The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-05-12
FLORIDA TRAGEDY
DETAILS OF KILLING OF NEWCOMB
 AT WEST PALM BEACH.
Miami Paper Gives Account of the Occurrence That Resulted in s.
 The Arrest of Thomas w, ~

N
 The Miami Metropolis of May 3, gives the following account of the tragedy at West Palm Beach, for which Thomas W: Troy is in prison awaiting trial.
 The news of the shooting and kill ing of MT. George c. Newcomb. by an unknown white man at West Palm Beach yesterday afternoon. an account of which appeared in The Metropolis created a great deal of interest and much comment throughout the city, but 1t was not until the arrival of Deputy Sheriff Martin. and Marshal Barfield, at o'clock last night with the prison CT that some Of the facts connected with the crime became known.
 Immediately following the shooting of Mir. Newcomb. the man, giving his name as Thomas w. Troy, was arrest ed by Deputy sherif Martin and at :sO o'clock placed in an automobile and brought to this city for confinement in the county jail.
 The facts connected with and causing the shooting, as learned and related by MT. Martin are about as follows:
 Troy, who is lumber dealer of Hon. duras, Central America, came ashore at Palm Beach at about o'clock in the afternoon from the steamer Cecelia, said to be owned by the accused and en route to New York, he intending to go out on the night train, the object being to get to New York as soon as possible. under negro guide. MT. Troy was taken to Zapf's saloon, where he order ed a bottle of champagne and retired to one of the wine rooms to drink 1t.
 MT. Newcomb and a party of friends were at the bar, and. it Is said, invited Troy to come up and drink with them. The latter refused, replying that he had his drink before him. MT. Newcomb made some reply and words ensued, Newcomb finally going to the wine room and becoming threatening in his manner. Troy claims that Newcorr1b slapped him. and picked up his (Troy's) grip, containing valuable papers and an automatic Smith and Wesson. revolver, opened 1t and told him: There is your toy pistol use it. following the re- mark with move as If to draw wea- pon.
 Troy then secured his pistol and fired live shots into the body of MT. New comb. all of them taking .Eect about the chest, two piercing or penetrating near the heart, and causing almost in- stant death. Troy then. according to the statement of the officer, ran the other persons in the saloon out. MT. Martin was near at hand and attracted by the shots, entered the saloon. Troy endeaYored to reload his weapon, but was covered by the officer and made a prisoner
 The shooting caused considerable ex- citement in West Palm Beach, owing to the prominence of the murdered man, and soon afterwards a coroner's jury was empannelled, they finding that the accused must be given preliminary. hearing and held for an investigation by the grand jury of the Circuit Court, and possibly trial for murder. The full story will not be known until the pre- liminary examination Is held.
 Soon after being confined in the coun- ty jail, Mir. Troy wired his brother that he had killed man, and for him received a reply that his brother had left for Miami. Troy also engaged Price and Rand to aid in his defense.
 He Is confined in the first cell to the right of the Jail entrance, and is re- ceivfng courteous attention at the hands of the sheriff and other officials of his office. He Is allowed to retain his watch and ready money, though his grip. said to contain valuable papers. bonds, etc, to the value of $2,000. 900 are in the pos session of the sheriff.
 A Metropolis reporter was admitted to the jail today and asked Mir. Troy to make a statement of the occurrence that led up to the shooting by him of MT. Newcomb
 'T must decline to speak of the mat ter" he courteously replied, "as my at- torneys have advised me to do so. l ap- preciate your position as a newspaper man, but really you will pardon me for