The Cairo bulletin., 1905-12-23
KENTUCKY WOMAN
PROMPTLY FREED
Mrs. Gho'son Acquitted Of Mur-
der at Preliminary Hearing
GRAND JURY TO PROBE.
COUNTY ATTORNEY n LEAVES
COURT REFUSING TO HAVE
ANYTHING TO 20 WITH
IRREGULAR ACTS.

/ Paducah.. KY. Dec. o.. Mrs. Vela
Gholson, charged with Killing w. M.
Pryor in the Clark's river section
Thursday morning was given pre-
liminary before County, Judge r. a.
fLightfoot this morning; and acquitted
fof the charge notwithstanding CoHn-
lty Attorney Graves stated to the
court that grand jury was at at that
time investigating the case and that
as the grand Jury took precedence In
the matter, there could lawfully be
held no examining trial
Judge Lightfoot ruled that THE war
rant charging wilful murder must first
be disposed OF whereupon County AT
torney Graves left the court room, say
Ing he would have nothing to do win
a trial under such circumstances
Judge Lightfoot after hearing the
testimony decided that the shooting
was accidental No witnesses for the
defenre were necessary to show this.
and the prisoner was not introduced.
It will be remembered that Pryor
and Mrs. Ghclson had been In dis.
pute over the boundary line Of their
farms. Mrs. Gholson was clearing
her ground and sent out Bob Water
Held, colorcd. farm hand and his
| son, to cut down the trees. Pryor,
he evidence showed, went out and
stopped the negroes. Mrs. Gholson
1 sent the men back the following
morning, yesterday, and Pryor aga
attempted to interfere.
| She anticipated that he would
again try to prevent the trees being
cut down, and seems TO have picked
lip an old pistol that could hardly
be made to shoot, and on her way
yeF loaded ths cylinder
She tooh il principally as blud.
and II Is claimed Nv her attorneys
had no intention Of shooting 1t at
inycne
Pryor saw her coming, hDwese-.
and became alarmed when he saw
he pistol, and attempted to take 1t
away from her Pryor 1t IL said.
had advanced and was on her land |
| u the time
| He asked what she was going ID |
with that" meaning the p's;ol and
as he got within reach grabbed her S
around the body, with her head an. q
Ter one OF his arms.
The witness testified that at this
time the pistol was still broke" and
when Pryor grabbed Il, hts hand
came down over the cylinder. the
gun snapped to and exploded. Pryor
fell back. The sound of the shot
md the fact that Pryor released her
surprised Mrs Gholson to such an
extent that che len 20 the weapon.
Pryor retained IL in his grasp rs he
fell
Johnson, farm hand Of Pry0r's
was a witness and picked the pistol
up and returned Il TO the woman.
The other eye witness to the XIII
ng was Bob Waterheld. colored, and
Mrs. Gholson's boy. The stepson Of
the negro ran away when Pryor be-
gan swearing about cutting down the
rec. and did not see any Of the
roube.
Waterfeld and Johnson we're the
)nly Witnesses heard, and when their
evidence was In. Judge Lightfoot
stated that he did not care to hear
any defense testimony, as ne had
made up his mind
He stated that the shooting, from
every fact adduced was purely accf
dental. The woman had gone out
TO protect her rights a. she saw
them. and had been seized by Pryor
before she had made a hostile move.
In his uncslled for attempt to get \
the pistol swsy from her. the weapon
like mosi old pistols that wont \
shoot" or are "unloaded." was dis
charged and Pryor was shot
Mrs. G3oison was released after
the warrant issued against her had
been formally dismissed. This of
course does not prevent the present
grand jury. or any subsequent grand i
jury. from hearing the evidence ami
considering the case.