Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1918-09-14
BRUTAL MURDER is COMMITTED
IN RICHMOND.

BRUTAL MURDER IS COMMITTED
IN RICHMOND.
RIchmond was today stirred by one
Of the most dastardly murders In
the annals of tho city. j. Crawford
Bowman 1920 Fourth Avenue. High
land Park, SiXty-two years old, was
shot down IN cold blood by n Negro
because he refused to turn over the
cash OH his person and in tho cash
drawer of the store of the Atlantic
and Pacific Tea Company at Harri.
son and Leigh Streets The crime oc
. Cured at about 6 o'clock this morn
ing. MT, Bowman was manager Of
the store: had Just opened it and
was proceeding to wait upon a small
Negro girl who had entered when a
Negro man stepped from behind ono
of the boxes and ordcrd him to throw
UP his hands according to the &C.
count given by tho girl. The Negro
then turned to her and said, "You
had better get out" She did so.
Just what happened afterwards
may never be learned but shot was
heard by persons outside of the store
and Negro was seen to run out OF
the store and down Harrison street
with a revolver in one hand and
another projecting from his pocket.
When persons who heard the shot
went into the store they found Bow
man II a large pool Of his own blood
The ambulance was hastily summoned
and the injured man, who was still
alive, was rushed to the Virginia hos
pital where he died Il few moments
later. 1t was found that he was
wounded in the hip and that he had
practically bled to death an artery
probably having been severed.
Two cartridges and one empty shell
the latter believed to have been tho
are used by the Negro murderer,
were found on Chamberaync avenue
by Detective Sergeant Waymack this
afternoon. This indicates that the DO
lice are close up to tho fugitive who
Is believed by them to be heading to
ward Acca. Railroad station agents
and track workers have been notifi-
cd to be on tho lookout for him. It
is believed that his capture Is only
a matter Of few hours.
Examination of the interior Of tho
store showed that there had evident
ly been n brief struggle; that Mr..
! Bowman refused to give up the mon
| ey and that he was shot because of
his REFUSAL There were two large
pools OF blood on the floor. The first
was behind the counter whero Mr..
| bowman was standing hen no was
ordered to hold up his hands. Mr.. Bow
! man was shot in the right leg
at the hip. 1t is not known whether
or not moro than one shot was fired
| accounts varying. several being of
the opinion that they heard two
| shots and others are certain that
there was only one shot fired.
| Within five minutes after the alarm
| was sounded every available man in
| tho police department was put on tho
case and the territory toward which
l'tc Negro was heading was subject to
n securing search. Police automobiles
motorcycles and the IIenrico authori-
tlcs are conducting search which IA
extending miles into the country In
/ an effort to apprehend tho murderer.
| 1t Is regarded as certain that q largo
reward will DO offered for his appro
hcnson. Meantime feeling in Tho
| ncighborhood of tho murder is ut a
fever heat. - - -
! Through the police signal systom
all points in the pathway of the flco
ing Negro have been notified to keen
sharp lookout. The Negro Is 1escrlb
ca rs about five feet nine inches in
height; weighing about 100 pounds,
| having small features, wearing q hin
stripe pair Of trousers blue coat and
black hat with blue or black hand
Kerchief tied about his neck and an.
bearing to be about twenty seven or
! twenty eight years old. Mr.. Bowman
! IS survived by his wife and three chill
dren-two daughters, Mrs Alice M.
Grubbs and Mrs. J. u. Melton and
one son, j. Clayton Bowman. It Is
said that tho Negro did not succeed
| IN getting more than few dollars.
many reports OF the shooting arc
atloat. One Of these is to the effect
That the Negro who shot Mr. Bowman
was q former employee OF tho store
and that he had demanded his wages
that night when he announced he was
gong to quit work. Failing to get
them ne appeared this morning: again
demanded them and upon refusal of
Nr. bowman to give him the money
shot him. .Colored people in tho yicin
NY however. who were questioned by
the police discount this theory. saw
ING that the Negro was q strange ono
and unknown to anyone In the neigh
! borhood. It is possible that blood
hounds VIII be placed on the trail of
the murderer Itfwas said by Major
| Sherry, chief of police that the hunt
Tor the Negro would 90 forward with
out intermission until he was caught
or until 1t was demonstrated that he
was beyond the reach of Richmond
authorities.
Another theory advanced was that
inc Negro was n customer and asked
MT. bowman to let him have five
pounds OF sugar. He refused, telling
the Negro that he could have only
one pound. Thercupon, It Ia said the
Negro shot him.
thfchmond. Virginia. Evening Journ-
al, Sept. z. 1879
I