The Van Buren press., 1899-03-25
-FOUR HELD WITHOUT BAR,
Result OF the Coroner's Inquest ovsrn
Slain In the Riot at Hot sprIpp.- n
aging Evidence Against SHERIFF
Williams and His Brother

inst four persons are held to the u,,,,
jury without bail.
1t seems the meeting of the two IA.
tions was accidental Spear and III.
kle got into difficulty, Hinkle usiD..
knife, cutting Spear about the nod.
The latter drew his pistol and .Ao,
Hinkle dead. Chief Toler and 81,
geant Goslee heard the shots and rpsb.,
to the scene. just about this Tim.
young Williams and his uncle arrived
and thinking 1t was an encounter h.
tween Spear on the one side and TO,.
and Goslee on the other, they opened
fire.
All the evidence before the coroner.
jury seems to prove beyond a douh :
that Sheriff Williams shot Detects.
Hart. Those held to the grand iur
without bail are Sheriff Williams. WIN
Watt, nephew of the sheriff. Cofes
Williams and Ed Spear
Everything is quiet, and no furtha
trouble is looked for.
Below is given the evidence beiov
the coroner's jury:
VIM. Smith testified that he was in
his restaurant about p. m., saw John
Williams and Tom Goslee talking and
shaking hands. About five minutes
later he heard some shots, and about
same time Ed Spear came IA4..5 into
his place with his throat cut
D. w. Caliborn saw Spear shoot
Hinkle and both fall; heard more shoot
ing and John Williams and Tom Cos.
lee fell. Williams fell first. Coffee
Williams was holding John Williams
head up and Sheriff Williams stood by
with pistol in his hand. Thinks VIII.
liams picked the pistol up. Toler fell
in the same fire shortly after Gosss
went down.
Judge Carr (colored) saw and heard
the shooting, but could remember moth.
ing.
Charles Webb arrived at the scene Of
bloodshed after Goslee, Toler Hinkls
and John Williams were down. Saw
Bob Williams and Will Watt looking at
the body of John Williams. Detective
Hart was near by, and Sheriff Williams
took him by the coat collar with bis
left hand and shot Hart in the face
with his right. At the same time VIII
Watt stuck his pistol over the sheriffs
shoulder and also shot Hart.
j. Fl. Freeman saw Sheriff Williams
shoot Hart.
Ed Hardin heard several shots and
ran to the scene of the shooting. Saw
Ed Spear bleeding profusely and Cos
lee raise on his elbow and Shoot and
fall back.
Mrs. Toler saw Goslee In front Of q
saloon, heard shot and Goslee fell.
She ran to the scene, then more shoot
ing occurred, and her husband fell. De
tective Hart came along. She grabbed
him by the arm and asked II Tom (hel
husband) was dead. They walked tC
Toms body and were looking at 1T
Saw Sheriff Williams take Hart by The
collar, saying: Here is another Of tbt
-" placed the pistol in his fact
and fred twice. After Hart went dow
Williams shot him twice more Har
fell about 10 feet from her. Williams
rushed at her, and said with an oath
''yes, we got Toler, and wish we hat
you where we've got him."
G. ii. Weaver heard several shots il
rapid succession. Saw Goslee lynn
gasping on his back John William
was also lying there. Coffee William
was standing in a doorway with pit
tol in each hand. In the meantime Bo
Williams came up. He asked for hi
son, all the while swearing. Witnes
asked Bob to stop. He pointed tw
pistols in witness face, saying, your
one of those -" Some one iumpe
between them. Then Constable Tat
rushed witness away.
Ben Reaves saw Williams shoot Har
several times.
VIM Durham saw Spear and Gosle
shooting at each other; saw John Wi
hams lying on sidewalk. Saw Sheri
Williams, who asked about his boy, an
was told he was dead. Coffee William
said, "he is dead, and killed the --
who killed him." Witness was neO
Detective Hart. Hart had no weapo
In sight as he was crowding his wa
toward the center of activity. Witne'
: said Spear shot Goslee.
Ben Woodman saw Spear shooting
also saw Sheriff Williams shoot Hal
twice in the face and twice after he fel
IT, M. French heard three shots an
saw Goslee fall; heard Sheriff William
saying, they've killed my boy"
then saw Hart pushing through tt
crowd. Then Williams continue,
Where is Hart? He was in itn HaI
had stopped to look at Toler's bod,
Witness walked away and then hear
three shots in rapid succession.
Ben Reeves saw Sheriff william
shoot Hart. to death. VIII Dunba
John Freeman, Ben Woolman. and Sc
eral other witnesses swore positivel
!, mat they saw Sheriff Williams shoot I
|. mart and saw him fall. Several wi
nesses also swore that Coffee william