Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1907-09-05
|HOOTING IN COACH; PANIC FOLLOWS

return to Monticello on the morning train. Whether Hardy knew of Me- Ways presence in Pine Bluff is not known. McVay, however, declares that he knew nothing of Hardy's visit here until he saw him coming toward him, with his right hand in his hip pocket, in the aisle of the Iron Noun tain passenger coach. The men were seen at Union Station previous to the trouble by parties who knew them both and who were familiar with their many differences in days gone by. Remarks were made to friends that there would likely be trouble if the two men met face to face.
 Both Enter Coach.
 John McVay was seen to climb upon the steps of the front chair car, pull ing his crutches behind him. He made his way into seat about three seats from the rear door, entering from the rear of the car McVay says he was sitting there about four or five minutes when he saw Hardy ap- preaching from the front of the car. McVay says he was startled for a minute, as he was not looking for Hardy, not knowing he was in the city. Hardy had many times threaten ed his life and when he saw him com ing toward him with his hand over his gun, he prepared to defend himself.
 Stood Up-Began Shooting.
 Pulling myself from the seat stood up and waited till he came nearer" said McVay. When he was within four or five seats of me I fired two shots. He fell across a seat. got onto my crutches and left the coach. As I alighted from the train l met my brother, Albert, who had just arrived to tell me goodbye. I told him of the shooting and asked him to take me to the sheriff.
 At that instant Acting Assitant Chief of Police J. E. Francis, who was at the station on another mission, went up and arrested McVay. He took him to Sheriff Philpot's office. He will be held awaiting the outcome of Hardy's wounds.
 AS soon as the shots were fired, Chief Francis hurried into the coach to investigate. He met B. A. Hardy in the smoking room, apparently flee ing from the car. Whats the mat ter?" asked Francis. "I'm shot," cried Hardy as he stood in crouched posi- tion, holding his stomach with his left hand. He was covered with blood Where's your gun?" inquired the po- liceman. "In my pocket" replied the wounded man.
 Chief Francis says that when he tried to get the gun from Hardy's pocket he could not do so. He had his hand over the revolver and, while in his cr0uching position, it was al- most impossible for him to get it out. Jailer Tom Meeks came up about this time and Chief Francis requested him to take care of the wounded man so he could go after the man that did the shooting. Before leaving, however, Francis succeeded, with the aid of Meeks, in pulling the revolver from Hardy's pocket.
 McVav Surrendered.
 Francis hurried out of the coach and as he ran from the Union Station sheds he confronted McVay and his brother on their way to the Sheriff s office. Here's an officer" said AL bert McVay, surrender to him. " Francis took John McVay in custody and the two brothers accompanied him to the sheriff's office. John Me- Way gave Francis his pistol before leaving the station.
 In Robinson's ambulance Hardy was taken to the emergency hospital in the western part of the city. He was accompanied by Jailer Tom Meeks and two physicians. He was received by Doctors F A. Hall and B. D. Luck at the hospital and given im- mediate medical attention. / / The shooting occasioned no little ex- citment at the Station and especially in the coach where the shooting oc- cured. The coach was crowded with