The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-03-24
Drunken Man Kills Conduct or and Porter and Is Fi-
 na|Iy Shot to Death
TRAIN AT STANDST|[L
 DURING DEADLY DUEL
After Killing of Conductor the Slayer Hides in Closet and Then He Is Killed By Bullet of
 Policeman

Wilmington, Del, March 23.-An exclt- ing battle in which three men were killed occurred on a northbound Baltimore and Ohio railroad train this afternoon. The first began at Newark, Del, and ended in this city. Several persons were wound- ed in the affray, who were cared for here upon the arrival of the train. The dead:
 o. E. Welnian. aged 40 years, Phiia- delphia. conductor of the train.
 Samuel Williams, aged 50 years, cole ored, Pullman porter, whose home is said to have been in Jersey City.
 J. H. Eothea, aged 40 years, of Dillon. c.
 The inJured:
 John 0. Wiley. aged 40 years, park guard cf Wilmington, Del, shot in the hand and leg.
 Matthew Haley, a citizen of Whining ton. shot ir the leg.
 Other persons were grazed by flying bullets.
 The triple tragedy was the result of an oltercation between Bethea. who was . passenger. and Williams, the negro por- tor, in the Pullman parlor car.
 The car was bound from Washington to Jersey City.
 Pethea, who had been drinking it is al- legged, shot the porter through the heart. killing him instantly. When Conductor WellUian saw the porter fall and ran to the scene to remonstrate with Bethea, who still held the revolver in his hand. Bethea fired a second shot into the col- pred man. Then without a word Bethea shot N'e'lman through the head. Conductor Shot Dead The conductor fell dead in his tracks. When the desperado fired the conductor threw up hie right arm to protect him self. Tie bullet struck his arm and con- tinuing through ploughed it's way into his head. Before the passengers could in- tertere tine murderer barricaded himself in the toilet room of the car and threat ened 10 kill the first person who ap- pioaciied.
 Meanwhile the train reached Whining ton When fl came into the station hurry call was sent to the police sta tiolt A squad of patrolmen. headed by Police Captains Kane and Evans. and re- infogccd by park guards. and a posse of citizens and trainmen. ran to the scene.
 
 rende-. AS an answer he opened the door of inc toilet room short distance and opened fire at the police and the crowd from an automatic pistol. Chief of Police Black, who also rushed to .he railroad station, dodged behind an express office on the train floor just in time to escape several bullets. BetEea ic believed to have had at least 10o rounds of ammunition. for he suc- ceedcd in holding the posse at bay and also he'd up the train from 517 o'clock rntil c:s5 o'clock.
 Car Windows RiddIed | During this time many shots were fired on poth sides until finally all the windows of the car were ridded. Travel over the | lsaltin orc anG Ohio was also interrupted. When the battle had lasted about ar hour the police realized they would be unable to drive the man from cover. call was sent to a local fire com rany nearby. The firemen responded wirh tn cir engine. Attaching a high pressure hose to a fire plug and with the fremen barrcaded behind trucks cnd boards, stream of water was played on the windows of the toilet room.
 The desperado fired a number of shots at the fremen but they were not in- jured. Subsequently Bethca. drenched with water, staggered to the platform nd the police once more called upon hiin to surrender. His reply was sey- cral shots in quick order from his re- vulyer.
 Several of the policemen had armed themselves with shotguns and finally Captain Evans fired load of shot into l'ethea's face. Notwithstanding this injury he kept on blazing away. Pa pistol and struck Bethea in the right arm. The desperate man tried to frs again but Sergeant Keleser sent in a shot and he fell dead. Not Seriously Injured | Wiley. the parkguard. and Haley are not seriously injured. They were both When Williams, the porter. was shot he fell into a seat in the car. All through the battle the dead porter sat with the appearance of ono looking from the window.
 While 1t was believed by some of Il passengers who fled when the train reached Wilmington that the desperado wss insane other passengers said he appeared to be sane with the exception that he had been drinking.
 There was more excitement in con nection with the battle at the rail road station than anything that has occurred in this section since George White a negro was burned at the stake near here in June. 1908. for crim- inal assault upon Helen Bish op, the IT. year-old daughter of Presbyterial minister.