The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1870-04-14
From Fridays Semi-weekly.
KILLING OF OFFICER TUCK

From Fridays Semi-Weekly.
KILLING OF OFFICER TTCKs
Yesterday morning the community wa
startled at the intelligence that James Tucl
deputy Sheriff and acting Chief of Polio,
had been killed by Henry f. Sizer, an oil
citizen, well-known as a leading dealer Il
carriages, harness, etc. We visited tn
scene of the tragedy at Oh O'Clock, abou
twenty minutes AFTER the shooting, an'
found the body of Mr.. Tuck, with life ex
tinct lying on the floor, at the foot of tn,
stairway in Mr.. Steers store. A line OF car
riages and buggies line each side of TIA,
building inside, leaving an open passage
way from the front entrance to the stairway
! distance about sixty feet; the body wa:
! lying on the right side diagonally across the
! passage-way, the feet but short distance
from the stairway, the head inclining to-
ward the door. The charge, evidently duck
shot, had penetrated a little above the left
| corner of the forehead. fracturing the tenn
pie. the whole load entering the brain,
From the location OF the wound, IL h evil
dent that Mr.. Sizer stood on the upper floor
and some ten feet back from the head of the
-
inches intervening between them and each
about twelve inches wide. Some ten feet
back from where Mr.. s. stood, is an apart
ment separated from the main room by
curtains, and is used by him as a sleeping
room and dining apartment in common;
the table was in a disordered state, he hav-
ing just finished his breakfast. one gun
was found in a wardrobe, another on top OF
wardrobe. Mr.. Sizer was arrested bv Sher-
iii Lake and conveyed to Jail, and jury of
inquest empanneled consisting of f. Stafford,
Foreman; 5. II. Wilson, Geo. 5. Green, Jno.
w. Burnett Oliver Clifton, j. :. Hamilton.
and DIR. l. F. Harrington as Surgeon. After
viewing the body the jury retired to the
Coroner's Office and proceeded with the
examination ofwitnesses.
MARY MORRIS, (colored.)
testified that she lived in the shed in the
rear of Mr.. Steers place of business was
his cook, and waited on his room was Ia
the room where MIR. SiZer was taking break
fast when she heard some one in the store
below looked out and saw Mr.. Tuck. said
nothing but went on with her duties i'm the
room; Mr.. Sizer got up and seeing Mr.
Tuck said, don't come into my house, my
man :" heard Mr.. Tuck reply but dill not
understand what he said; don't know ii Mr.. |
Sizer carried the gun out with him or came |
back for it; saw the gun in Mr.. Steers hand |
after the shooting; he said. ''I've shot Tuck. |
told him not to come in here, but he would, |
and drew his pistol" She ran out and met |
Austin Henry, a policeman, and told him /
what had happened; had seen Afr. Tuck |
here several times before this; Tuck said |
)ne Saturday, "Come out, | want to see YOU -
SiZer replied, MY man, don't come into nv
houses" another time he came and beckoned
r. Mr.
don't come in here's" had heard Mr. Sizer
'ay he did not know what Mr.. Tuck wanted
With him, don't know any cause Of disagree
nent, never heard Mr.. Tuck say what he
wanted. Mr.. Tuck reached the foot of stems
his morning before Mr.. Sizer spoke to him.
Mr.. SiZer did not go down the steps or at
Tempt to go down, he stood some little way
rom head of stairs when he shot; think Il
S fourth time he has been there; didn't no.
ice the body as she went out and did not
zee pistol or other arms near it.
W. S. FREEMAN, (ex-City Marshal,)
estified that Ne was not present, but came
n from three to five minutes after shooting
Sizer called him to come upstairs and re-
main with him till an officer would arrive:
;izer said Tuck had come there two or three
lines, having pistol, that he had ordered
lin of, and that he had stood it as long as
lie could. Mr.. Freeman found ram-rod on
loor near head of stairs and placed IL beside
luck say anything about business with
izer; had heard an order had been served
n Sizer from the Mayor, instructing him to
emove some wagons and other goods that
7ere obstructing the side walks but know |
othing of the facts.
DIR. l. +. HARRINGTON
estified as TO the location and nature of the ,
round, and a conversation held with Mr.
iZer; he said that Tuck had been source ,
( annoyance to him for several weeks. This
lorning when Tuck entered the store he ;
ad just finished his breakfast, he requested ,
ir. Tuck to leave his house and let him ISL
err attend to his own private business. In {
tead of retiring Tuck advanced shaking a
ane or pistol, he knew not which. he beg
ed and impOrtuneO him for Gods sake to
cave, if not he would cause him to commit l
terrible deed. Sergeant Tuck stood def
ntly shaking a cane or pistol, when he I
,heeled, gathered his gun and shot him. DIR. ,
[. saw a cane lying near the body. From
ne position of the wound the person infiict- 8
~ it, was evidently standing on an elevated
osition.
AUSTIN HENRY, (Policeman)
,stifled that he was an officer under Mr.. |
uck's orders; he was the first person TO
each the body; saw no pistol near the body,
ut took small cane from under it. ,
JOHNSON DAVIS
sstified that he heard Mr.. Tuck say that he
'as down at Steers and told him he must
emove those wagons from the sidewalk he
aid Sizer had cursed him, and Davis told
uck that SiZer was crazy,
ROBERT j. ALcoRH II
'stified that he walked just behind Mr..
uck as he came up the street. Mr. Tuck |
'oked in at Steers door, first to right side
len to left, and then went in. Mr.. Alcorn
ad gone but few yards till he heard the
ischarge of the gun.
ROBERT JOHNSON (policemen)
estified that he met Mr.. Tuck at Clardy's
Orner, and they had a conversation about ,
emoving the distractions from Stzer's door.
) well as distractions from other places
Ir. Tuck said he was going up to Steers. ,
nd If. he did not comply with the city ordi-
ance, he would arrest him and take him |
efore the mayor. johnson told him 70 be ,
autious how he approached Sizer, as he was
bout half crazy, and would shoot him as
kelly as not; they parted; johnson going
yer the street, and Tuck proceeding up in
ne direction of Steers. In about fifteen
minutes he heard the report of the gun and
Ding over, found Tuck lying dead on the
DOR. BY direction of Sheriff Lake, john
on and Deputy-Sheriff Shelly conveyed ST.
err to jail. No arms were found about him,
hough diligent search was made, both at
he place of the homicide, and at Mr.. Tuck's
ouse.
SHERIFF j. L. LAKE
n whose employ Mr.. Tuck has been for the
asst eight months, testified to his good char
cter as man and his efficiency as an off,
err; knew that Mr.. Tuck had, in his official
apacity, given notice TO various parties to
emove distractions from the Sidewalks
Dir. Tuck was not in the habit of Carrying
rms and would only do so on particular oc-
asions; knew him to be unusually kind end
'olite in the discharge of his duty as an of
iccr.
A number Of other witnesses were exam
ned, but the foregoing is a summary of the
Material points, The jury of inquest adj
burned till to-day. at IL o'clock, TO await the
trivial of Mayor Cabiness.
VERDIcT.-The jury Of inquest, after the
Of snndry additional witnesses,