Birmingham state herald., 1897-05-28
OAKMAN'S GREAT TRAGEDY Mayor l. W. AppIing Shot to
 Death AND HIS ASSAILANT DEAD Another Man May Die, While Still Another Hes a Bullet in Each leg
 Two Accounts.

Oaknnn was the scene of terrible tragedy yesteiday afternoon, which re- suited in the killing of two men and seri- ous woundfng of two others, one of whom may die The dead are:
 I. W. Appling, mayer of Oakman. Charles Williams, blacksmith at Oak man.
 The wounded are:
 B. M. Richards, clerk for Appling; shot in the head and may die. William Duncan, shot in both legs.
 THE STORY OF THE TRAGEDY.
 Mir J. M. Klrkwood, an eyewitness of the tragedy, who camIs to the olty last night fer a casket for MT. Apphng' s body, related the circumstances of the tragedy to State Herald reporter as tol- 1ows
 Charles Williams, a blacksmith en- pr,oyed by Lee w Williams, was drinking vsii-y heavily ard went into the sto.ehou e of MT. I. w. ADpling, who was also mayor of Oakmans and proceeded to curse in al scriminately every one he saw. MT. Appling put him cut elf the store.
 Williams went off and secured a Win chester rifle, but this was taken from him. Hiy than got a pistol and went to the store ard renewed his curs ng. MT. B. Manley Richards, a clerk, weT1t up to
  he must quit curSlng. They talked the matter over ard Williams promised to quit and leavs the house. Mir. Rich ards then laid his pistol on the base shelf be- hind the counter Williams then fired at him, the ball making an ugly wound. MT Appling about this time came up and Williams pulled his gun and fired at him. Being unarmed MT. Applf-g turned and Williams shot again, the ball enter ing the nape of the neck, death resu.ting about thiFdy minutes later. Williams then turned and went toward the ds0r of the store and, his gun being empty, proceed.id to reload it. While he Nls doirly this MT. Monte Unman, hro her Eff the mayor, came up arri ordered Will E9n-s to halt.
 Three pistol shots had no effect on Will liams one of them, however, was a leaden missile, which, fortunately took ni0 effect, 1t si.HLleing heavy homemade purse. Williams, in turn, fired two shots at Applng, and failing to hit him. he ad- yanced on Applirg. who was on his horse and trying to make his gun work, and 4en reaching him Williams tried to kill him.
 MT w B. Day, constable of Cordova, saw the crowd. and with Mr Duncan. tEsied to arrest Williams and prevent him s.looting Mr. Appling, who was on his knees. Williams turned on the two men, firing two shots at Mir Duncan, both talk ing effect in either leg. Marshall Day pulled his gun and ordered the man to surrender, which ha refused to do, and Williams opened on him. missing him. Marshall Day tfsn drew his gun and fired as Williams turned sideways. The ball struck him in the bacl< and ranged threrlgh the breast, Williams fell n,lcr- BaHy wounded, his death resulting in about an h1lIr
 MT. Appling leaves wife.
 ANOTHER ACCOUNT.
 Oakman, May 27.--QSpecial.)- Williams, who has been running a sla- tionary engine in the country nsar Oak man, came to Oakman today and entered the sore of Mayor Ike Apphng. He was drunk, and, creating a disturbance, he was told to be quiet or get out of lhe store Ha walked out and returned again, drew his pistol and began shooting a every one in slght. One shot struck May or AppEng in ,he back of the head, kill ing him ins anly, his brains running out oia lthe floor.
 Anrsher shot struck B. M. Richards in the head, and two other shoIs struck William Duncan, one in each leg. By this time IMon- Apphng, brother of May or Appling, and City Marshal Day began shooting at Williams, three shots striking him, which put an end to the shooting.
 Williams was a locomotive engineer and had good letters, showing he was a good engineer. He leaves a wife and two children somewhere in Tennessee. He came here four or five months ago look ing for work Williams died from his wounds alt 6 D. m.
 The doctors have extracted the ball from the. brain of Richards, and no fur ther fatalities so far.