The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-10-26
theodore HOIIingSworthKiIIed
at Hotel LaF ayette.
THE CRIME OF {. |. UILEY
The Report Shows hat the De- was Utterly
UnprOvOktd. Tie Night Clerk Mr..
HOIngsWorF, Was Shot Down
at His Desk.
at His Desk.
Especial to News and Observer.

(Speelal 10 News and ObSerVer.)
Fayetteville, N. C., Oct. 25.-This morn
ing at l a, m. Ed L. Utley, of this place,
and guest of the Hotel Lafayette, shot
down and killed Mr.. Theodore Hollings-
worth, the night clerk Utey, who was
arrested shortly after the crime by Off
Ger Benton. is now in Jail. The COM
munity is deeply impressed.
The facts seem to be about as fol-
lows: Utley, who boards at the hotel, has
been drinking for some days In this
condition, he seems to be crazcd, and
for some time his actions have been the
source of annoyance to the community
Agani and again it was predicted that
sooner or later he would either kiln some
body or be killed. Being possessed of
some little means. lie has been able to
act independently. and fines heretofore
imposed for violations of town ordinances
have been promptly paid
Last night he was particularly noisy
and Objectionable. At a late hour. with
one or two young men, who were hanging
about him he raised some disturbance in
the hotel corridor. He then shot about
the corridor and at the night clerk, Mr..
Hollingsworth Later he went to his
room and reloaded his pistol After
wards Mr.. Hollingsworth went up to the
depot for officer Benton. for the purpose
of having the latter not to arrest Utley.
but to try and use his influence to get
him quie.ed
Mr. Benton came down and spoke to
utley, end shortly after left but had
hardly gone across the street wlen five
shots We're fired. He returned and found
MIR. Hollingsworth lying dead with a bull
let through his temple He saw Utlep
going ~ stairs to his room, and haarea
him and placed him under arrest. Tho
night .lerk lay Just at the end OF the
| desk, with his pistol not fired, lying be-
| tween his feet. When arrested Utley
| said he did it in "sclf defense. Utley'g
pistol was the latest Colts model, and
all the chambers were empty
The work of the coroners jury was
short, they found that Theodore Hol-
| lingsworth came TO his death by a pistol
wound from a pistol in the hands of Ed.
L. Utlev." Mr.. Theodore Hollingsworth,
brother of Mr.. Joseph Hollingsworth,
of this city, was about 54 years of age
was perhaps one of the most inoffensive
men in the State. He is we'll known at
Pinehurst, and at other points in the
State. He was an earnest Odd Fellow
and took much interest in the order
Utley is we'll connected, is about 26
years old and when sober is a young man
of most polite bearing, but, under the in
| fluence of drink, is crazy and almost ir-
responsible
it is a great shock to the community,
but teaches a most severe lesson. Some
| one, We at least know that it was not n
temperance man, made a few cents out
of a little whiskey and beer: result, an
inoffensive man shot down in cold blood
by a whiskey- -crazed man, now lying in
a felons celia dark gloom thrown over
two family circles-a pail over the whole
community. and a burden, as compared
with the profits on the whiskey. of a
thousa1d-or two thousand-to one on
the law-abiding citizens and Taxpayers
of Cumberland county.
We do not know who sold Ed l.. Utley
his whiskey and beer We are glad we
do not. We hope that it was no man in
Fayetteville. The man who did it, know
ing his condition, if be did know It, must
answer to the law, that higher law, that
calls every man to a strict account for.
the deeds done