N&W in 1904 -- Coach Shooting

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SERIOUS SHOOTING AFFRAY IN CROWDED COACH
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ONE DEAD; ANOTHER AT DEATH'S DOOR
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Trouble Started Over the Railroad Fare From this City to Graham
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After Shooting Innocent bystander Tom Leedy Makes Probably Fatal Leap >From Flying Train
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    A serious shooting affray occurred on No. 3 Wednesday night between this city and Graham [only 3 miles apart].  The particulars of the occurrence, as given by many eye witnesses to the trouble, vary considerably and the exact facts are not readily arrived at.
    It is certain, however, that one man was fatally shot and one seriously injured by jumping from the fast flying train after he had done the shooting.
    The trouble occurred in the ladies' coach which was crowded and at the time a number had arisen from their seats preparatory to leaving the train at Graham.
    It seems that Tom Leedy, of Graham, was in Bluefield and boarded No. 3 without a ticket.  Brakeman W. A. Maynard aided the conductor in collecting tickets and when he came to Leedy he collected 25 cents.  The rules of the company provide that when a passenger fails to buy a ticket he must pay a slightly higher rate.
    Brakeman Maynard and Mr. Leedy had some words over this matter and came to blows.  When the matter was adjusted Maynard left the car.  He returned before the train arrived at Graham and as soon as he entered the forward door Leedy began to fire from his seat in the rear of the car.  It is stated that he fired three times.  One bullet struck Walter E. Harris, of this city, and fatally wounded him.
    Another bullet passed through the sleeve of a lady passenger's dress, but did her no harm.  As soon as he had done the shooting, Leedy jumped from the train and was considerably injured.  The train was stopped and Leedy was picked up and taken to Graham.
    Harris was taken from the train at Graham and yesterday morning was brought to the Sanitarium in this city where his death occurred about midnight.  The ball passed through Harris' stomach.
    Harris is a fireman on one of the pushers in the coal field, and was en route to his work. [Remainder of article about other eye witnesses' accounts is omitted here.]

Bluefield Daily Telegraph
January 22, 1904

[The streetcar line between Bluefield and Graham did not open until July 1904.  Until then many residents of these two cities only 3 miles apart used N&W trains to get from one city to the other.]

Gordon Hamilton
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