The Adair County news., 1907-08-14
THE ASSASSINATION.
Some Particulars of the KILLING OF
J. McScOtt.
ONE. MAN UNDER ARREST

now held upon the charge of numbering
J.. McScott, former Kentuckian and
city editor of the Helena World, on
Sunday last, appears to be the victim
of too great zeal on his own part to
divert suspicion from himself. Save
for acts done in this spirit, it is not
likely that the crime would have been
so soon laid at his door.
Scott was killed in district made up
for the most part of low "dives" near
the Mississippi levee. For years this
district has been the blight of Helena,
very hot bed of crime. 1t is charged
that under the old police system the
keepers and inmates of these resorts
thrived with official indulgence.
Carruth, lately deposed from the po-
lice force, was for year a patrolman
on this beat, intimately acquainted with
all the resorts and, according to report,
spending much of his own time in the
company of these people.
'PHONED TO BARTENDER.
On the night of the murder Scott was
the last member of the World staff to
leave the office. He remained at his
desk until o'clock on Sunday morning.
1t has been learned that soon after
midnight he talked by telephone with
the night bartender of Newby's saloon
the most notorious of the resorts in
the "red light" district, which is oper-
ated in connection with anegro "board-
ing house."
Upon leaving the World office Scott
went to Newby's place. An uncon-
firmed report says that he was sum-
moned for the purpose of talking over
threatened campaign for the closing
of the dives. He was seen in the place
by several persons just before, his
death.
A further report, as yet only partly
substantiated, says that upon SCOTS
arrival some one in the saloon tried to
reach Carruth by telephone, succeeding
after several attempts, and saying to
Carruth, "Your man is here"
wATCHMAN HEARS SHOTS.
After that the story is blank until
2:3O, when merchants Waterman
named Bailey, walking his rounds up
town, heard the shots fired which killed
Scott. 1t is said that pistol shooting
is of frequent occurrence in the levee
district at all hours of the night, so
Bailey gave no particular heed. Meet
ing Charles Sanders, Deputy, County
Clerk, he stood for a time with the
latter, decussing the matter.
The two were together for from
twenty minutes to half an hour, when
Carruth joined them. Greeting San
ders, he invited him to drink. Nearby
saloons were open, but Carruth insisted
upon going to Newby's place. On the
sidewalk before the door of this saloon
Carruth himself found the body of
Scott, unconscious, shot through the
neck and head.
Carruth's first exclamation was:
"God, Charlie. I'm glad you happened
to be with me. They might have said
that did it,
BODY IN LAMPS GLARE.
The body lay in full glare of an arc
lamp, which hung at street corner
only few yards away. Many persons
were in the saloon when the shooting
occurred. The night bartender declared
that he went to the door when he heard
the shots and looked carefully up and
down the street, but saw nothing. The
body was within half dozen steps of
where he stood.
From the time of the shooting until
the time of Carruth's arrest the ac-
cused man was continually haunting
the scene of the murder, making pains
taking inquiry concerning every step of
evidence that might hint at suspicion.
His interest was acute.
Three times within the week preced-
ing SCOTS death it is known that Car
ruth deliberately sought fight with
him, approaching him on the street
with profane taunts and abuse, and
threatening to kill if the chance was
ever offered. At each of these times
Scott avoided trouble by keeping
silence and walking away.
NEGRO MEETS FLEEING SLAYER.
A negro has been found who AYERS