The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-02-01
WATCHMAN SHOOTS
At CAPT. SOWElL
INVESTIGATING FALSE
FIRE ALARM.
SUBDUEO AFTER FIGHT
HARRIS ARRESTED AFTER Ttyn
OFFICERS WHO CAME TO CAP
TAIN sowELps AID WE'RE
SLIGHTLY INJURED

Police Captain r. Il. Sowell, Of this
First Precinct. narrowly escaped
death early yesterday morning HI
saved his life only through nis quic1<
work in grabbing the hand of G.. G.
Harris, si&ty-four years old. nighs
Waterman for the Surhrug Tobacco
Company, in their factory at Twenty
second and Franklin streets, as tho
enlaged man pulled y gun and f1re..
point blank si him. Harris Is under
arrest at First Police Station, charged
with being drunk. d.sorderiy and at
tempting to shoot Captain Soweil.
The hight occurred in the engine
room OF ihe big tobacco factory short
~ after 3 o'clock. and Harris was not
subdued until he had slightly injured
two other Police officers who came to
Captain Soweil's assistance.
The call that brought the police
officers to the factory came through
Assistant Fire Chief Ratio. Mr..
Rafo telephoned the. First Police
Station that the IRE alarm box in ,hs
factory had been ringing for some
time, and fearing that the night
Waterman had met with harm no
called the First Police Station and
asked them TO investigate.
Aroused the Police.
Chauffeur Metcalf brought out the
patrol and Patrolman Dunn and Cap.
tam soweli accompanied him on tho
call. Upon their arrival at the fac
tory Captain So@eii TOOK the front
while the other two men went around
to the rear. They opened door and
found Harris lying In bin, supposedly
asleep. They, called him and asked
what was the trouble, mentioning thu
fact that the fire alarm had been ring
ing. Harris Is said to have cursed hina
and informed them thar II was mona
OF their business
The two officers called Captain So.
well. The Captain stepped forward
and asked Harris in a polite manner
to kindly inform him what the ,roubis
was. Harris again cursed the officers.
Captain Sowell took the precautior TO
inform the Waterman that he was
captain of the First Police Precinct
and that he was there merely to In
vestigate matter that had been called
to his attention by the Fire Depart
ment
Harris behaved so peculiarly that
Captain Soweli asked him IL he was
not drunk. Harris IN said to have
become angered at this and after call
ing Captain SoweIl a liar. quickly
pulled a gun
Turned MuxsI~ Away.
the men were In the dark and with
saw each other. but one OF
tue HOLiCeu inc mans move
and shouted to Captain SoweH tust
In time. He showed his hand down
just as Harris pulled the trigger, and
to turn the pistol away The
pistol fred and Harris clothes were
set on Are In two different places bv
the powder. The bali entered the floor
Just at their feet.
A rough and tumble night then took
place for the possession OF the vea-
pom. Metcalf grabbed the gun and In
some manner caught his finger behind
the trigger. Harris in pulling back
upon ii badly mashed the officers hand.
He kept trying to fire the second time,
but after scramble the pistol was
wrested from his hands patrolman
Dunn was kicked during the fight and
slightly injured. He was then taken
to the First Police Station where he
was locked up pending a hearing in
Police Court this morning.