The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-04-18
Man Dead and Wife Injured
by Ernest Whitaker on
Twenty-Fifth Street
WHITE MAN is HURT
BY THE AMBULANCE
Negro Had Taken Whitaker's Pistol
From Him Which Was Later
Restored to Whitaker by
Officer Propst

Ernest whitaker, a negro, was killed
end Lena Whitaker, his wife, was shot
through the thigh last night about 7:3o
o'clock in the rear of their home, 31S
North Twenty-ffth street, by Policeman
7. j. Pierce Officer Pierce at 10 O'clock
last night was placed under arrest by
Chief Bodeker, charged with murder, and
is being held without bond.
Following the shooting Davenport &
Harris ambulance was called. On the
way to the Hillman hospital with the
wounded woman a white man named w.
3. Williams of 1918 Seventh avenue,
north, was run over and seriously in
jured. The accident occurred at Twenty
fourth street and Avenue b. Lige 10y $
ambulance removed Williams to his home,
where il was reported at late hour
last night that he was resting easily
The shooting of the Whitakers. accord =
ing to eye-witnesses. has peculiar fea-
lures. Officer Pierce, in citizen's clothes,
and H. II. Dougherty, an ex-policeman,
were passing through Third alley on their
way to Twenty-ffth street. The negro
whitaker was in the alley in the rear of
his home. Words passed between Pierce
and the negro and scuffle ensued In
which Pierce drew his revolver and fired
one shot Before other shots were fired
the negro had the officers pistol away
from him and gave it to a negro named
Henry Kelly. who took 1T inside Whita-
kers house.
Officer Pr0pst Notified
The shot had attracted attention and
some negroes ran to the Terminal station,
two blocks away, and notified Policeman
Propst that somebody was shot in Third
alley. Officer Propst hurried to the scene
and separated Pierce and Whitaker. who
were still scuffling. Pierce told Propst
that Whitaker had taken his gun away
from him. whereupon Officer Propst
searched the negro, but could find no
weapon on him. Here, the negro Kelly
ran out of the house and gave to Police
man Propst Pierce's revolver, who in turn
gave it back to Policeman Pierce,
What followed, according to Policeman
Propst is that he turned his back and
heard Pierce address few words to the
negro and then the shooting started. The
negro was shot four times through the
body and his wife Lena, who was stand
ing Immediately behind him. was struck
in the hip by a stray bullet. Whitaker
was killed instantly and fell forward on
his face. Davenport & Harris were noti-
fled and removed the wounded woman
Z and took charge of the dead negro.
OneTlll rainier ATTifeS
Sheriff w. G. Palmer of Tuscaloosa
county, who was passing by on his way
to town from the Terminal station, was
attracted to the scene by the shots and
fearing trouble for Pierce from the horde
of negroes who surrounded him, induced
Pierce to come to police headquarters
with him. Sheriff Palmer stated that he
saw nothing of the shocting
At headquarters Officer Pierce stated
a negro had raised a bottle at him and
tried to take his gun away and that in
the scuffle he had killed him. AS Police
nan Pierce appeared greatly excited and
could not talk very coherently, Sergeant
Donaldson Immediately detailed several
detectives to investigate. Some time
later Chief Bodeker took charge of the
investigation.
At the scene of the killing a reporter
found great excitement. Negroes were
about in numbers and all telling various
stories of the killing. The body OF the
dead negro was on the ground awaiting
the arrival of Coroner Spain, and Sergt
T. J. Shirley was in charge of a num-
ber of officers rounding up witnesses of
the killing, of which there was quite
number
Policeman Propst said. when queried
on the affair;
IT was at the Terminal station about
I:9o o'clock when some negro hurried up
and told me that somebody was shot in
Third alley. I hurried over and saw
scuffle. ! rushed in to arrest them but
recognized Pierce as an officer and so
only separated them. Pierce accused the
negro of having his gun so I searched the
regro but found no arms on him. A
negro ran out of the house and gave
me revolver, which was Pierces and
gave it to him. | partly turned my back
on Pierce and the negro and heard some
words and then the shooting started"
Chief Bodeller said; "After preimi-
nary investigation | decided to suspend
Policeman Pierce and arrest him for
murder Coroner Spain will secure a
warrant on that charge the first thing
IN the morning. This case is going to
! be thoroughly investigated
Coroner Spain will hold his inquest
s this afternoon in his office at the court
house. The coroner would say nothing
- xs.~1.t