The Paducah sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1898-1906, 1905-12-22
Judge LightfoOt Decided Today
That it Was Case of Accident.
Mrs. vclla Gholson Had Nd Intention
of Shooting, the Evidence In
dicated.
SHE WAS PROMPTLY RELEASED.

Mrs. Vella Gholson, arrested yes
terday as the slayer of w. NJ. Pryor
in the Clarks river section yesterday
morning about o'clock, was given
a preliminary hearing before County
Judge Il. T. Lightfoot at the county
court house this morning, and ac-
quilted of the charge.
Judge Lightfoot after hearing the
testimony, decided that the shooting
was accidental. No witnesses for the
defense were necessary to show this,
and the prisoner was not introduced
II will be remembered that Pryor
and Mrs. Gholson had been in dis
pute over the boundary line of their
farms. Mrs. Gholson was clearing
her ground and sent out Bob Water
Held. colored. farm hand, and his
son, to cut down. the trees. Pryor.
the evidence showed, went out and
stopped the negroes. Mrs. Gholson
sent the men back the following
morning, yesterday, and Pryor again
attempted to interfere
She anticipated that he would
again try to prevent the trees being
cut down, and seems to have picked
up an old pistol that could hardly
be made to shoot, and on her way
over loaded the cylinder.
She took it principally as a blum,
and II is claimed by her attorneys
had no intention of shooting it at
anyone.
Pryor saw her coming, however
and became alarmed when he saw
the pistol, and attempted to take 1t
away from her. Pryor, ii is said,
had advanced and was on her land
at the time.
He asked what she was going to
with that" meaning the pistol, and
as he got within reach grabbed her
around the body. with her head un-
der one of his arms.
The witness testified that at this
time the pistol wsf still "broke' and
when Pryor grabbed 1t, his hand
came down over the cylinder. the
gun snapped to and exploded Pryor
fell back. The sound of the shot
and the fact that Pryo released her
surprised Mrs. Gohlson to such an
extent that she let go the weapon
Pryor retained it in his grasp as he
fell
Johnson a farm hand of Pryor's
was witness and,picked the pistol
up and returned IT to the woman.
The other eye witness to the kill
ing was Bob Waterfeld, colored. and
Mrs. Gholson's boy The stepson OF
the negro ran away when Pryor be-
| gaH swearing about cutting down the
tree. and did not see any of the
| trouble.
Waterfeld and Johnson were the
only witnesses heard, and when Their
evidence was in, Judge Lightfoot
stated that he did not care to hear
any defense testimony, as he had
made up his mind.
He stated that the shooting, rom
every fact adduced was purely acct
| dental. The woman had gone out
to protect her rights, as she saw
them. and had been seized by Pryo
before she had made a hostile move.
In his uncalled for attempt to get
the pistol away from her. the weapon
like most old pistols that won't
shoot" or are 'unloaded," was dis
charged, and Pryor was shot.
Mrs. Gholson was released today
after the warrant issued against her
yesterday. had been formally dismiss
ed. This of course does not prevent
the present grand jury, or any sub
sequent grand jury, from hearing
the evidence and considering the
case.
Mrs. Gholson was confined in jail
last night, but every possible com
fort was arranged for her
There were many friends and rela-
tives of both prisoner and deceased
at the trial. and many other specta-
tors besides. The court room was
we'll crowded.
This morning Immediately after
the trial in Judge Lightfoots court,
the grand jury started investigating
the killing and examined Charles
Johnson.
After johnson had been questioned
the jury sent down after Bob Water
field, colored, but the negro had gone
They will undertake to secure him
this afternoon or tomorrow morning
and investigate the affair.
County Judge r. T. Lightfoot stat
ed this afternoon that there was no
eyidenceto show the shooting was
intentional, the only witness say
ing anything that might lead to this
being Watcrfeld who said Mrs. Ghol-