02/27/1924
RICH SALOON MAN ACCUSED OF INSULT TO MRS. WILLIAMS
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Defendant Held in County Jail Without Bond; Shooting Occurs in Law Offices of Croom, Goldstein & Croom in First National Bank Building.
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SLAIN MAN UNARMED; GIVES DYING STATEMENT
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Deputy Kilpatrick, in Office Building on Other Business, Arrests Mitchell; Trouble Arose in December When Alleged Advances Were Made
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J.B. Williams, 44, safety inspector at the El Paso smelter, and president of the El Paso Rifle club, was shot and killed yesterday afternoon by Tom Mitchell, wealthy real estate owner and proprietor of the Stag bar in Juarez.
The shooting occurred shortly before 3 p.m. In the waiting room of the law offices of Croom, Goldstein & Croom, on the seventh floor of the First National bank building. William died at 7:45 at hotel Dieu. One bullet took effect just above the heart.
Mitchell, who is reputed to be worth more than $100,000, is being held in the El Paso county jail without bond on a complaint alleging “assault with intent to murder,” filed by Deputy Sheriff J.B. Kilpatrick in the justice court of R.B. Rawlins, before Williams died. The complaint will be changed today to “murder.: Mr. Rawlins said last night, and preparations started at once for Mitchell's preliminary hearing.
Two Eye Witnesses
A court of inquiry also will be called he said, and a large number of witnesses examine. There were two eye witnesses to the shooting. Mrs. Cecelia Champagne and Miss Marta Richter, stenographers in the law office.
After talking with Mrs. Williams, wife of the slain man, late yesterday afternoon at her home, it became known that Williams had sought Mitchell concerning alleged improper advances that the latter was said to have made to Mrs. Williams in December.
Mr. and Mrs. Williams move into their present home t 1112 Grama street the first of December, Mr. Williams stated. The house at that time was owned by Mitchell, and the first month's rent paid to im in person, she declared. Mitchell sold the house shortly after the alleged insult, it was said last night. After that all business concerning the house was done through another man.
Mrs. Williams was ill in bed when interviewed. Her eyes wee swollen from weeping. Se had not a that time been told that her husband was fatally wounded.
“When we rented the house the understanding was that Mr. Mitchell was to pay the water bill and we were to pay the gas and light bills,” she related.
Calls Mitchell by Phone
“We were notified that the water bill had not been paid several days ago, and my husband called up Mr. Mitchell and asked him about it. My husband said that Mr. Mitchell had said that he wouldn't pay it, and Mr. Williams said he replied that if he had to pay it Mr. Mitchell would have to repay him.”
Mrs. Williams said that they had intended to move March 1, and that Sam Croom, attorney, told her husband that Mitchell wanted a complete inventory of furnishings in the house before the Williams family moved.
“The water was turned off yesterday morning and I called my husband, who was at work, and told him about it,” Mrs. Williams related. “He went downtown and paid the bill and then must have gone up to Mr. Croom's office to see him about the inventory, I presume that's why he happened to be there.”
That Williams went to Croom's office on business, and not on the trail of Mitchell, a theory advanced yesterday, is indicated by the fact that he called Sam Croom on the telephone. Croom was not n at the time and the stenographer took the message and placed the telephone number, Main 1105 J on a scratch pad to call it to the attention of the lawyer when he returned. The number is the safety office at the Smelter.
A few minutes after Croom returned to his office, Mitchell entered, it was learned. He asked for Sam Croom, was told he was engaged with another client, but that he would see Mitchell in a few minutes. Mitchell seated himself in the waiting room.
Only a few minutes had passed before Mitchell entered. As far as could be learned, no words passed between the two men,but the shooting occurred almost immediately.
An ante-mortem statement was taken from Williams by county authorities shortly before he died last evening. Dr. W.L. Brown, the attending physician, operated on the wounded man. Following the operation he notified Sheriff Seth Orndorff's office that there was no hope of Williams recovering. The dying statement was not made public. Mrs. Williams was with her husband when he died.
Mitchell was arrested by Deputy Sheriff Kilpatrick in the office of Sam G. Croom and taken to the county jail.
A few minutes after the shooting, Deputy Kilpatrick entered the lobby of the building on other business. He was recognized by an elevator boy, who told him that a shooting had occurred on the seventh floor.
Mitchell was seated in Sam Croom's office when the officer entered and immediately arose saying that he was about to communicate with the Sheriff's office and surrender. The pistol with which Williams was shot, a .25 caliber weapon, is being held at the sheriff's office.
“I was just about to telephone you and surrender,” Mitchell told Kilpatrick when the latter entered the office. He made a brief statement to the officer regarding the shooting.
“Mitchell said he had entered the office and was waiting to see Mr. Croom,” Kilpatrick declared. “Mitchell was told that Croom was busy and hie sat down to wait. A few minutes later Williams entered and rushed at Mitchell, he said. Mitchell declared that he then pulled a pistol and shot twice; the first bullet missing and the second striking Williams.”
Eye Witnesses Silent
Mrs. Cecelia Champagne and Miss Marie Richer, stenographers in the lawyers' office, who were eye witnesses in the shooting, refused to make a statement, saying they had been instructed to “keep quiet.”
Cleveland Croom one of the firm, is out of the city and will not return for several days, it was said at the law offices yesterday. A.H. Goldstein, another member of the firm, is in El Paso but was not in his office at the time of the shooting, it was stated.
Gowan Jones and Sam Croom refused to be seen yesterday afternoon. Last night, neither of the two Crooms, nor Jones could be located.
Williams Crack Shot
Williams, who was president of the El Paso Rifle club and a crack shot with a pistol, according to his friends, was unarmed when he entered the office, it is said. He has frequently won medals and other trophies for his prowess with firearms according to Rifle club members.
Police Investigate
City police did not know of the shooting until more than an hour had passed. Mitchell was in the county jail and Williams was being operated on when Detectives John Redmond and N.L. Chamberlain arrived on the scene. They left without making any statements.
Mitchell owns considerable property in El Paso, as well as the Rosemont apartments and 1217-19 North Oregon street, which he purchased a year or so ago at a cost of $70,000. He lives in apartment No. 2 at the Rosemont.
After being placed in a tank in the county jail, a reporter interviewed Mitchell, who refused to make any statement.
“See my lawyer,” was the only reply he would make with the exception of a sharp denial that his wife was with him at the time of the shooting.
Mrs. Mitchell Visits Jail
Shortly after being arrested, Mrs. Mitchell visited her husband at the county jail. She also refused to make a statement beyond saying she knew nothing of the affair.
Attorney U.S. Goen, who accompanied his client, asked that bond be named for Mitchell by Justice Rawlins, who refused until Williams' condition could be ascertained from Dr. Brown. When inquiry late yesterday afternoon developed that Williams was in a critical condition, Mitchell was ordered remanded to jail to await further developments.
Although Mr. Goen stated he knew the facts of the case, he refused to make any statement yesterday saying that “it would all come out at the proper time.”
Last night he stated that he was familiar with all details of the case and “confident that Mitchell has a complete defense.”
Calls at Goen's Office
Mitchell had called at Mr. Goen's law offices in the Mills building about 15 minutes before the shooting. He went from there to the First National bank building and to the offices of Croom, Goldstein & Croom.
Mr. Goen will attempt to get an early preliminary hearing for his client, and will see Mitchell's release on bond, he said.
Mitchell called Mr. Goen immediately after the shooting and was advised to notify the sheriff's office. He called his attorney again shortly afterwards and asked Mr. Goen to meet him at Croom's office and accompany him to the county hail, which Mr Goen did.
William had been in the employ of the American Smelting and Refining company for approximately six years. He is, by training, a civil engineer. During his employ with the smelter he has been stationed at various parts of the southwest and Mexico.
He came to El Paso about two years ago, and his wife joined him last August.
The body of Williams was removed to the Peak-Hagedon company, where it is being cared for pending funeral arrangements.
TOM MITCHELL HELD WITHOUT BAIL; WOMEN TELL OF WILLIAM SHOOTING
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