The Cairo bulletin., 1909-02-16
CORoNER'S JURY FINDS CAMP
BELL RESPONSIBLE FOR
A, S. ASkEW'S DEATH.
SHOOTING AT RABBIT
SAYS Negro But Evidence is That He
Shot at Train Men lndiscrimin-
ately-,Deceased' Mother
Frustrated.

OF A. y. ASkpN, the MODlie AZ Onl
brakeman who died Sunday mornin
from a bullet wound received while h
was at work making mp a train a
Davis Junction. The jury consiste
of Thos. 4. Fuller foreman, Gu,
Morse, Chas Desimoni, Chas Jordon
~. NJ. Powers, X. A. Hewitt The ne
gro James Campbell, who was arrest
ed for the shooting and number o
witnesses were present, and the eN.
dence was strongly against the pris
oner Among the principal witnesses
were Harry Elliott yard foreman O
the Singer Co., and James Rust whC
stated that they went out to hun
early Sunday morning, leaving the
city about 4 a. M. When they got Il
Davis Junction 1t was raining an,
they stopped to take shelter They
were met by Brakeman Askew whC
said he had been shot by a negro. an
asked them for a gun in order to 90
after the fellow, Askew grew weak
( rapidly however and they helpe
him into the cabose While they
were doing this. aud after they were
lin the caboose. several shots were
/ fired in their direction from the gray
el road They could see the flash Of
the gun and hear the bullets strike
the side of the car Robertson, the
fellow brakeman of the wounded man
went to the station, al what he con
5dered at the time a risk to his life
to notify the Cairo authorities,
Messrs. Elliott and Hurst gave NJ
their hunt and crossed over the EN-
bankment to be protected from the
bullets from the rifle, and came back
to Cairo.
Mr.. Elliott testified that Campbell
had worked at the Singer plant and
was an expert shot with the rife
The negro had given exhibitions of
his skill at various times, shooting
the head off a bird, driving a tack in
to a post with bullet and shooting
the sulphur from a match
Members Of the crew of the south
bound freight who reached Davis sta
ton before the northbound left, testi-
fed that their train was shot at by
some one on the county road shortly
before it reached Davis. One bullet
broke the glass in the engine cab aaI
flattened against the boiler This bull
let was picked up by the fireman and
offered in evidence. II was the same
size as that which killed Askew. AMI
as those carried by the rife which
Campbell had when arrested.
Other testimony showed that the
operator at Beech Ridge was notifo
TO look ont for the negro, The latter
came into Beech Ridge and the opera
tor tried to detain him. hut he would
not come into the station and went
on toward Cache Sheriff Davis was
taken to Beech Ridge on a special
engine. met Marshal Tom Wilson Of
and they followed Campbell
TO the home of his mother and
brought him to Cairo He was shoot.
Ing al a chicken when the officers
cal, upon nina
There was no evidence 10 show thar
there had been any trouble between
the negro and the man he killed. or |
even that they knew each other or |
had spoken to each other.
The Prisoners Statement.
Coroner McManus warned Camp
bell when calling upon him for
statement that be- need not make any
statement unless he wished TO do so
and that anything he might saw would |
probably be used for or against him |
as the case might be. Campbell /
stated that be was riding along the
-oad in a wagon driven by some one
yoing toward Beech Ridge. that he
Jaw a rabbit near the road and shot |
It IT, Did not know he had shot any. I
BODY.
Evidence by some vlo had ccmo /
lown the road from Beech Ridge sun
lay morning was that they had not
net any wagon and the presumption
s that Campbell walked to where he
Tas fo..>d which be could have done 1
.asily.
Held Without Bail.
The eorOner's jury was not long i'm 1
eaching a verdict. Il found that 4. 5 1
Askew came to his death by a bullet /
.red by Campbell. and ordered that
he latter be held until discharged /
BY due process Of Law.
The Dead Man.
A. s. Askev was but 20 Years Old. l
nd was the sole support Of a widow |
4 mother and sister. who reside AZ
Unison. Tenn II is said that his 1
mother has been unconscious since l
he heard Of her sons daeth. and is j
IN a precsrious condition. He was /
ne q the most popular train men IN I
he road. which vas attested by tho /
strong evidences Of grief al the cor l
'ner's inquest some Of the wituessez /
cling their stories about him uith /
earful eyes and unsteady voices. He 4
vas q member q the B. r T. and of /