The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1907-10-31
JOHN FORD KILLS
FERRYMAN LEWIS
TRAGEDY IN SALOON THAT
LOOKS VERY MUCH LIKE UN-
PROVOKED MURDER.
ANOTHER
Two Hours Before the Killing
Claims That Lewis Threatened
to Cut lIini--knife Found
Near Body.

John r. Ford shot aud killed Jach
Lewis about ~ o'clock last night In
| the saloon OF Newton Riddle. at the
,southeasterly corner Of Eighth street
and Commercial avenue Ford Is
proprietor Of a saloon on Ohio street
below Fourth street Lewis was a
skin ferry man, running boat regu-
larry bewteen Cairo ANA East Cairo.
Ky. The shooting was done IN the
room at Riddles back of the bar. The
cnly other living eve witness 10 tha
aet. besides Ford himself, was Ken
tnckian who was with Lewis, but who
ran out OF the place Immediately
after the shooting and crossed the
river In the skin. He could not be
seen cr heard from last night. nor
could his name be learned. but he Is
known BY sight and IS expected to
BIC here for the coroner's inquiry to-
day
The barkeeper on watch al Riddles
was Waiter Pettis. He saws Lewis
and his companion came into the
salocn and WALKED into the back
room where the stove was aud
stepped there just on the other side
Of the partition which separates the
two rooms Ford came Ia moment
ll two later and also went through
the bar into the back room, and it
was brit moment after Ford had
disappeared through the door that
the barkeeper heard the shot Lewis |
came dashing through the door from
The back room and ran through the |
bar room towards the front door. He /
passed through the screen doors at
he front and fell to the floor just in
vide the outer front door of the
ialoon, where he died after a few
lasps Ford came out OF the back /
com a moment after Lewis. walking
eisureIy, pistol In his hand, and said
the had his knife out
md tried to cut me" Pettis, fearing
7ord was following Lewis to shoot
lin again urged him to desist saving
Don't do that: let him alone" or let |
lim go
Lee Hanauer and Stats Halliday
we're at the bar drinking beer but
hey hurried from the place at once
wren the shot was fired and saw
cthing Of the affair
Ford went TO the front door and t
Then he saw Lewis lying on the floor
topped to the telephone to cali Or
ieManus, the coroner He remained
ear the body all Of the time explain
lg to people who gathered that the
ian he killed had tried to cut him II
18th a knife. and calling attention to
\ open pocket knife lying near the
cdy. as proof of his assertion. The
nife was a two bladed one Of cheap ,
lake the large blade about three and /
half inches long and qrite duh II !
as lying on the right side Of the .
cad with the h~ndle hidden under I
le shoulder or neck. Ford spoke to I
.veral about il warning them not to T
Ike IL away The body lay on its 4
Eek, mouth open. eyes staring at the y
sling through the spectacles which ;
e man wore; but there was no sign n
blood. Ford did not seem to he
UGH excited though he had evident
been drinking He freely admitted r.
at he had Filled the man. and when t
.rgeant Cowell arrived said. Il 7
,ess I'm the man you want" s.
Ford's story is that he and the dead II
an had quarrellel in Beckwlth's Ii
loon on Lower Commercial avenue b.
e said he had gone into that place /
ID invited those present to take s,
ink when Lewis. without any cause q
me at him in an angry manner aud bt
reatened him. When he came into "
ddle's place following Lewis the il
ter again started toward him with
e open knife aud he shot TO protect
nself an
Ford was taken 10 police headluar Ast