. Still strug
| 2,ing t. change his revolver from his in