The Washington times., 1918-04-05
CLEMENTS CLAIMS
SELE-DEFENSE IN
KILLING OF KING

Self-defenSe VIII be the plea oil
William Clements. the negro who has
confessed to the killing OF James w
King, night Waterman at the Com
mittee on Public Information head
quarters. 10 Jackson place.
In his statement to the police
Clements said that King pulled a pis.
toll from his pocket and thrust it into
my face. He pulled on the trigger
four times, and L then seized my pistol
and fired at him. did not mean to
kill HIM 1t was q case OF either my
| life or his"
While the police and detectives
awere securing the city for him, Glenn
tents. who is forty years old and q
| fireman at the Bureau of the Commit.
tee on Public Information, walked
into police headquarters and surren
dered to Inspector OF Detectives
Grant.
Makes Detailed Statement.
This morning Clements made a do
tailed statement to Inspector Grant
and Detectives o'Brien, Warren, and
Berman, declaring that he shot the
Waterman in self-defense. He sur
rendered at $50 o'clock yesterday AT.
ternoon. going to Police Headquar-
tiers with his brother. Leroy Glenn
ents. 1o2 L street northwest. He was
in an ugly mood and after getting
the fact from him that he had fred
the shot that ended the life OF Mr..
King. Clements was locked up for
the night at Sixth precinct police sta
tion.
Clements stated that he was stop
ped by Mr.. King in front of the
committee building at s Jackson
place about 5:35 o'clock yesterday
morning and upbraided for having
gone to 16 Jackson place, which IL
also used by the committee, without
notifying him.
-'You - Niger Clements claims
Mr.. King said, If you come in this
door this morning / am going TO
kill you I told him he had nothing
to do with me, and he then pulled
the pistol from his pocket and thrust
IL into my face. was scared and
when he pulled the trigger the pistol
trigger four times and then seized
my pistol and fred at him. I did
not mean to kill him. 1t was a case
of either my life or his. When I
fired the shot Mr.. Clements ran up
the steps and hurried across Lafay-
cite Square. did not know whether
had shot him or not as he did not
fall.
THE only reason I was not killed
by the Waterman was because his
pistol failed to explode. He was raw
ing like a maniac when he approach
ed me in front OF the building"
That Mr.. Kings pistol had been
snapped four times Is indicated by the
examination Of the cartridges, four OF
which are marked showing they had
been hit by the hammer OF the re-
volver, say the police. Clenents'
story OF the shooting having taken
place outside Of the building bears
out the statement made TO the police
by Luevinie Mullen. a colored char
woman, who claims she saw Mr.. King
stagEer through the door and fall to
the door.
Threw Pistol Away.
After shooting Mr.. King, Clements
stated he ran across Lafayette Park,
throwing the pistol away. He
sought refuge with friends during the
day and in the afternoon was located
by his brother, lie Roy Clements, who
several hours before had visited In
speetor Grant and promised TO bring
the fireman to police headquarters II
he found him.
Inspector Grant was in his office
when Clements and his brother APP
peared at police headquarters. The
Inspector looked UP from his desk
and seeing Clements, exclaimed:
Here's Clements now"
Yes. Pm Clements" the negro nre-
man replied.
KnE7" was the question fired at the
negro by the inspector.
He was going to shoot me-hs had
his gun In my face, pulling the trig-
ger. What else WAS going TO do? I
took my pistol and shot him and then !
ran away" rejoined Clements.
Tells of Old Disputes.
Clements displayed a rather ugly |
mood, and when he was turned over |
to Detectives Berman, O'Brien, and |
Warren TO be questioned. he declined |
TO make any further statement until |
today. But close questioning by the
ELECTED tho story OF what
led up TO the shooting and where the |
negro had fed after the tragedy.
This morning Clement. when further /
1uiEzed by Inspector Grant and Major |
Pullman. superintendent Of police, |
stated he had been ''in bad" with the |
Waterman for some time. He said he |
had a key to the COMMITTEES buildings. |
which King strenuously objected TO.
1T was Mr.. Kings idea that nons Of |
the colored help should be permitted TO |
nave keys and should be allowed in the |
only by him." said Clements. 1
Il had disputes with him and he threat
sned me on several occasions. Yesterday l
morning l had been to 10 Jackson place 1