The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1912-11-25
rnoch Hawkins Slabs Frank
Lewis in Leg and Man
Bleeds to
Death.
SLAYER. SURRENDERs
Dead Man Was Aggressor Dur.
ing Scrap Over Bottle Of
Whiskey at Transfer
Barn.

Frank Lewis, coiored, 6l2 Soutn
18th street, was almost instantly kill
a by Enoch v. Hawkins, also colored
If 1928 Concert street, shortly after
noon today. Both men were employees
If James Camerons Sons.
Immediately after the killing
hawkins walked to the police station
ard gave himself up saying he had a
little trouble with Lewis and that he
had cut him up slightly. Up to a
late hour this afternoon, he had not
been told OF the death Of his victim.
There were several witnesses to
the affair, all of them employees of the
transfer company, and all say that
Lewis was the aggressor. Sterling
Hawkins, a brother of the man now in
,aIl was sitting In the room at the
time Of the affair and his version of
the cutting is about the same as the
other witnesses.
It is the custom for the drivers for
the transfer company to eat their
lunch. between twelve and one o'clock
In the harness room in the big barn
ON Seventh street, between Main and
Johnson. The room is about twelve
feet square and in one corner, ex-
tending from the walls, same six feet
ia a platform about two feet high.
Lewis was sitting on the floor with
his back against the wall eating his
lunch and Hawkins was seated on the
floor of the platform. Numerous other
drivers were seated around the room,
some on the platform and others on
benches that have been built around
the walls A large stove stands in the
corner on the same side of the room
as the platform.
At Lunch Hour.
1--WE were all eating our lunch"
said Sterling Hawkins, brother of the
man who welded the knife. Lewis
had a quart bottle of whiskey and
had been drinking little. Enoch was
jollying him about the bottle and
Lewis got mad and threw the bottle
at Enoch 1t did not hit him but
broke against the door at his back,
Lewis Immediately got up and jump
ed to where my brother IVES sitting
and grabbed him by the shoulder
Enoch was laughing all the time and
! do not think he was mad / did
not see the actuai cutting for the
men were scuffling around on the
platform and I went out of the roomS'
Other witnesses say about the
same thing. None of them seemed to
have noticed the cutting until LEWIS
sank to the floor with blood pouring
from his right leg below the groin.
He was carried out to the run way
from the street into the barn and a
doctor was Immediately called. 1t is
said he did not speak after
Hawkins plunged the knife into him.
Hawkins as soon as Lewis dropped
on the floor came to the station and
gave himself up to Jailor Holiday
and Officer Harry Moore, who was at
the desk. He begged the men
not to lock him up but they would
take no chances on him. He gave up
the knife, with which he said he had
cut Lewis 1t is an ordinary pocket
knife, about three inches long, with a.
black handle and blade sharpened
to razor point keenness.
When seen by newspaper men
shortly after his incarceration, he
made the following statement:
Made Statement.
My name is Enoch v. Hawkins
and have lived In Keokuk nearly all
my life. / am the son Of Lewis S
Hawkins, 1925 High street, and !
live with my wife and child at 1928
Concert. have worked for Gamer
on's for about two years and have
never been in trouble before.
How did the trouble at the barn
start?" he was asked.
Il hardly know" was the reply, !
thought it was all joke until l had
% do something to protect myself.
You see, Lewis was sitting on the
iloor and was on the platform. He
mad big bottle of whiskey and