The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1909-06-10
EMMA H0[ST0N KILLED
IN A CHURCHAT MAKE


charge that after Garner gave bon,
he made a series of efforts to ge
Emma outside of the jurisdiction o
the court. Failing in this, the arres
of Emma Holston during the cour
term in which Garner was to be tried
on the charge of being vagrant
caused much comment and the police
claimed that the arrest had been made
cn the suggestion of Garner. How
' ever this may he, a number of police
officers volunteered to appear before
the justice of [, e peace court and
swear to Emmg Iolston's good char.
acter and the o. '.rers were backed up
by. other either 2. The result of the
trial was that = INA was acquitted
But the police cantinued apprehensive
as 10 what the fate of Emma Holston
would be. so when the news of the
shooting came. suspicion at once
rested on Garner.
The story Of the killing as obtain
! ed last night was that on Tuesday
night Emma Holston, just after talk
to negro audience at Make. she
! was shot three times. According to
the story a negro named John Akens
took position behind the church door
and as Emma Holston came out he
shot her.
Not being killed the wounded woman
was placed on the Gulf and Ship Island
train to be brought to Hattiesburg.
Before reaching this city Emma died.
But before dying, it is said, Emma
HOlston made statement in which
she positively stated that it was John
Akens who shot her.
John Akens has a notorious police
record of his own and with suspicion
abroad against Garner several persons
remembered seeing Garner an dAkens
on Tuesday morning together running
to catch the Gulf and Ship Island
south bound train. Akens boarded
the train but Garner did not.
Garner is reported to have been seen
early yesterday morning going to his
place of business with an mbreached
pistol in his hand. Last night after
the arrival of Emma Holston's body
and of the negro John Akens, accused
Of killing her, the police put a net |
around Garner to effect his arrest.
Garner was found by Police Officers |
Norwood and Moore and Deputy Sher- |
iff McGilvray, after a visit to Gamers |
place of business and to his room.
When the officers went to Gamers
room to see if Garner was there they
were met by the announcement made
by another negro
You can look if you want to. we
know who you are looking for, but he
has changed his clothes and done
gone"
Leaving the room the officers found
Garner talking to a woman on the
front steps of George Drakeford's
house, No. S04 Atlanta street.
AS the officers came up to him. Gar
ner is said to have asked:
Has John told you about the kill.
ing?"
Garner gave evidence of being badly
scared, and addressing the officers he
said to them:
Are you going to mob me?"
The officers found that Garner had
made an entire change of clothes and
On searching him the officers found
among other things a lot of silver
wrapped up in a pocket handkerchief.
Garner was placed under arrest with
Jhas. Gordon, another negro who had
'een previously arrested and the two
we're taken to the county jail.
Gordon is a friend of Garner being
in the restaurant business
lext door to where Garner is emplov.
ID. The restaurant is called the
None Such Cafe" and is run bv Steve
and Gordon.
Sy Garner is also known to the peo.
'le OF Hattiesburg through the fact
hat he made application to the bar
II Hattiesburg for a license to prac-
ise law before the circuit and other I
courts. Gamers letter of application
1t the time was printed in full in the
News. The Hattiesburg bar unani.
nously opposed granting Garner a Ii.
,ense.
The singular fact about Gamers
'equest to be allowed to practice law
vas made just prior to the convening
" the May term of the circuit court
which then had before 1t a grand jury
Indictment returned against Garner
charging him with attempting to bribe
emma Holston, who at the time of tho