Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1924-10-20
FIRES At WOUNDED
MAN ON STRETCHER
Negro Tries Second Time to
Kill Employer in Rage
Over Dismissal.

lnfuriate because he had just been
notified of his dismissal, Robert A.
Luke colored. shot and seriously
wounded his employer. Samuel W.
Rutherford. also colored. manager OF
the National benefit Association, 6o9
r street northwest. today.
When Luke. who was in the custody
of Policeman McLarney of the sixth
precinct. saw the blood covered form
of his victim being carried from the
scene and noticed that he still lived,
he whipped out another pistol and
fired point blank at the helpless man
on the stretcher.
The bullet, however was detected
by the coat sleeve of Policeman Nc
LarnPy and went wide of its mark.
but severely burned the officers arm
a S il passed through his garment. In
the excitement that enSued Luke
broke from his captors and fled
Racing down r street brandishing
his revolver, the negro frightened
scores of pedestrians from the street
and the policemen who followed. led
by McI.arney. feared to fire at him
with their own guns because Of the
possibility of hitting one of the many
persons who filled the thoroughfare.
Autoist Joins Chase.
Charles W. Lippold, a salesman
and formerly policeman, happened
to be passing in his automobile. See
ing that the officers were being out
distanced he called them in:o his car
and in minute overlook the negro
AS the policemen leaped from the car
toward him Luke leveled his pistol
again.
Apparently he realized that his
capture was certain, however. for he
withheld his fire and called out that
he surrendered. He spoke just as
one of the officers was about to
bring him down with pistol bullet,
and was hurried away to the sixth
precinct to prevent possible trouble
from the hundreds of persons who
had collected in the meantime.
Luke was employed as an agent by
Rutherford. He had been ordered to
turn in his books for balancing and
had refused AS result Rutherford
called him into his effice this morn
ing to inform him that his discharge
had been authorized and would take
effect Immediately. Without WORD
of warning the enraged negro whip
ned out his revolver and opened fire.
Policeman Hears Shot.
He fired three shots. one of when
penetrated Rutherfords jaw and
felled him. Thinking he had killed
his employer. Luke started down the
stems. but was met midway by po-
liceman McLarney. who was comlns
IN upon hearing the shots Luke
promptly surrendered and was being
held for questioning when the form
Of his victim was carried past and the
second attempt was made.
n.tectives Cullinane and O'Dea
we're rushed to the scene from head
quarters and for a time it was be-
reyed Luke had concealed a con-
federate near the scene, and an ex-
citing man hunt ensued for the next
fifteen minutes. Then a colored stem
ographer positively asserted Luke
had been alone during and axter the
shooting and the search was aban-
doned.
Rutherford was hurried to Emer-
rency Hospital and later sent 10
Freedmen's Hospital. There his con-
dition was described as serious. but
not necessarily fatal. Every tooth In
his head had been knocked out ana
the bullet was located in the cheek
opuosite the one it had entered.