The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1908-04-03
]. 7. LOWE KILLS
PERCY N. HOUSTON.
Trouble Originated Oter Election Of
Levee Board Offlcers.

Ihe Iommerciai Appeal Oh Iuesda.
morning, March 3lst, gives the follow
ing account of an unfortunate TRACED,
at Tunica, Miss, on last Monday after
noon, which is greatly deplored by the
people Of the Delta:
I "PercS Nj. Houston, recently elected
secretary and treasurer of the Yazoo
Mississippi levee board. was shot and
almost instantly killed by J. T. Lowe, Q
prominent attorney, on the main street
of Tunica, Miss, shortly before 0 O'Clock
yesterday afternoon. Only one shot
+ wsao,Ared, the ball striking houston
in the temple and entering his brain,
causing death within ffteen minutes.
The tragedy occurred in the presence
of more than fifty people.
Two theories Of the shooting are ad-
vanced. One Is that the killing was the
outgrowth Of a quarrel growing ont Of
the election of D. A. Scott as president
and Houston as secretary and treasurer
OF the levee board and ADMINISTRATION
into that election ordered by Gov. Noel,
while the other is that the killing was
the result Of words beginning in a joke,
which rufIled the feelings Of both men
and led to the firing Of the fatal shot.
Lowe is in the custody Of the sheriff
awaiting hearing April 2. Houston
will be buried at Walden, Miss, to-day.
The killing occurred on the main
street between the Allen and Owens
stores. There were a number of eye
witnesses.
HAD WORDS SHORTLY BEFORE.
About half hour preceding the trag-
edy some words had passed between the
two men growing out of the meeting OF
the Tallahatchie drainage district meet
ing, but they separated. Just before
the tragedy they met again, and Lowe
claims he asked Houston about the foul
words Houston applied to him; that he
demanded retraction, and that Houston
reached for his weapon, and he then
fred.
Both men were armed. Conflicting
statements we're made as to whether or
not Houston drew his weapon. Lowe
asked him II he had applied a foul name
to him and demanded that he retract
the words. This demand some OF the
witnesses state was repeated three
times before the shot was fired which
ended Houston's life.
W. L. BANKsToN's STATEMENT.
W. l.. Bankston of Tunica last night
gave the Commercial Appeal the follow
ing statement as to the tragedy:
"Lowe and Houston had been the best
of friends, but it appears their spirits
had been ruilled by joke. Just who
started the joking is not known but
when the trouble first arose Houston was
heard calling Lowe vile names. ] heard
Lowe saw 'You ought not have talked to
me that way He had hardly spoken
these words when Houston reached for
his pistol. Lowe seeing this reached
for his own gun and flrd before Hous-
ton could get his gun from his pocket.
The ball entered his brain, killing him
almost instantly. Fifty or one hundred
delta men saw the shooting, many plant
ers and prominent citizens being in at
tendance at the Tallabatchie Drainage
Commission"
Rev. 8. J. Myers Of Tunica witnessed
the shooting.
Sam Houston, brother Of the dead
man, stated last night that the two men
were good friends until the levee board
election at which time Lowe opposed
the election OF Scott and Houston NJ
president and secretary and that he
was sure Lowe had been interested in
the investigation Of that election or
dered by Gov. Noel. He stated further
that the shooting was uncalled for, that
both had been good friends and their
families had been friends. He stated
his brother had disclaimed using any
vile epithets about Lowe that Lowe had
asked Houston to get his gun and they
would shoot IL out.
BOTH MEN or FAMILIES.
Houston is survived by his wife and
three daughters. Lowe Is married and
has five children. Lowe Is son-in-law
Of n. G. Irwin, one of the wealthy and
influential citizens Of Tunica.
Houston's body will be taken to
Walden, Miss, Tuesday and Inferred
there.
Following the tragedy Lowe was
taken into the custody Of the sheriff
and will be given hearing April 2.