The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1904-06-12

Phone $50. "a Commerce St
said Johnny Bowen was shot in the
top of the head. i
will Bowen, being called by the
State. testified as follows:
- never knew Johnny Bowen.
know about a shooting that occurred
in the jail on last Saturday night. i
was in the Jail at the time. When Mr..
Lamar came In there he told me to
turn the fellow out whom he had ar
rested last, that he wanted to ask him
about who it was shot him; and
went to the door and turned him out,
and told him what Mr.. Lamar said;
and he (Johnny Bowen) said, where is
he, Just let me see him. Yes. Johnny
said that. 1 have heard since his name
was Johnny Bowen. but did not know
him before that night. ] opened the
cell door, and turned him out in the
hall. and he went in a rush right up
by the middle door that goes out by
the side of the hall. He went in such
rush that l went right on behind
him as quick as / could. He went in
run is what / mean by went In rush.
He went to the middle door. between
the big cage door and the front door.
MI. Lamar was SldHultlB just On blC
inside, well, l reckon about two feet
on the inside of the middle door, and
he (Johnny Bowen) grabbed at Mr..
Lamar's gun as he went by, trying to
take 1t from him. Yes, Bowen grabbed
at the gun. Mr.. Lamar had the gun.
He failed to get the gun as he went
by. and started right back to Mr.. La
mar again. Mr.. Lamar did not have
time to get the gun up, just held 1t up
in his hand this way Indicating the
movement by which the shot WAS made
with a motion of his left arm) and FIR
ed. That Is all that occurred there. He
was right at Mr.. Lamar when he shot
him. just out of reach of the gun-Mr.
Lamar just pushed the gun right up in
his hand. l don't think that Johnny
Bowen had anything in his hands at
the time. Yes, sir, Tin reply to a ques-
toni when I turned Johnny out of the
cell, he asked. where is he, just let
me see him. He didn't ask any ques-
lions at adjust tried to take the gun
from Mr.. Lamar. He got hold of the
gun, and Mr.. Lamar tore 1t aloose
from him by some means, and got him
off from a little piece; and Johnny
started back at him again; and Mr.. La
mar just had room to push the gun up
in his hands, like that illustrating the
motion.)
1.-The shooting occurred down stairs
in the Jail At that time Mr. Lamar
and Johnny Bowen were in the hall.
There are two halls in the Jail. one
where the cages are, and one in front,
by the misdemeanor cells. They were
in the front room or hall. The door be-
tween these compartments was not
locked do not know whether the door
leading into the side yard was locked
or not, l am satisfied though, 1T was.
Yes, sir, 1 have related everything
I know about it-everything said and
occurred there at the time. Johnny
Bowen talked to some, said he was in
Jail about a pistol-said Mr. Lamar ar
rested him. Yes sir. said he was ar
rested about a concealed pistol. No.
that was not all he said He said he
knew Mr. Lamar, and that he gave ;he
other fellow who shot Mr.. Lamar the
pistol to shoot him with. Mr. Lamar
did not hear Johnny say that. Yes sir,
Mr.. Lamar had been shot before this at
Chehaw.'
"On cross-examination of Will Bow
en-, he said:
"'Mr. Lamar is an officer. holds the
position of deputy sheriff. Yes, as dep
uty sheriff he had charge of the jail
When Mr.. Lamar came in the Jail last
night, he appeared to be wounded--hiS
head was wrapped up and his right
arm was just like 1t is now Indicating
the condition of the defendant, whose
right arm was in sling and head ban
dagedO There was light in the iaIl
that night--a small light. The light
was sitting down on the floor in the
hall. Yes sir, / said that this boy told
me in the Jail that he was the ole
that gave this man the pistol that shot
Mr.. Lamar at Chehaw. When 1 told
Toh ~
to see him to find out who shot MIN,
he said where is he, just let me see
him. Yes sir. when he got out of the
cage, he went off in the direction
Mr.. Lamar
"Cn redirect examination of Will
Bowen he said:
"At the time of the shooting, this
boy had nothing at all in his hands as
far as l could see. Johnny Bowen was
a medium man-welghed about $50
pounds, / reckon.
20. Mr.. Lamar Is a very strong
man physically, isn't hep
"A. I don't know sir.
L don't know exactly what time 1t
was when this shooting occurred, but
it was about first dark. At the time
came out of the cell and up
to the time he shot him, Mr.. Lamar
was standing In the door. 1t was the
middle door between the back cage
and the front door. He was just on
the inside of that door when he shot
the boy. The boy fell in the hall,
staggered and fell. in the front hall.
When he came out of the cell, the boy
didn't give Mr.. Lamar time to say
anything to him. All JOHNNY Bowen
said was, where is he, just let me see
him Mr.. Lamar didn't say anything
except to tell me to turn him out, and
that was what the boy replied to me.
Just as soon as he got to where Mr..
Lamar was he tried to take his gun
from him Johnny was in the cell
when Mr. Lamar went around there.
turned him out. The gun in the
hands of Mr.. Lamar was a Winchester
rifle When Mr.. Lamar came around
there to ask me to turn him out. 1t
was the first time I had seen him since