The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1920-02-23
BURGESS GIVES UP;
SHECKELL SLAIN BY
MISTAKE, HE SAYS
Frank BeIIomini, Held for Kill
ing, Meant to Shoot Father
of Man He Had Fought
With Before.


That Thomas Shecken, killed by
FRANK Bellomini Sunday, was the vic
tim of bullet intended for Burgess
mmsef, iss the statement made in the
sherlfts office Monday by d. d. Bur
cess, VINO surrendered 20 Sheriff Perry.
burgess, VINO was shot through the left
thigh, was released on bond in the sum
OF $l,0OO. The charge against him is
assault to murder
Burgess account of the fatal shoot
ing Sunday afternoon In which Sheckell
lost his life is to the effect that Sheck-
ell was in no way connected with the
1lght, but was a bystander
The elder Burgess stated that he and
MS son had known Frank Bellomini for
a number Of years, and that Sunday
afternoon Oscar Burgess, his son, and
frank Bellomini engaged in a difficulty
IN Bellomini's place. The elder Bur
CESS said upon hearing of the trouble
between his son and Frank Bellomini
ne went to the latter's restaurant and
curing the argument which ensued Bel
lomtni struck d. D. Burgess on the arm
with some heavy object, presumably a
weight from the scales.
Following this Burgess stated that
they engaged in a fight during which
ne cut Frank Bellomini with his knife.
When the fight was over Frank Bel
iomlni went upstairs, as Burgess
1hought, to get gun and he walked
out OF the place and proceeded south
on Third street. He was accompanied
by his son Oscar and Shecken, who
mad witnessed the fight. but according
TO Burgess, had taken no part in 1t.
The first shot fired struck Burgess in
the left thigh from the rear, going
through the thigh and coming out in
the front part of the leg, The second
shot, he said, struck Sheckell in the
thigh. tearing through his abdomen and
severing arteries which caused internal
later
Burgess stated that he and Sheckell
were some distance away from the
place wh IN the shooting began and had
their backs toward Bellominis place of
business
Surrenders Voluntarily.
The elder Burgess declares that
Frank Bellomini was the agressor
throughout the affair and that he had
gone 70 the place to investigate the
qilIicnltY between Bellomini and Oscar
previous difficulty when Bellomini
struck him en- the arm.
BURGESS Statement was made Men
10y naorinings ~ Charlie Garibaldi cliief
Ieputy sheriff, According to the latter
burgess arm shows the mark OF hay-
Jeet. After this blow had been struck
BURGESS said that he drew his knife
and cut Bellohlini ,,rtt
He declared further that he tried to
avoid further trouble by leaving the
place when Bellomini went upstairs,
presumably to get a gun. He says
thar he and Sheckell were at least 100
YARDS away from the place when the
first shot was fired.
Burgess went voluntarily to the sher-
1ff's office MondaM morning and sur
rendered. He readily made bond in the
sum of $1,000 after a charge of assault
to murder had been lodged against
him. Burgess told the sheriff that he
had know Frank Belomini and his
father for at least IL years intimately
and that following the difficulty be-
tween Oscar Burgess and Frank Belo-
mini he had gone to the place. simply
to find out the cause of the trouble
and pacify them. but that after the
attack was made upon him he had de-
Tended himself as best he could and
had left the place Immediately after
Frank Bellomini quit fighting and ran
Friends OF Bellomini on the other
hand maintain the younger Burgess
had been drinking and became angry
when Bellomini told him ne had no
liquor to sell and that he (the younger
Burgess) had better go home. A fist
fight ensued after which Oscar Burgess
is said to have left swearing venge-
~ ance: The fatal quarrel ensued. Bello-
minis friends declare when four men
came to the restaurant and attacked
Frank Bellomini and his father with
out further provocation.
D. u. Burgess is citizen of Arkan-
sas residing near Hughes. He has
BILE, it is said. and always was regarded
as a substantial citizen. The younger
Burgess has been in Memphis some
time at various lines Of employment
Bellomini in Hospital.
Bellomini, badly cut, is under po-
lice guard at St Joseph's hospital, held
on a murder charge, while his father,
Louis. is under bond on a charge Of
being accessory to murder.
Shecken, who is Al. and a sawfiler
employed IN Arkansas, lived with his
wife at 348 South Third street, Mrs.
Sheckell still is prostrated by the news
of her husbands death. but three
lived identified the body held at the
undertaking parlors of J, T. Hinton d
Son as that of Sheckell.
Sheckell was shot and mortally
wounded across the street from the
Shanghai cafe. better known as the
Chop Suey. at $50 South Third street, at
$500 O'Clock Sunday afternoon. Frank
Bellomini admitted to police that he
fired the shot, while blood from knife
wound in his forehead was streaming
The shooting followed fight and
subsequent knife attack in the restau-
rant which Frank Bellomini operated
at 113 South Third street, half block
from the scene of the killing.
Bellomini declared, after the killing,
that Oscar Burgess had come into his
restaurant 20 minutes before the shoot
ing, and had resented Bellomini's tell
ing him not to come behind the counter.
A fist fight followed, in which Bellomi-
nj stated he worsted Burgess and eject
ed him.
Burgess left in a taxicab, declaring
he intended to bring his father back,
Bellomini said
A few minutes later, according to
Bellomini, Oscar Burgess, his father
Doc Burgess, and two other men en-
tered the restaurant and started a
quarrel, in which the quartet brought
knives INTO play, cutting Frank Bel
lomini several times about the fore
head and face. Louis Bellomini. Frank s
father, also was sashed in the face by
a knife. Frank Bellomini declared that
he could not get to his pistol as the
men were cutting at him.
When the four men left and he was
told again attacked his father, Bel
lornini got his pistol. and with blood
streaming down his face, pursued them
south on Third street, He sighted
them a half block away, near the
Chop Suey, and began firing when the
men resented his approach he said.
Bellomini and his father were arrest
ed a few minutes after the shooting by
Detective Will Carpenter and Finer
gency Policemen Sheriff. and Vannucci
lust as they were leaving Battier's
pharmacy, where they had gone .tc
have first aid applied to their cuts.
vyDNIr cT5