Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1906-11-09
foul MURDER.
Calvin rlorgan. an Old -colored
Man, Shot Down at His
Own Door
JAMES SIRoN, A WHITE NE1GHBoR.
ACCUSED, AND Now
LOCKED Up.

LOCKED Up.
The people of our law abiding
peace-loving little county were hor
rified on Friday night last to learr
that a cold. blooded murder hat
been committed within her borders
lin spite of the fact that the victim
was an humble old negro, the ides
Of murder seems foreign to our ma
ture and environments, so seldom
have we heard the charge preferred
and the deliberate taking OF a hu-
man life in Highland carries with
| a feeling Of horror that cannot be
appreciated by communities where
crimes are rife and where the eye
and ear have become accustomed
to scene of blood shed.
The message as it was first given
out over the wires on Friday night
was that "Cal Morgan had been
shot and killed by Jim Siron,' and
persistent inquiry brought out but
few details until the coroner's in
yestigation, which took place on
Saturday.
Calvin Morgan, the murdered
man. was well-known colored man,
about 60 years Of age, and was
born and reared on the Bullpasture
River, near where crime was COM
mitted. He lived in an old house
near the McKendree church, be-
tween Mcdowell and Doe Hill,
and. on the evening OF the murder,
his wife, married daughter and
husband and the colored preacher,
Rev Clifford, of Harrisonburg, we're
present with him.
About s o'clock he was called to
the door by James SiroB, as the
evidence shows, and he responded
by starting toward the fence or
gate, some ten steps away. AS be
did so Jim called to him, "Cal. I'm
going to shoot YOU" "Oh, no, |
reckon not" was the reply, but,
seeing the man level his weapon
Morgan turned to run and received
the contents Of a shotgun in his
body. The left hand was in his
pocket and the wrist was torn away
as the load passed over the hip
bone and into the bowels. A terri
BILE wound was made. and the bow
els protru1ed as the victim was car
ried into the house. DR. Siron was
called, but the old man died few
minutes after his arrival, living
less than two and a half hours.
He was told that he could only
live short time and his ante-mor.
tenn statement was asked for. With
out expressing any doubt, he nam.
ed James Siron, a white man, and
one of his near neighbors, as the
slayer. Said he recognized his voice,
having often been called out by
him on previous occasion, The
other mem bers of the family, it
may here be stated, testified also
to plainly recognizing the voice.
Sheriff Arbogast CHANGED to be
in the immediate ne ighborhood,
and was soon on the ground, and
magistrates Eagle and Jones, were
also notified. When arrested, Sirop
was at home in bed. His home is
situated, from the scene Of murder,
about one-half mile.
THE ACCUSED
James Siron is an illegitimate
son Of Margaret Malcomb, nee ST.
ron, He is of stout build, about 35
years old, regular features, and is
regarded as rather good looking
fellow. He is addicted to drink,
and has for a wife, Stella Siron,
who bears an unsavorv reputation
in this county, having at one time
been arraigned for conducting
disorderly house. 1t remains to be
developed to what extent this crime
is traceable to the influences of
whiskey and her manner of life.
THE INQUEST
At an early hour Saturday morn.
ing, Commonwealth's Attorney, j.
NJ CoIaw, left for the scene, and
by noon an inquest was in progress,
with the following gentlemen act
ing: Justices, S g Eagle and A II
Jones, Messrs J L Jones, Joseph
Siple. Joseph Armstrong, } M ST.
ron, j H Armstrong, II q Botkin.
Aside from tie members of the