The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1932-12-30
TROOPER GOES
MAD, KILLS z
AT ARMY POST
Captains and Their Wives
Are Victims; Murderer
Slain by Sentry.
CHILDREN AVERT DEATH
Lieutenant Heading Posse
After Maddened Man
Is Wounded.
By United Press

By United Press
FIT. HUACHUCA, Ariz., Dec. 30.
The flag over this army outpost
tuttered at half staff today as mill
tary funerals were prepared for two
captains and their wives, who were
shot down by Negro private, sud-
denly beserk.
The soldier, James A. Alternately,
was killed by sentry after he had
wound up his murderous rampage
by seriously wounding a guard of
f1cer.
The victims were Captain and
Mrs. Joseph r. Wesley and Cap
tain and Mrs. David A. Palmer,
killed instantly, and Lieutenant H.
f. Matthews, seriously wounded.
Colonel r. S. Knox, commandant
OF the Twenty-f1fth infantry, head
ed an investigating board of off,
GERS, seeking a motive behind the
shootings which rocked the garri-
son from its usual lethargy late
Thursday.
The Negro was afflicted with a
disease which may have caused him
to go suddenly insane over some
fancied grievance, they said. He
recently had asked for a transfer
to the Philippines.
Fires Point Blank
The tragedy started when Wes-
sely drove up to the supply depot
and ordered Abernathy, an attend
ant, to fill up his gasoline tank.
Without a word of warning, the
Negro drew his revolver and fired.
AS the captain fell, mortally wound
ed, the Negro leaped into the car
and sped to the officers small cot
tage. Mrs. Wesley was taking
siesta when the Negro burst open
the door and shot her before she
could rise.
Guards were being modified when
the murderer slipped out of the
house and made for Palmer's house
on foot. On the way, he encoun-
tered another officer. He paused for
a moment, then said:
I'll let you live"
Children Hide in Room
Before the surprised officer could
question hisAy Ezaegliel Ia
to the home of Captain Palmer.
The officer was at work in his
garden when the Negro appeared
and without. a moments hesitation
opened fires Mrs. Palmer and her
two small children we're inside the
house. The maddened trooper forced
his way in and felled the woman
with another bullet. The children.
hiding in another room, apparently
escaped the attention of the gun
man.
With the revolver in his hand.
Aberneathy paused on the threshold
as the provost guard, led by Lieut..
Matthews, surrounded The cottage.
The Negro glared wildly for a mo-
ment at the detachment and then
fired point-blank at Matthews. He
started to flee and wheeled about
for a second shot just as Corporal
Peter Hardley dropped him with a
bullet through the heart.
Both Captains Veterans
Soldiers placed the bodies in mo-
tor lorries and took them to nearby
Bisbee, where funeral services were
being arranged.
Fellow troopers said Aberneathy
had been i'll for some time, but
never had shown signs of insan-
ity He had been convicted three
years ago of manslaughter in con-
nection with a Bisbee automobile
accident, but had been granted a
suspended sentence.
Palmer and Wesley both were
veterans of the army, having en-
tered wartime service in 1917. They
were popular with their men, it was
said. Palmer. who was AZ, was a
native of Beverly, Mass. They left
two children, David, II, and Pol
ly, 10.
In Charge of CommiSsary
Wesley was As and a graduate
of the quartermaster corps motor
transport school. He enlisted in San
Antonio, Tex, his home His wife
was a native of Cedar Rapids, Ia.
The captain was an assistant to the
quartermaster and was in charge
of the commisSsry, supply depot,
laundry and other fort units.
Originally a cavalry base, Fl.
Huachuca recently was augmented
by a force of infantrymen, moved
in when the war department
abandoned cantonments at Nogales
and Douglas.
Its personnel is preponderantly
Negro, although there are more than
fifty white officers and soldiers bar