Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1918-06-26

g j. u. Shelh0rSe, state pfOlllUiL;ol
inspector, fifty-four years cid, who's
home was in Lynchburg, Va, was ia
tally shot while aboard Southern Rail
/ way passenger train No. 81, at I'll
! o'clock last night just as the trai1
was entering the Union passenger rail
way station by James A. Davis, col
ored, thirty-seven years old, of Mon
roe, Va.
Davis jumped from the train i'm
mediately following the shooting ana
after short chase by soldier named
Alfred F. Woldert, of Camp Wads.
worth, S. c., and Prohibition Inspec-
tors w. C. Hall, Danville, Va, ard
A. L. Bricker, the latter an assistant
inspector, was captured at the point
of pistol by the soldier. Davis sur
rendered without showing fight.
The prisoner was Immediately
turned over to Police Sergeants Will
liam j. Wilkinson and Wilmer Scott
and Policeman Snelings and brought
to police headquarters and locked up.
In the meantime railway officials
and others removed Shelhorse into
the baggage room at the railway sta
tion where a large crowd had collect
ed. The hospital ambulance was
summoned and record run made to
the hospital and Dr. NJ. D. Delaney
was called.
An examination disclosed that the
wounded man had no chance
for recovery, the bullet having en-
tered the left side of the throat and
ploughed through the upper side OF
the back part of his head. 1t was
3S-caliber bullet. Shelhorse breathec
his last ct 9:55 o'clock.
Davis when brought TO police head
quarters and searched had in his pos
Session S1,264.72. Asked where he
obtained this money he stated that ne
had saved it as the result of working
as a laborer. In the meantime the
suitcase and grip alleged to have be-
lonned to Davis were searched at po-
lice hesdquarte,~s and found to cotain
a grand total Of forty-five pints OF
LIQUOR. Davis denied ownership of the
whisky and added that he had no
whisky.
When asked for statement this
morning of how the shooting took
place Davis declared he was so mixed
ND hes Just didn't know what happened.
Last night, he told the police and
newspaper reporters that when he was
attacked by the inspector he did not
know the latter was an officer and
thought it was some one trying to rob
him.
Davis is powerfully built negro
and weights about ITO pounds. He
says he had been employed by con-
tcactor at Monroe, Va.
w. C. Hall, one OF. the trio of pro-
fiibition inspectors, stated last night
fiat he and Messrs. Bricker and Shell
da1orse boarded the train at Union Sta
5tion in Washington and were armed
!. with warrant to search the train for
ccntraband liquor.
After the train crossed the highway
bridge the work was begun. How
ever, Hall added that when he was
nj the station he saw Davis 60 to the
train carrying suitcase and grip
wl,ic!; he suspected contained liquor
While going through the train Hal
saws that Davis upon seeing him rar
from where he was seated in the
train going toward the baggage car
Hall says he ran up and grabbed the
negro after which Davis drew gur
from his inside coat pocket. Hall i'm
mediately showed the weapon away
from himself.
This was followed by a scutfle TO
the possession of the weapon during
which Hall has his left hand hadl!
laceratei. Hall finally got Davis o.
The fcor of the car after he secure'
the pistol and then Inspector Br'cke
came up.
According to Hall he gave Brlcke
the Distol he confscated from Davl:
the latter being without a pistol, Ar
other fight then followed and in TIN
scufle- Davis got the pistol frol
Bricker and fred it again, it havln
been discharged once during the hrs
scuffie.
At this point of the melee Inspectc
Shelhorse put in his appearance an
just as he did so Davis fired on hi
the bullet taking effect as stated aboN
and Shelhorse fell to the floor OF tt
car mortally wounded. The intuna
al po,rrn fhao ron tn tho car Dlltfor