FISHERMAN KILLS MATE.
Contents of a Shotgun Emptied Into
George Fields by Al Bartley,
an Old Man.
A quarrel over some fish nets between two denizens of the floating houseboat village moored along the Kaw river resulted yesterday afternoon in the fatal shooting of George Fields, a young boatman, 24 years of age, by Al Bartley, a grotesque character about 50 years old, familiar to the streets of Kansas City, Kas. He is afflicted with St. Vitus' dance. A double-barreled shotgun was Bartley's weapon and he fired both loads, which took effect in Fields's neck and face.
The younger man was still alive when the ambulance arrived, but died before a surgeon could be reached.
The killing took place at 5:30 o'clock. Both men owned and lived in houseboats at the foot of Minnesota avenue.
As there were no witnesses to the shooting, Bartley's version is the only one to be had. He claims that he and Fields had quarrelled about the nets for several days and that late in the afternoon Fields walked along the bank to a place opposite Bartley's boat, where the nets were and threatened to cut them with the sharp blade of a shovel in which he carried.
Bartley then went into his cabin and got his gun, telling Fields he would shoot him if he damaged the nets. Then he walked out on a plank reaching from the deck of his boat to the shore and Fields advanced to meet him, this time threatening to use the shovel on him instead of the nets. Bartley then fired the two loads, both of which took deadly effect.
Bartley is in custody. He is married and has a large family. Fields was a single man.
