The leader., 1901-01-30
ANOTHER MURDER.
Tom Lard Shot Down I'm Cold
Blood I'm BrOOkhaven Sun
day Night.

day Night.
John sss.er and Tom .Pritchard hi,
Mnrderers. Say the Coroner's
| Jury.
Tom Lard, workman employed as
saw-filer by the Pearl River Lumber
Company, was found Sunday night
about o'clock in a dying condition on
the small bridge on First Street, just
beyond ex-Marshal Hurst's residence.
with bullet hole in his forehead
Two pistol shots had rang out on the
still night air few moments before,
and three or four persons living in the
locality who ran out to ascertain the
cause, saw two men making of in the
bright moonlight from the PROSTATE
form on the bridge. Mr.. Hurst was
the first to reach the wounded man
and Immediately sent messenger for
City Marshal Applewhite, who was at
home few blocks away. When that
officer arrived the wound was examin.
ed and the dying man removed to the
court house. The pistol which did
the deadly work was so close when
fired the flesh was all powder burnt
around the bullet hole in the forehead.
When Lard's body was searched, two
empty bottles which had contained
whisky and one." nearly full of the
ardent were found in his pockets,
round OF 80 calibre cartridges and s22
IN cash, but no arms were discovered.
Some persons were found who had seen
him late on Sunday evening under the
influence of liquor. One colored wo-
man was found who had seen three
men talking and drinking on the
bridge just before the shots were
heard.
Taking these things as a starting
point, Marshal Applewhite and ex-
Marshal Hurst began at once to try to
unravel the mystery. While at the
depot that night just before the 10
o'clock train went up they met John
Sasser, who appeared little nervous,
but with his usual bold front, jokingly
asked them if they supposed anyone
suspected him of taking hand in the
shooting. He told Marshal Apple
white that he had seen Lard during
the evening and drank with him, de-
scribing the bottles which had been
found on Lard's person. Sasser has a
wife and children living at Wesson
and he told the Marshal and Mr.. Hurst
that he was going to take the train for
that place. They were greatly tempted
to arrest him on the spot and hold
him till they could hunt up further
proof, and they have regretted ever
since that they did not.
The further they proceeded to probe
into the case, the stronger the proof
became that the murder had been COM
mitted by John Sasser and Tom Pritch-
ard, young man who recently came
to this county from jefferson. So
strongly convinced was Marshal Ap-
plewhite Of this by Monday morning,
that he arrested Tom Pritchard at the
Pearl River Lumber Co.'s Mills and
telephoned to Wesson to have Sasser
arrested, pending an investigation by
the Coroner; Lard having died early
Monday morning. without ever regain
ing consciousness.
Coroner Lambright empaneled a
jury Monday morning and began a
vigorous and painstaking investigation
of the affair. For prudential reasons,
the testimony taken before the Coron-
er's jury has not been made public, but
The LEADER is enabled to give the
finding Of the jury, which was rem
dered yesterday afternoon:
STATE OF MISSISSIPPI,
LINCOLN COUNTs.
We, the jury impaneled, sworn and
charged to inquire into the manner Of
the death of Thomas Lard, do declare
that the said Thomas Lard came to his
death in the City of Brookhaven,
State of Mississippi, on the night Of
January 9th, 1901, at about p. m.
Said death was caused by pistol shot
wound in the head, said pistol being in
the hands of John Sasser; and we do
declare said killing to be murder, and
name John j. Sasser as principal and
Thos. Pritchard, Ir., as accessory to
the said murder,
Witness our signature this January
20, 1901.
j. e. SEAvEY,
! S. F. MAGEE,
M. d. MCGRATH,
T. c. CRAWFORD,
| Doc SARTIN,