Samuel Henry Lawyer

Other Events:

• Physical Description: DraftBoard: 2; EyeColor: Brown; HairColor: Black; Height: Tall; PhysicalBuild: Stout
• Associate: Chauncey Sawyer Flowers
• Race: Black
• Name: Sam Lawyer
• Name: Samuel H Lawyer
• Name: Samuel H Lawyer
• Name: Samuel H Lawyer
• Name: Samuel H Lawyer
• Name: Samuel H Sawyer
• Name: Samuel Loyer
• Baptism: 19 Jul 1884, Newport, Perry, Pennsylvania, USA
• Newspaper Clipping: 3 Sep 1897, Harrisburg, Dauphin, Pennsylvania, USA; Samuel Lawyer Slashed with a Knife by Alex Jones in Capitol Park_3 Sep 1897
• Residence: 1900, 212 Meadow lane, Harrisburg, Dauphin, Pennsylvania, USA; Marital Status: Single; Relation to Head: Son
• Occupation: 1908, Harrisburg, Dauphin, Pennsylvania, USA; Musician
• Residence: 1908, 669 Briggs, Harrisburg, Dauphin, Pennsylvania, USA; Occupation: Musician
• Residence: 1910, Ward 8, Harrisburg, Dauphin, Pennsylvania, USA; Marital Status: Single; Relation to Head: Head
• Residence: Between 1917 and 1918, Harrisburg, Dauphin, Pennsylvania, USA; Physical Build: Stout Height: Tall Hair Color: Black Eye Color: Brown
• Residence: 1917, 669 Brigg street, Harrisburg, Dauphin, Pennsylvania, USA; StreetAddress: 669 Brigg street; 37 Age: 37
• Job: 1917, State Capitol Building, Harrisburg, Dauphin, Pennsylvania, USA; Custodian for William Harry Baker
• Social Clubs: 22 Mar 1918, Harrisburg, Dauphin, Pennsylvania, USA; W.C. Sproul Republican League of Colored Voters_22 Mar 1918 Major Winston Samuel Lawyer Marshall Ficklin William Washington J.B. Cann Rev R.L. Briscoe
• Social Clubs: 2 Jul 1918, Harrisburg, Dauphin, Pennsylvania, USA; Pythian Knights to Meet in City-500 Uniformed Knights in Camp on City Island_2 Jul 1918
• Residence: 1920, Ward 8, Harrisburg, Dauphin, Pennsylvania, USA; StreetAddress: Briggs St; 37 Age: 37; Messenger Occupation: Messenger; AbleToSpeakEnglish: Yes; CanRead: Yes; CanWrite: Yes; EnumerationDistrict: 86; HomeOwnership: Rented; Industry: State; IsEmployed: Wage or Salary; Single MaritalStatus: Single; Head RelationToHead: Head
• Residence: 1924, Harrisburg, Dauphin, Pennsylvania, USA; StreetAddress: 822 Cowden; Custodian Occupation: Custodian
• Social Clubs: 10 Jan 1924, Harrisburg, Dauphin, Pennsylvania, USA; Colored Elks---Unity Lodge Plans Annual Ceremonial and Installation_10 Jan 1924 Samuel Lawyer, Chaplain.
• Residence: 1926, 822 Cowden street, Harrisburg, Dauphin, Pennsylvania, USA
• Newspaper Clipping: 5 May 1929, Harrisburg, Dauphin, Pennsylvania, USA; SHOOTS AND KILLS MAN AT HOTEL BAR Headline_Sunday Courier_5 May 1929
• Newspaper Clipping: 6 May 1929, Harrisburg, Dauphin, Pennsylvania, USA; Scene of Bar-Room Slaying of Samuel W Lawyer Harrisburg Telegraph 6 May 1929

Notes:

Friends for years
Samuel W. Lawyer, 45, 822 Cowden street, is dead, victim of an argument over a game of cards with Chauncey Flowers, 34, 232 Sayford street. Lawyer was shot through the heart and instantly killed in the barroom at the Wallace Hotel, Cumberland and Wallace streets, early Saturday evening.

Funeral Wednesday For Victim
Funeral services will be held for Lawyer Wednesday afternoon at 2 o'clock in Second Baptist Church, Forster street. The body will lay in state at the church on Wednesday between 11 and 1:30 o'clock, where it may be viewed by friends.
He was a member of the Pythian Lodge 34, K. P.; Chosen Friends Lodge No. 43, F. and A. M.; united Lodge No. 71, of I. B. P. O. E. and ,W., of which he is a past exalted ruler of Council No. 6.
The Rev. C. F. Jenkins will officiate at the funeral services. Mrs. Daisy Lawyer, the man's widow, is the only survivor. Burial will be made in the Lincoln Cemetery.
Lawyer has been employed for the past fifteen years at the State Capitol building as custodian of the basement.

Wife Overcome

"Buddy was not a fightin' man," said Mrs. Lawyer, wife of the slain man. between sobs, at the Cowden street home today. "I have been In bed since this happened. I can't believe it. Chauncey and Sam were good friends.

"They had been to Steelton together during the day, and had just came back. Sam didn't come home that evening and then we heard about this," she added.

Under Physician's Care

Mrs. Lawyer has been under a physician's care since her husband's slaying. She said today that she has not made any funeral arrangements as yet for her husband's burial.

According to Charles Anderson, proprietor of the hotel where the shooting took place, the two men had become boisterous earlier in the evening and he had told them to get out.

Both left and Flowers came back some sometime later, and ordered some beer, he said, adding Flowers was standing at the bar drinking when Lawyer entered by another door.

Lawyer stood by the opposite wall, according to witnesses, and pulled a revolver from his pocket. He pulled the trigger several times, say witnesses.

Warns Lawyer

"You better put that way," Flowers is said to have told Lawyer, but Lawyer pulled it again. Flowers then put his hand into his coat pocket and pulled the trigger of a .32 caliber automatic that he carried there. The bullet penetrated Lawyer's heart and he fell to the floor.

Anderson called the police and the Polyclinic Hospital. When the doctor arrived with the ambulance he examined Lawyer and pronounced him dead. The body was held there until the arrival of Dr. J. H. Kreider, the county coroner.

Anderson is a former city patrolman, having been on the force eleven years.

Never Carried Revolver

"Buddy never carried a revolver," declared Mrs. Lawyer. "While Flowers always was armed."

Flowers was placed under arrest by Detective Sergeant Rineer and Patrolmen Sweger and Bryan. Statements were taken from Anderson, his son, Leroy Anderson, Flowers, also Samuel Lucas, Peter Luster and John Venso, other witnesses of the shooting, police said.

The only motive advanced for the shooting is an argument the 'two men had earlier of each other's ability at a card game called "five-up."


Buried:
Lincoln Cemetery

Family/Spouse: Daisy Shorts. Daisy (daughter of Joseph Shorts and Eliza Smith) was born in 1888 in Virginia, USA; died on 17 Apr 1933 in Harrisburg, Dauphin, Pennsylvania, USA; was buried in 201 South 30th street, Penbrook, Dauphin, Pennsylvania, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]