Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1909-12-01
SHOT TO DEATH
The Killing of William Bailey
by Tom Clark

by Tom clark
About noon last Saturday Ton
Clark shot William Bailey in the
tLigh aud beat him over the head
with a hammer until be was
killed. I be tragedy occurred on
lower Main street, short distance
below the Blue Hotel, in q clothes
pressing room run by Godfrey
Rome. All the parties involved
are negroes. Clark claims that
Bailey was unduly intimate with
his wife, and for that reason he
killed him.
The murder was horribly brutal.
Clark saw Bailey 60 into the pres.
sing chop and shortly afterwards
followed him with double barrel
shot gun, intent on taking the
life OF Bailey. One shot was fred,
when Bailey grabbed hold of the
gun, and Clark retreating dragged
bis opponent outside the door onto
a platform, then picked up ham.
mer and struck blow after blow on
the mans head, crushing the
skull. The struggle, it seems, was
silent one 80 far as words are
concerned, as witnesses STATE that
during the conflict DO words were
uttered by either. After the
crime was committed Clark came
up town to Tailor Jackson and
gave himself up, stating that he
had shot William Bailey. Clark
was looked I'D.
Several months ago Clark and
his wife, Lydia Clark, entered into
q written agreement OF separation.
each rot to Interfere with the
other. The wife left her husbands
home and rented a room in the
house where tie tragedy occurred
An inquest was held Saturday
afternoon over the body Of Bailey
by Dr.,J. H. Laird, coroner, witt ;
he following jurors: ". S. .
4 leman, j. r. Mackey, R. G. :
rempleton. A. NJ. Monroe, G. B.
Ieech and T. H. Boley. I;
The witnesses examined were. .
George Johns. a cousin of Clark's ;
wife, who was working in the :
Dom adjoining that in which the !,
booting TOOK place, fixing lock :
N tie door. Clark's wife was =
Clark cane into the r
Dom with a gun and went out aud =
nto the other room. Shortly at. !,
erwards a shot was heard Ia the
ext room. l opened the door as =,
uickly as l could ard l saw Clark r
oming backwards out of the p
DOM, dragging Bailey who was 7
olGing on to the gun with his =
,ft hand, and his right hand be-
ind him towards his hip pocket.
4 which l saw q pistol. ran
cross the street, fearing that ="
alley might shoot at Clark. Clark q
licked up my BANNER and hit y, "
alley on the head and then Bailey =
Z go the gun ard lay back on mis- "
# side. He afterwards turned u d
most on his back. Johns ststt d =, "
at be had heard Clark gay that ~
he caught Bailey with lis wife "
: talking tn her one Of them would :"
ave TO Gle.
Johns testimony was corrobora- "
ed by Norman Mitchell, who wit ~
.ssed the latter part of the /,
ouble, and by Godfrey Roane. 80 ~
no was present at the beginning. =, e.
itchell heard Clark say to his ".
ife: you are the cause Of this" X
le replied: II didn't do moth.
g." q,
Lydia Clark, Tom Clark's wife, oh
stified that at ~ o'clock George mr.
Lns was fixing the lock on her y;
or when Clark came IN with 10
IN wrapped in an overcoat. In M
after be went out a gun bo
OF was heard In the next room, =
d abe ran out to the corner OF
0 house. Saw Clark cvme out NJ
ling Bailey, who was leaning
err and holding to the gun. She WI
10 excited and screamed.
The verdict of tho jury was:
he safd William Bailey came to
J death by reason of q shot
n wound and wounds on the an
nd with a hammer" Il ,
In tn interview with Clark
'nday ~ Jail, he said that Bailey
4 been intimate with his wife
seven yeare, nd that lie had
rned them both. He saw Bailey
into the pressing shop last
urday and he followed him for
purpose of killing him. As
n as he entered tb. chop Bailey
bbed the gun and in the strug-
he was shot. Bailey then
W his pistol and attempted to
OF.
tuesday, morning Clark was
en- before Justice Senseney and
virga preliminary hearing the
} WAS sent on to the grand jury.
lark killed a man some years
in amherst county, but he was
uitted on the ground OF selfde
'e. A few years ago he spent
.rpl vaura in M ipauna apylur.