Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1910-03-30
DILLON MAN KILLS AND IS SHOT.
.. ii. Bcthca Stays Two Men on Train
Near Wilmington, Del.

train this afternoon. The fight be-
gan at Newark, Del, and ended in
this city. Several persons we're
wounded In the deadly affray, W lich
occurred at the Delaware Avenue sta
ton here, following the arrival of
the train at SIT o'clock.
The dead: o. e. Wellman, aged
~, OF Philadelphia, conductor of the
train; Samuel Williams, aged so,
snegro, Pullman porter, whose home
Us said to have been in Jersey City;
J. H. Bethea, aged 40, Dillon, S. C.
The Injured: John .. Wiley, aged
4o' a park guard, of Wilmington,
Del, shot In the hand and leg; Mat
thew Haley a citizen Of Wilmington.
shot IN the leg. Others were grazed
by flying bullets.
Result Of Alteration.
The triple tragedy was the result
of an ltercation between Bethea,
who was passenger. and Williams,
the porter In the Pullman parlor car
Mercury" bound from WASHINGTON
to Jersey City.
Bethea, who had been drinking
heavily, shot the porter through the
heart, killing him instantly. When
Conductor Wellman saw the porter
fall he ran to the scene to remon-
strate with the passenger, who still
held the smoking revolver in his
hand. Bethea fired a second shot
onto the negro's body. Then without
/ word he shot Wellman through the
heart. The conductor fell dead in
I his tracks. When Bethea fired the
conductor threw uD his arm to pro-
4 tect himself. The bullet struck his
arm and continuing ploughed
through his body and lodged in his
4 heart.
Murderer Bnrricatcd Himself.
Before the passengers could inter-
fere the double murderer barricaded
himself in the lavatory Of the Pull
I man car and threatened TO kill the
first person who approached
Meanwhile the train reached Will
mington. When it came into the sta
I tion hurry call was sent to the po-
lice station. A squad Of patrolmen,
headed by Police Captains Kane and
Evans, and reinforced by park
\ guards and a posse Of citizens and
trainmen, ran to the scene.
The police called upon Bethea to
= surrender. AS an answer he opened
the door of the lavatory a short dist
ance and opened fire at the police
and the crowd with an automatic re-
volver. Chief of Police Black, who
also rushed to the railroad station,
lodged behind an e...ess office on
e the tain floor just in time to escape
several bullets.
II Had Much Ammunition.
Bethea Is believed to have had at
least 100 rounds Of ammunition, for
he succeeded in holding the posse at
bay and also held up the train from
l5.17 until 6.35. During this time
8many shots were fired on both sides
3intil finally all the windows Of the
r-'I'ar were riddled. Travel over the
Baltimore & Ohio railroad was also
led up. When the battle had lasted
,bout an hour the police realized
hat they would be unable to drive
Y4hV man from cover. A call was
sea to a local fire company nearby.
The flremen responded with their
nl,i l., ;,rl>
hose TO a fire plug and with the fire.
}nen barricaded behind trucks and
Boards, n stream Of water was played
Sgpon the windows Of the lavatory.
"a Shoots at Ercmcn.
a Bethea fired a number Of shots at
Hhe fremen, but they were not in
&lred. Subsequently Be'hea, drench-
I'D with water, staggered to the plat
Eorm and the police once more call
I'd upop him to surrender. His reply
Vas hral shots in quick order from
gis revolver.
u Several Of the policemen had arm
II themselves with shotguns, and
list as Bethea fired the last shot
tolice Captain Evans fired load of
bot into his face. Notw ithstanding
his injury he kept on blazing away.
Eltrolman Boughman opened fire
: h'h a pistol and struck Bethea in
ie right arm. The desperate man
lied to fire again, but Sergeant Kel-
lher opened fire and also managed
spring upon Bethea. When the
Slice took hold of him he fell dead,