The Forrest City times., 1904-08-26
John Williams, Negro Ex-Conyict and Desperate,
 Pays the Penalty Of His Bloody Deeds.
Reloaded His Pistol as He Ran and Dies Shooting at Other Officers, Who Narrowly Escaped Fate of Their Friends.

' ] Muiphree to "come on, he's gone y i The two officers then followed Williams actoSs the railroad, and uutl they got to the corner of Fussell's Iot, just west of the lIon Mountain Railway, known AS tbe city pound. Swan says that when thtv were within thirty or forty feet of Williams he saw him working his hands Tn front of him. and said to ! Hurphrpe, T believe he IS getting his pun. The officers then both pulled their pistols, and Murphree, who was slightly in the lead at this moment, raisfd his pistol on his left arm and pointing it toward the negro, said, drop it, John, or l will hut you.' As he said that the negro wheeled and fired the fatal shot.
 Murphree wheeled with his face to swan, dropped his gun, and went down on his back. As he fell Williams fired a second time at him and Swan then i fired at the negro who was behind an electric light pole from him. The bull let went through the edge of the pole. through ladder in the front yard aud lodged in II. " PasIay's doorstep, narrowly missing Mrs. Paslay and her baby who were in the yard. The ne- gro then fired twice at swan, the first shot going very wide but the other dangerously near the deputy's head, and as swan stepped back he fired q second tune at the negro, and thinks beyond doubt that he hit him, as he wheeled around and started to tIOt off His pistol failed to fire again, and as he started to pick up Murphree' pistol, Murphree said to him, My God, Bob, come and pick me up, 1 believe he's kill ed me. Bob had started topursue the negro, but paused when his fellow off cer appealed to him, and he returned to his side, helped him To his feet and took him Tn his arms, thus holding hlm until htip arrived when he was taken to Shields X Hambleton's drug store.
 Just as swan raised Mur9hree in his arms, Tom Johnson arrived on the scene, and Swan told him to pick tip Murpree's pistol and net let the negro get away. Johnson started after the negro, but met bis wife who begged hlm not 10 go, and he stopped.
 Swan went as far as the railroad with Murphree, where they were met by the quickly gathering crowd He saw Rhlnbolt and Scott or their horses and asked somebody to take his place. and told Rainboit the negro had gone north and not to let mm get away. Swan then ran mp to holbreS saloon and asked for pistol, and when he got Il, went into Nelson'S saloon and procur- ing another, mounted Laaghinghouse's s mare and joined in the chase When he got opposite the Iron Mountain de | pot he heard the shooting, and says that when he rode up to the side of the st able lot someone remarked Il believe he has killed Rainboltn As he walked into the lot the negro was lying there, and looked up at him, and he emptied one of his pistols in his head and went around to where Rainbot was lylng Rainbult said to him Bob, don't let them move ne; let me rest while am here-I want to see my baby" A cot was brought but the dying marshal re- qaested Bob to not let them move him, saying, put something under my head and let me resto Swan took off his coat and placed it gently under the head of the officer, mounted his horse and went for d Doctor. He saw Dr Mcknight and the Dr. mounted Willie i Pearson's horse aud went to the mar Shal at once.
 Returning 10 the negro: When he was shot by swan he ran north to the alley between the PaSay and Evans 1 homes, west through the alley. and north on the stleet between the G E ] Pettus and w. S. Durborow homes, out by Capt Merwin's over the barbed wire fence, through the cornfeId and into the barn of MT. N F. h. gram, and as he passed Pettus he was holding his side, as though shot l He was discovered in the barn and Rainbolt ordered him to come out. He l did so. aHd came shooting, and was killed after be had mortally wounded 1 City Marshal Rainbplt,
 Marshal Ranbalt was up about the center of the business portion of town when the first firing began, and imme- dlatey mounted bis horse and started in pursuit. He was joined by Night Maj Shal W. A . Sestt and they arrived at the Ingram place just ahead of MT. Swan, and discovered the negro in the barn. He was commanded to come out and surrender, and replied by shooting Marshal Ralnbolt through the bowels. As RaiR bolt fell he brought the negro to the ground with shot from his sistOA enj Swan having ar.