The professional world. (Columbia, Mo.) 1901-192?, 1902-10-17
PRELIMINARY HEARING.
Accused Murderers of E. A.
Chapman, the Brown Sta.
ton Agent, Held Without
Bond.

In the court of Justice J. f.. Boggs,
the state being represented by J. H.
Murry, county prosecuting attorney,
Allen O'Rear, one of the accused
parties in the Brown Station murder
case, waived his preliminary hear
ing and went back to Jail to await
action by grand jury. Friday was
the day set for the hearing, and
when the cases were called, that of
Charles Stephens was continued
owing to the sickness of Justice
Frazier an important witness for the
state. The others, Sam Chandler,
Gilbert Turner, VIM. McClane,
Owen Voolfolk proceeded the trial,
J. l.. Stephens appeared for Charles
Stephens, VIM. McClane, Owen
Voolfolk; Col. 8. Turner for Gilbert
Turner, and Gillespy & Conley for
Sam Chandler. Judge Boggs fixed
Stephens bOndl at $1,000, which was
given and the prisoner was released
for the present. The testimony in the
remining cases was taken down in
afterwards read to each witness, and
signed.
The interest in these cases was in
from Brown Station was present and
remained until the close. The first
witness for the State was DR.. Rich
ards, who saw Chapman after the
murder and examined his wounds.
The Doctor had been to church in
the evening, just previous to the
murder, but did not remember to
have seen either McClane or Wool
folk there. He heard several gun
shots during the night and made an
examination of Chapman after the
coroner arrived.
An important witness was Oscar
Clay, who was assisting Chapman
at the station; he WAS present at the
time of the murder. He testified
that Allen O'Rear came to the station
early (abOut 7:3O) on the night when
Chapman was murdered, and said to
him (Clay) that Chapman would
get shot in this depot some dark
night" to which Clay responded
that the one who did it would be
caught in short time; O'Rear asked
"how in the HI will they know
who did It," went away, and in a
few minutes he returned with Sam
Chandler and Gilbert Turner;
Chandler offered some whiskey to
Clay and Chapman, which was re-
fused. After some conversation
Chandler asked Clay if he and Chap
man would go out with him and
have some fun. Witness testified
that Chandler said they were going
to whip Stephens and Chapman and
run them away from town. Clay
communicated these threats to
Chapman and wired Mr.. Scurlock,
the agent at Columbia to send him
pistol by the Wabash conductor
when the excursion train came out
that night. When the accused par
ties appeared at the door and asked
to be admitted, Clay says that he
unlocked the door, partially opened
it and that Chapman blew out the
light and went to the door where
two people appeared with something
over their faces and fired the shot
which killed Chapman. When
Chapman fell backward on the sta
tion floor the witness CLAY was
frightened and took refuge in the
coal bin; some time afterwards he
came out, saw a man at the bay win
dow with pistol and two men going
north; another man was climbing
the fence near that point; witness
then ran to the home of DR.. Mon
tague, yelling murder. The first
time O'Rear appeared alone, the sec
Ond time accompanied by Chandler
and Turner; he did not recognize
Voolfolk or McClane at the door
when shooting was done. Clay did
not know of any difficulty Chapman
ever had with McClane or Wool
folk and never knew of their having
thrown rocks around the depot or of
their gambling. Turner WAS drink.
ing when at the depot.
f.. Il. Crews, q merchant at Browns
Station and former partner of K.
f. Stephens was another witness
for the state. He testified that
Gilbert Turner had been clerking at
his store and boarding at his house;
that he had occasion to go to his
room occupied by Turner and did
not think that Turner was in the
house when the shot was fired; after
few moments absence he returned
to the room and found Turner in the
act of retiring in the dark; when he
asked Turner about q disturbance
at the depot, Turner replied he had
not heard any disturbance.
L. j. Brown, another witness knew
all the prisoners; he heard that after
noon of the trouble of Chapman and
Stephens and that O'Rear had told
Arch Turner that they were going
to take Chapman out and whip him.
He passed O'Rear and Chandler on
the sidewalk as he came from
church.
The hearing was continued Sat-
urday morn ing, when, after speeches
by attorneys, Judge Boggs promptly
announced that the prisoners would
be held without bail.