Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1910-03-24
BATTLE ON A TRAIN.

aware Avenue Station at Wilmington,
three men, inclu1iDg tho one who Ptart-
ed slI the trouble, were killed, two were
seriously injured and others were grazed
by bullete.
The dead are J. q. Btthes, 40 years
old. of Dillon, S. O.; 0. E. Wellman,
40 years old, of Philadelphia, conductor
OF the train; Samuel Williams, so years
told, cololed Pullman porter OF Washing
TOD.
The ipinred are: John J. Wiley, q
Wilmington Park Gusrd, 40 years old,
sho. in the groiu and hand and Matthew
Haley, citizen, shot in the leg.
The tragedy was an outcome OF 8
ousrrel bttgeen B:thea, passenger
who boarded the ain at Washington,
and Williams, the potter, In the buffet
smoking car Mercury. Bathea, who had
been drinking, shot the porter through
the heart, killing him instantly. Con-
6u:tor Wellmau heard the shot, and, rur-
ming back demonstrated With the passen'
ger who still held the pistol In his hand.
Although the negro was dead, Bethea fred
8 second shot, the bullet entering the
victims stomach. Then, without
word, he turned and shot Wellmap, who
fell dead. The tu'ltt had passed through
his right srm, which be had thrown up
to protect himself, and into bis
heart.
The passengers in mad rush to safety
ran back into the car in the rear, while
Bethea rushed into a compartment OF
the car, barricaded himself in and
threatened to kill the first person who
approached.
By this time the train reached the
station st Wilmington at 5.17 O'Clock
and hurry call wss sent to the police
station. Police Captains Kaue and Evans
Sergeant Kelleher and squad OF ps-
trolmen, reinforced BY pars guards
and posse of trainmen and citlzans,
rushed TO the scene. Btthea was called
upon to surrender, but he only opened
the door of his fortress far enough t.
poke an automatic revolver through the
chink and begin TO fire.. Chief of Police
Black, who had also reached the scene OF
hostilities, lodged just as a bullet Whiz.
sad by his head.
The South Carolina mau must have
had at least 100 cartridges, for he held
the posse of several hundred men at bay
and also held up the train from SIT
O. clock until G.35, snd travel over the
road was stopped. Every now and then
the police opened FIRE at the car until all
of the windows were riddled.
After an hour the police saw they
would be unable to drive the man from
cover, aud call WAS sent to the Watsr
Witch Fire Company, near by, for its
engine. The apparatus responded on
the rue. A high pressure hone WAS a.
tsched to a water plug, and, with the
6remen behind balricsde of boards and
trucks, stream was played upon the
window OF the compartment in which
Bethea was.
Belhea fired fu,ilade at the firemen,
the police all the while calling upon him
to surrender. In few minutes, dreuch-
ed With water, he staggered to the plat
foru, snd again the police shouted to
him to hold up his hands. Without
word aud With air Of braVsdo, he
leveled his automatic revolver at the
police and several shots rang out in quick
succession.
Just IS he fired the last shot Police
Captain Evans, who had secured shit
gun, fred. A load of shot struck the
murderer in the face, but still be con.
tlnued to blazs swaF. Patrolman B ugh.
ton then fred with pistol, and the
bullet struck Bethea in the right arm.
He tried to FIRE again, but Sergeant Kel.
leher fred and at the same time sprspg
upon the man. Several other policemen
started to shoot, but the crowd yelled
"Don't kill him - The shotgun and
the bullet, from the policemen's revol-
Vers had already done their work, how
ever, for just IS B.thea wss taken hold
of Ds the police be fell dead into the
arms of one of them.
The bodies Of the conductor, porter
and double murderer were sent to the
morgue. The car was switched off and
the remsinder Of the trsiu procee led to
Philadelphia and New York.
When Williams, the porter, was shot
he fell into a seat, and the body, with
the appearance Of one looking cut OF the
window, was plainly seen as the battle
ragged.