Mexico weekly ledger., 1888-02-02
SHOT AT UENTRAIIA
MARSHAL BOWMAN KILLS B,
s. ROBERTS THIS
MORNING.
Intense Excitement in the Town
Over the Affair With Varying
Tales Afoat.

At II y. m. yesterday ex-Marshal
Barton s. Roberts, of C~entralia.
was shot by A. D. Bowman, Mar
shall of Centralia, while serving q
writ in n billiard hall at that place.
The shot took effect in the right
lung. Roberts died within an hour.
He was about 80 years old and
leaves a wife and three children.
Only n shot was fred and
there was only one other witness
whose name is G. T. Thomas. aged
about 20. There are two very diff
ferent stories about the shooting.
al usual. g. T. Thomas, ths young
man who vas in the hall, says he
and Roberts were sitting there talk
ing when Marshal Bowman came
in and told Them he had a writ for
them and 10 consider themselves
under arrest. Roberts asked, "Who
swore it out. Bowman replied, .I
did" Roberts said aWhat for?n
Bowman, "BecauseA had a right
to- Thomas SAYS that Roberts
replied "all right and that he and
Roberts started out of the hall
when Bowman pulled out his pis-
tol, and that Roberts said, tDon't
shoot" when Bowman replied, "I
witlo and fred. Roberts then SAID,
"ohl | am shot," and started
down stairs, Thomas helping him.
While passing through the saloon
Roberts said:
"Oh, boys, he shot mel"
One or two witnesses who were
in the saloon say that Bowman re-
piled "Yesl and 1 will shoot him
again." Bowman denies this and
says he did not say a word. Thomas
helped Roberts to the drug store,
where he fell into the door on the
floor. He was then taken home
and died IN an hour. Some par
ties say there was an old grudge
between the two, but Bowman de.
MES this and says they were friend
ly. Constable Stockton arrested
Bowman and is holding him for
investigation. 4 LEDGER reporter,
who visited Centralia at noon, had
a talk with Bowman also, who gives
his side of the killing as follows:
~ went into the billiard hall to
serve a writ on Thomas and Rob-
erts. | read it to them when they
at once began to curse and abuse
me. l told them to keep still as ]
did not want any trouble. Thomas
kept on cursing and after I read
the writs started out. Roberts told
me to hold on, and asked me who
swore it out. l replied, 81 did,
He said, "what for" I said, "it
was my duty" Bowman says Rob-
erts then started for him, and put
ing his hand in his hip pocket said,
81 will fix you'll thought he was
going to pull a gun. While l back.
ed toward the door I told him to
'keepoff.' He came on and tried to
grab my pistol with one hand and,
at the same time, was getting some.
thing out of his pocket when 1 shot
him. l did not say in the saloon
l would shoot him again. There
was no old grudge; I had to kill
him in self-defense."
From the above our readers will
see it is rather hard to surmise just
how the matter will terminate,
Many good citizens fear more trou-
BILE, as Roberts has a number OF
warm friends who think he was
murdered without cause, while Mr.
Bowman's friends think he was
Unsuitable. A prominent either
told the LEDGER reporter that be.
fore the shooting he told Roberts
the city marshal had a warrant fol
his arrest, when Roberts said Bow
man could not arrest him-he woult
kill him first.
We have tried to give the evi
dence as furnished by both sides
without prejudice, and think W.
have given all the facts about tht
trouble as told us.
This is the first killing which ha'
taken place for eighteen years il
Centralia and the town is wild will
excitement. Mrs. Roberts is pros
trated with grief and is almos
speechless, and her children, aget
about 8, 6 and IA years, are cling
ing to their dead father with horro
calling on him MOTTO die and leav'
them," while he is cold in death
Bowman is also married and hai
one child.
Bowman was taken to Columbi;
and committed to Jail without bail
!, Cost, Bankrupt, Bankrupt, Cost
:, Always being heralded to thu
: -;,J - ,I,oa aaonla 4a bny am