Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-09-08
JAMES c. BOWMAN
KILLED BY RObbER
Aged Storckeeper Is Shot Down
in Leigh Street Es-
tablishment.
MASONS OFFER REWARDS
Murderer Makes His Escape Be-
fore Officers Arrive-Two
Witnesses to Crime.
OFFER REWARDS

Ruthlessly shot down by an unknown
negro yesterday morning in a branch
company. at Leigh and Harrison
streets James g Bowman. we'll
. known citizen of Richmond. died short :
~ after h" had been admitted to the
virginia Hospital.
The crime took place abou, s o'clock.
When Mr.. 3owman. temporarily fllinG
INC plaCe OF cashier. refused 10 hand
oyer IN. stores receipts to the negro.
OF blood caused his death
Robbery is held by the police to have
h"cn the motive for the murder. Al
though there has been no estimate
made. as yet. of the amount of money
/ m'ased from the store, 1t is known that
a cash bag fun of money was taken by
ne negro. All yesterday afternoon.
nlchmond police were tracing the nur-
| derer. but AT midnight no arrest had
| been made. Bloodhounds were brought
| INTO the search in the late afternoon,
ana " is probable that an arrest will
/ he made to-day.
/ The corner on which the tragedy Of
!cstcrIhE morning occurred has been
| properly patrolled by the police only on
very rare occasions. to quote Gertrude
smith. colorcd. who lives at lI26-A
/ west Leigh Street two doors east of
/ the Atlantic and Pacific tea store. II
guess this has been one OF the worst
Z corners for trouble in the CITY," she
emphaticaly declared yesterday after
noon. I'VE have had trouble here time
and time again. The shooting that hap
pencd here this morning was not re-
ported to the police until at least
WENT minutes after it happened; By
crowd. but didn't a policeman"
WATCHED VICTIM COUNT
MONEY AS HE WAITED
The slayer. according to Gertrude
Smith. walked in after ne had stood in
front Of the store for some time. watch
ing SIR. Bowman as ne counted the
stor" receipts. The negro took his
time she said. and walked in upon the
aged storekeeper when ne thought that
no one was watching his actions.
The murder was one OF the most sem
sational in the police records. The
murderer sta!kcd in the front door
whiie Carrie Peyton, coiorcd girl
who lives 1T lloS West Leigh Street,
was making purchase; Speaking in
a soft tone. he demanded the money
which Bowman had deposited in the
cash register as he saw the man come
in. AZ the same time he motioned the
colored girl TO get out. Bowman stood
money with his body. a few seconds
later a shot vas fred. Bowman, to
Judge from the trail of blood which
he LETT uron the floor. staggered sew
cra' feet toward the back OF the store
and fell in the center of the room.
The slayer looted the cash drawer and
made hasty exit, seen by no one eS-
cept Lucy Smith. another colored girl
who had FASTENED to the scene when
she heard the report of revolver.
CARRIE PEYTON PRESENT
WHEN MURDERER ENTERED
I'll swear. haven't got "A thing"
we're the last words of bowman just
hc.o'e he was shot down lie stood
before the register. The negro was un-
moved and. aiming the gun in his righ,
hand steadily AT Bowmans- heart, he
metioned Carrie feyton out with his
enough 10 say; You'd better &c, out.
and get out quick" Carrie Pcyton
stated yesterday that it was mpossi-
BILE TO describe the voice of the negro,
as ne was speaking very low at the
time. He seemed. however. she said.
to have soft tone of voice.
suEar. and her change upon the coun-
ter. the girl Vert hurTiediy out into the
street. AS soon as she passed through
the front door. she heard the report
| OF pistol and ran home Very ner-
tous Gertrude Smith. upon hearing
the report, asked her daughter, Thcl-
ma. to go down into the street and see
! what had happened Arriving on the
scene. she was startled when the large
negro backed out Of the store, smoking
/ lie pushed her aside. and. clu,chine tho
/ pocket where he had deposited the pil-
i,ssred money bag he he ran north along
| MIN that she could identify him. and
Watched ,he fleeing murderer, until he
! saw him last, he had run a lmost TO the
| intersection which Harrison Street
/ makes with Shockoe Creek
FROM there the course that the ne
/ gro took in his fight is not known.
/ several reports wer" made TO the po-
/ lice 10 the effect that a suspicious
, looking negro" had been observed else
| whore but there was apparently moth
| ing definite TO indicate that the 'sus-
picions' negro. was the wanted MUIR
CAPTAIN WRIGHT SEARCHES
STREETS OF CITY ALL. DAY
Soon after the tragedy Detective
Captain Wright and some OF his men
took took up arorsd ,he ehnse h, In an an,omohile
/ the track which the running negro had
! probably taken.
Only one pistol shot was heard by
| slayer was described by Thclma Smith
as having two guns. however. ii is
nosssib!e tha, he iired both simultane-
wound inflicted upon Bowman
The deIcriptions of the murderer
ton 10 the police yesterday were as
| follows:
He was about five fee; cigh, inches
thn;,dsls tai; was vfTy thin thin and had broad 8,
around his neck. a weli-worn blue coat
and light trousers. Although. he wore
ligh,-colored cap. pulled far down
| the side. he was described as having
,hin face. with sharp features lie
| was clean shavcn.
/ Morbid and curious visitors throngcd
. the entrance Of the store yesterday
| The shop had been closed and the only
| view obtainable was through the glass
| In the front door. a sawdnst trail.
about two feet wide, had i.cen scat
tered from the spot in from, OF the
| cash reg istcr u the center of the back
| portion Of the store. In many places,
blood hal leaked through the coating
testifying TO the fact that the mur
dcred man bled profusely !, half in
verted crate of eggs in the center
of the shcp bore mute evidence that
BOWMAN had fallen there.
MIR. Bowman had been on the pen
sion list of the Atlantic and Pacific
| Tea Company for about Itn:s years He
was taking the place of r.. r. Lawson.
who is now away on his vacation, AT
| the branch store. Last night would
have been his last In his temporary
| position. as Mr. Lawson is to return
tomorrow morning to take up his du-
ties ..gain. Az he left his home yes
| tcrday morning. Mr., Bowman sighed
with relief and said. Well. I'm surely
Continued on Second Page.)
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