Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1912-04-19
HoIslNeroN SHOOTING scRApe.


tngton has ever seen The story has
been in all the daily papers and
talked about from every angle on the
street but we have had ample time to
Get the facts Of the story as told by
eye witnesses and will endeaHor to
tell as near as possible, just how
1t happened.
A negro named A. D. MCGEE, who
seemed to be considerably under the
Influence Of liquor, went to the Mis-
soTi Pacific shops during the after
noon, intent upon seeing Master Me-
chamc E. F. Stroeh. The testimony
n ]. |. Zeider, chief clerk to the
master mechanic, showed that the
negro passed Through the clerks Of
fice and into the master mechanics
office without the least formahty and
was apparently looking for trouble.
Upon being asked what he wanted he
Kept insisting upon seeing Mr.. Stroeh
although he was informed that Mr..
Stroeh was not in at that time. He
made his second appearance at the
master mechanic IS office and it was
only after considerable persuasion
that he was induced to leave it.
After leaving the office, R. L. Low
in, employed as watchman approache
MCGEE and made am attempt TO have
him leave the ground. The negro
started away but picked up a bar of
Iron and started towards Lovin who
pulled his gun and ordered the Negro
OF the premises. The negro dropped
the bar and apparently started to
leave the shops. The next thing Low
IN knew was that the negro had
bounced on him and then ensued the
wreStle that terminated in the shoot
ing of three people.
Lovin had his revolver in his right
nip pocket and while holding Lovin's
arm between his teeth, the negro got
hold of the revolver. Lovin was call
Ing for help and C. W. Layman and
a Greek named John Dados started to
his reScue. The negro saw the two
men start to Lovin's rescue and
Shot at them .bOth. Layman was shot
first, the bullet striking him in the
right side and passing through his
bowels, lodging under the skin ON the
left side. The Greek was shot through
the calf of the leg.
When Dayman was shot he walked
to one of the offices where he asked
for doctor and ambulance. He was
made as comfortable as possible in a
chair until taken to the hospital.
After the shooting of Layman and
DadOs, Lovin and the negro still
wreStled for supremacy. An eye wit
hess stated that they were both on
their feet but in a crouched position
when the negro's right arm which
held the revolver and was being held
at the wrist by Lovin, was seen to
whip around and under their bodies
where it was discharged. Lovin i'm
medfatey fell and the negro. started
RUNNING west. AS soon as the shop
men found that parties had been shot,
phone message was sent Marshal ].
c. Ready, and for medical aid. While
the injured men were being taken to
the hospital the negno had run to the
shacks near the stock yands.
Here McGee met a negro porter
named Lee Payne whom he asked for
a gun. Payne informed him that he
did not have a gun so McGee asked
him how to work this one, at the
same time handing over the gun with
which he had done the shooting. He
broke the revolver and one loaded
cartridge flew out. He supposed that
was all the loaded shells in the revol-
Yer and handed it back to McGee. AS
McGee started away from Payne he
turned and shot him In the neck with
what proved afterward to be the only
shell in the gum Another porter
named Brooks then took the gun
away from McGee.
From the time the negro left the
shops word was passed from one
citizen to another that a crazy negro
was at large south of the tracks who
was shooting everyone he met. Some
of the shop force and number Of
citizens secured guns as quickly as
possible and gathered in the vicinity
Of the box car shackS south Of the
track.
Marshal Ready, John Lemon and
others were there among the first
ones and cautioned the crowd to be
careful with the guns. The negro was
finally seen running from the STOCK
yards to the shacks just southwest of
the mill. He was waving some shin
ing object in the air which was taken
So, q r,,,,, AIar,cyhaJ RoadV rallnd I'm