The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1908-07-03
CLIFFORD T0UART FATALLY
SHOOTS HIS WIFE AT MILTON

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The firing attracted Mr. Sti1son and
| Others who FASTENED to the assist
ance of Mrs Touart, but were pre-
vented from going to her side i'm
mejiately by Touart. who stood over
! the Frustrated form of his wife and
! waving the still smoking revolver,
{ threatened to kill anyone who ap-
/ preached He stood at the gate in
| a menacing attitude for some time,
| even. preventing the passage of work
| men going TO their work - the
Ste1rns- Culver mill He finally left
after obtaining the services oe a
eolored boy to lead him to place
of conceaiment in the nearby swamp
! He gave the boy a dOlla~ - his
Guidance
TOuart. after wandering for a short
time in the direction of the railroad,
| fSf2Ily returned {. the scene of
the tragedy. hiding behind a chicken
house in the rear &C Mr. Stinson
residence. where he was captured by
Sheriff Mitchell and Deputy Mann,
who hurried to the 5000 as soon
as the tragedy was reported.
Sheriff Mitchell and his deputy ap-
preached the building from opposite
simultaneously called upon Touart to
| surrender. Touart was taken com
pletely by surprise and gave UP with
out struggle, although as he was
armed il was expected he would
show fight. When taken. the revOl-
yer with which the shooting was
done was found in his pocket hav-
ing been reloaded. He also nad an
open knife in his hand when cap
tured. The only remark he made
when called upon 6- +ts=--eu up his
hands was: 81 surrender"
DOESN'T REMEMBER HIS CRIME.
| At the Jail Touart at first had
nothing to say but finally told the
writer that he had no recollection
whatever of the shOoting-in fact had
no recollection of anything that bod
transpired from the afternoon of the
previous day until he found himself,
manacIed, in the custody of Sheriff
Mitchell. He expressed regret over
the shooting but seemed unable to
realize the seriousness of his crime
He CLAIMED TO BE ILL.
During his residwence at the nome
of Mr. Stinson. TouaTt has had no
employment and made no attempt
TO secure work He claimed to be
| Ill and unable to do anythign and
passed the time sitting around the
house paying but little attention to
anything that transpired.
One of TouaFt's near relatives call
ed upon him after his arrest, but he
failed to show any signs of recOgni-
ton. He, however, Immediately rec
orniZed the writer at the Jail calling
him by name and expressing pleasure
at the visit Asked if he whnted
- rxld
De daZed said no. but finally asked
for some tobacco and a box Of
matches. which were furnished. He
then rolled a cigarette and smoked 1t
with apparent relish.
MOTHER AT SCENE.
Touarts mother, Mrs. Josephine
Touart. and his sister-in-law, Mrs.
Will Touart, both of Pensacola
came to the scene o. the tradegy
upon a launch, arriving shortly af-
ter two o'clock Both were great
" affected by the affair, Touart'S
mother especially so, cOndemning the
crime of her son in unmeaSured
terms and saying she had no desire
to ever see his face again. She re-
manned at the bedside of the dying
woman, doing what she could to al
leviate her suffering.
DYING WOMAN TALKS
Late this afternoon Justice of the
Peace L. NJ Rhoda- visited the
home of Mr. Ben Jernigan and Sc
cured a statement from Mrs. Touart.
Although gradually growing weak
er Mrs. Touart would not admit tlat
she believed death near and, although
her remarks were considerably dis
connected. the folloging statement,
representing in substance, the vic
tins knowledge OF the tragedy, has
been given out by Mr.. Rhoda:
4 : ave been trying to get home
for the past two wesks-I thought
they didn't want us to stay any long
er, and / asked Clifford last night
If he was going home this morning
as l said / was He said, Yes, going
home in the neck and made motion
towards his neck with his hand. We
have our furniture in a warehouse
at Pensacola and the rent is due
and / wanted to get it out. He said
I shouldn't go I asked Uncle Char
lie this morning to take me across
to Bagdad in a skiff and then I
asked Mr.. Jernigan. When / start
ed to the gate Clifford went in the
hoISe and put on his coat, then
came out and followed me to the
gate and shot me three times. CliS