Middletown transcript., 1910-03-26
4 BLOODY BATTLE
Three Men Lost Their Lives on
Pullman Car

| 6ImCO Wtbu q POWCtt1t SusoDAsAO 80
volver and barricaded in the smoking
compartment Of Pullmaa car attached
to the Baltimore and Ohio northbound ex
press, known as the Royal Blue, J. II.
Bethea, aged. about 40 years, a well known
contractor Of Dillon, s. G., held up the
train at she Delaware avenue station in
Wilmington, Wednesday evening, for
nearly two hours after he bad shot and
killed two men and wounded three
others.
Following is list Of the dead:
o. E. Wellman, aged about so yeare,
conductor Of the Baltimore and Ohio
Royal Blue express train. He was shot
in the arm and through the heart. His
home was at 1902 S. Ffty-fourth street,
Philadelphia.
Samuel Williams, coloFed, aged about
IS years Of Baltimore, Md, porter on the
Pullman train. Shot through the heart
and through the stomach.
]. H. Bethea, aged about 40 years,
contractor of Dillon, South Carolina, the
man who killed Wellman aud Williams,
shot through the heart, head, stomach,
limbs and face. Died in the Homeopathic
Hospital, in Wilmington.
It was probably the most exciting
scene ever witnessed in W lmington and
In short time thousand or more per.
sons congregated around the station, be.
ing attracted by the many shots which
were fred. That some Of the police off,
GERS we're not killed for injured and
more spectators hurt seems to have been
miracle, as the outraged man kept up al
most steady fire, probably using in the
neighborhood of 80 cartridges. He eyi.
IDENTIFY quickly reloaded bis pistol each
time it became empty.
The police who were under the direct
charge of Chief Black and Captain Evans,
displayed great nerve.
When he boarded the train in Baltimore
be walked to the second car from the
locomotive, which was Pullman parlor
car. He took seat well toward the front
door and was engaged in reading for
some time.
Bethea was seen to suddenly draw
revolver from his hip pocket and point it
at the porter. Williams started to back
away. but instead OF getting into the
narrow passageway that leads to the ves'
tibule, he backed into the seat at the ex.
IRENE end OF the car. In an instant
Bethea had fred two bullets into his
body. One ball passed into bis stomach
and the second passed through his heart.
Williams dropped back in the heavily
cushioned seat and his head fell over
against the window. He closed his eyes
and died almost instantly.
Conductor o. E. Wellman, who was in
the smoking Car, heard the shots and he
hurried back into the parlor car. Well.
man was heard to say something to the
man, who replied, after which they SEEM
ed to.engage in an argument. Wellman
turned and was about to walk through
the passageway into the smoker again
when Bethea fred two shots at him.
The first struck his arm and broke it.
The second struck Wellman in the right
shoulder, as be turned away, and the ball
went through tie arm, through the body,
through the heart and was found against
9 broken rib on the left side Of the body.
WelIman dropped to the floor dead.
When it was finally evident that
Bethea could not be dislodged along the
lines that were being followed, by the
police. it vas decided to call on the fire.
men. The Water Witch Fire Co. was
summoned and line of hose run frsm
plug to the edge Of the train platform.
A barricsde of express trucks, rails, rail.
road ties and planks was thrown up, and
after inserting the nozzle through an
opening the water was turned on. The
stream was directed through the broken
oval windows and into the barricade of
Bethea.
The water had its effect. Without
warning Bethea stepped out on the plat
form of the car. As be did so several
shots were fred at him. After catching
hold of Bethea Sergeant Kelleher found
that the man was MORALLY wounded. He
had dropped his revolver and immediate
ly the police dragged him from the plat
form of the car. Bethea did not speak
word from the time he fell on the car
floor. When taken off be was in dying
condition, for he had literally been rid
died with lead. One shot was near the
heart and this probably killed him.
Papers in the clothing after the body had
been moved to the morgue enabled the
coroner to identify him. In a note book
he had written his name, ]. q. Bethea,
| 1853 pounds, 8 feet tall. In case of acct.
dent please notify NJ. E. Medlin, Dillon,
South Carolina. Word was sent to that