The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-12-11
Y .-. VI Innocent Witness Shot
 in Neck. DRAMATIC HOMICIDE
 IN MONTGOMERY Shooting Created Panic in Crowded
 Street. Barr Was Crased With Drink and Fired His Pistol at Random on Commerce and Bibb
 Streets.

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 Crazed with drink. firing his pistol at random while the streeta were crowded. painfully wounding Richard Galatas and narrowly missing killing Patrolman Dillard Paul, F. M. Barr. of Luther's Store, Marengo County was shot down by Patrolman James Searcy at Commerce and Bibb streets last night at 10 o'clock. Barr died in- stantly. and young Galatas was carried tc a nearby drug store where hfs wound was dressed.
 The killing of Barr was one of the most dramatic homfcides that has been committed in Montgomery fin long while. A dozen persons stood on the street and watched the duel between Officer Searcy and the half demented man. Though of the most intense dramatic nature the tragedy was enact ed in the space of less than one minute.
 Just where Barr came from when he appeared at Bibb and Commerce streets is not known by the police. but there are q dozen eye witnesses who saw him when he arrived at the point where he was killed. Those who first saw tho man stated that he was staggering almost in q circle in the middle of the street, and was tugging at something in his pocket. He finally pulled out his
 
 and commenced pulling the trigger. Several shots were fired in the middle of Commerce street before Officers Searcy and Paul arrived on the scene.
 Created Panic.
 As soon as Barr commenced firing the widest confusion prevailed. Everyone in the zone of the crazed mans fire sought safety with the ex- ceptfon of few who were just emerg- ing from moving picture show in the vicinity. and who knew nothing of what was transpiring. Tn this group was young Galatas. who saw the drunken man just as the officers were approaching him. Galatas and his companion at first thought that Barr raised his pistol to his face. but when the officers were within a fewsfeet qof him they saw him extend his arm and say Don't come up on me" There was a flash and one bullet sped down the street in the direction of the rapidly scattering crowd Aiming toward the officers the second time Barrs pistol was pointed directly at Galatas and his companion. The young man said he tried to get out of range. but before he could fall to the ground he felt the bullet strike him in the neck.
 Immediately Officer Searcy conn menced shooting. three bullets enter Ing bdTT FDOuS, diHiOSt any OHe OA which would have caused death Just how many shots were fired altogether is not known, the number being vari- ously estimated at from eight to twelty,
 After being shot Barr staggered . few feet and fell on the crossing of Commerce street near the northwest corner. He was permitted to lay Coroner Tice was notified and sent an ambulance to remove the remains to his undertaking establishment.
 At the office of Coroner Tice an ex- animation of Barr's body disclosed that he was shot In three places, all of the wounds being on the right side. One bullet entered the right shoulder near the joint of the arm, another entered the right breast just below the nip pie. puncturing the right lung, and the third entered the abdomen just below the diaphragm, and slightly to the right of the navel.
 Drew His Pistol.
 According to statements made by witnesses who were standing on the came down Bibb Street from towards Perry. When he reached the corner of Bibb and Commerce he stopped in the middle of the street and drew his pistol. Some claim that he fired five shots in the air, two of them being aimed diKectly down Commerce Street toward the fountain. Others claim that Barr fired only three shots before the officers arrived on the scene.
 From the best evidence obtainable, it appears that the fourth shot fired by Barr. which was aimed at the ap- preaching officers, was the one which struck young Galatas in the neck. The fifth shot grazed Officer Paurs left temple, the fire from the revolver scorching his hair.
 When Barr fired the first shot Pa trolmen Paul and Searcy were near the corner of Bibb and Commerce. the corner. As Barr turned to fire north on Commerce Street Policeman Searcy started toward him, closely fol- lowed by Patrolman Paul. The of- ficers were moving rapidly. but before they reached the drunken man he turned and saw them when they were within a few feet of him.
 The officers say that if Barr said anything to them they did not hear him.
 GaIatas Gets Shot.
 It was just at the time that Barr turned around and faced the officers that Richard Galatas and c. C. Par tin came out of a moving picture show and started toward Commerce and Ribb Streets They were crossing Commerce Street when they saw the officers and the drunken man. The first shot fired brought Galatas to his knees with a wound in the neck. The bullet entered just below the point of the right jaw. ranging slightly downward and coming out under the chin. It narrowly missed the jugu- lar vein.
 oficer Searcy said he thought he could take the man without shooting so he did not take his pistol from un- derneath his coat while coming up on Barr. When Barr fired the first shot at him he jerked open his coat and got his pistol out. but while doing this Barr fired another shot at him but missed again. Searcy then began shooting point blank at the man. He fired five times
 It was stated by the police that tho only reason they can give for Barr having missed the officers was that he was too drunk. He shot point blank, but his unsteady condition was not conductive to good clothing. Howev'