 From the Omaha World Herald, Janruary 6, 1904 January 6, 1904 Thomas Gentleman, the Union Pacific watchman who was shot by Henry Foster Thursday evening, died of his injuries at 10 o'clock last night at St. Joseph's hospital. It was a first thought that the wound was merely a superficial one and that Gentleman would recover, but the shock proved more than he could stand and yesterday afternoon he was reported as in a serious condition. The shooting occurred about 9 o'clock Thursday evening in the railroad yards at Fourteenth street, near the Chicago Lumber company's yards. Foster was prowling around the coal cars with a lad when Gentleman called to him and started to place him under arrest. As the watchman approached Foster drew his revolver and fired, the bullet striking Gentleman in the left groin. Foster was then seen to run to the house of Mrs. Evans, 1523 Marcy street which is a few doors from the Foster house. With the weapon in his hand he told the Evans woman that he had just shot a man. Foster then went to his home 1001 South Sixteenth, where he was found by the police. In the meantime he had disposed of the revolver. When brought to the police station Foster denied any knowledge of the affair saying that he had not left his house during the evening. Yesterday, however, when confronted with a chain of evidence he made a full confession. He said that he and a lad, Patrick O'Connor, had gone down to the tracks and that he had taken the weapon with him as a matter of usual precaution, adding that he was living alone. When Gentleman approached him he thought he was in for trouble and fired the shot before the watchman got to him. The O'Connor boy has been held as a state witness. Foster was entirely unmoved when brought into Captain Moslyn's office last night and advised of the death of his victim. "I can't help it. It isn't worrying me, You can bring him back if you want too." he said in a manner that plainly showed that the matter was not worrying him in the least. Thomas Gentleman, Foster's victim, is a single man, 47 years of age, and has been in the employ of the Union Pacific railroad for a number of years. Return to the Nebraska Railroad Main Page Return to NEGenWeb Main Page |