The Paducah sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1898-1906, 1906-02-07
ColOrcd Cook Shot Down by
king DOdo'' on Kentucky Ave.
Clarence Powell Says That Miller
Was Advancing With
Poker.
HELD FOR wILLFUL MURDER

Clearance Powell, alias king Do
do" colored, shot and instantly kill
ed George Miller. colored. in the sa-
loon OF Charles Smiley, colored. on
the south side of Kentucky avenue
between First and Second streets
this morning about o'clock. Four
shots were fred, three taking effect
and Miller died instantly one of che
balls penetrating his forehead There
we're several with esses TO the shoe
ing. but II was unexpected and done
so quickly that they had no time TO
interfere. Both men had worked to-
gether for months. and while the,:
attitude towards one another was
not exactly friendly. II was not hos
tile.
The Smiley place is divided into
two departments. the first being
saloon and second restaurant, anc
Powell was employed as handy boy
or porter about the bar. Miller was
employed as cook in the restaurant.
Each held foolish pride in his place
and often this would excite them to
petty quarrels. never ending in seri-
Gus trouble, however. In fact. they
we're continually in quarrel when
the proprietor went out or turnec
his back. and the patrons of the
place soon became used to their con-
duct.
smiley has three stoves In his
place. one being in the saloon. one
a the restaurant and another in the
extreme rear. He provides three
shovels. one for each stove, and Mil
Ter lost his shovel yesterday and this
morning. IL seems, borrowed Pow
ellis without the latter's consent.
This was the thing that prompted
the trouble which led to the shooting
Powell sleeps In the saloon and
carries the key. Miller has been com.
ing to the saloon. knocking on the
door and waking Powell up. the lat
ter unlocking and admitting him SO
that he can MAKE a fire and prepare
to cook They had several words
previously in regard TO Miller's wax
ing Powell. and this morning shortly
before daybreak Miller knocked and
getting no response repeated. Pow
ell finally unlocked the door and adj
mitted Miller. They quarreled but
Miller went about his work.
The two continued the alteration,
and after Miller had cleaned the
stove IN his department, started TO
the front with Powell's shovel. Pow
ell and Miller had up to this time
done all the talking. Lee Harrison.
Jack Mckay, John Long and Henry
Ghoston were standing at the bar
with Powell nearby in the saloon de-
partment. Miller was in the restau-
rant department advancing with the
shovel intending to give 1t back 10
Powell.
Powell at this juncture exclaimed
as tired of yo' niggers Raging me,
and intends toe kill about 90 OF yo',"
and with this pulled a pistol and be-
gan to shoot at Miller. -Four shots
as near as can be learned. were fired,
but II was done so quickly that the
spectators wefs powerless to inter
fere.
Miller dropped dead to the floor on
his face. Three bullets took effect.
one striking over the left eye aud
two in the top of his head. One bull
let came out the side near an ear and
carried with it brains. II is said
that any one of the three wounds
would have proven fatal.
The shooting attracted crowd
and officers were soon on the scene
and placed Powell under arrest. He
was taken to the city hall and the
body of Miller to the Mattil-Efnger
undertaking shops by order of Cor
oner Eaker.
All eye witnesses to the affair were
seen by a reporter this morning and
all corroborated the story of Harri'
son. who related 1t to a reporter IN
the presence OF the other three wiz
nesses. Smiley. the proprietor, had
just come in with basket of mar
keting and did not even suspect that
anything more than the usual quar-
rel was being INDUCED in. He heard
the shots and ran out to find Miller
dead Smiley narrowly missed being
wounded by one bullet. which struck
the door near where he was stand
ing.
The witnesses say that the men
quarreied over their foolish author
ity in their respective departments