The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1909-06-17

Make, l.. M. Morris and E. l.. Gala |
CHAN, found a 3Scalibre pistol, with |
all five chambers loaded, in hole
where there was water about twenty
or thirty steps from long trestle
near the point where on the night of
the shooting had met a man in blue
overalls at about 8 o'clock going
south. Callaghan gave the pistol to
Mr.. w. L. Yates at Make Mr.. Yates
placed Sheriff Magruder in possession
of the pistol. Messrs. Morris, Gala
CHAN and Yates identified the pistol
in the presence Of the court. Mr..
Yates said he made a close examina-
ton of the pistol when he got it from
Callaghan which showed that three
cartridges had been freshly fired
from it. The pistol was fully loaded
when he received it.
Tom Sims, young negro who
works at his fathers store on Mobile
and Seventh streets, fixed the owner
ship of the pistol Tom identified the
pistol as his property by general
knowledge of it and by peculia"
hang of the barrel when the pistol
is preached. Tom told the story OF
when and how the pistol got out of his
possession. Tom has known Garner
four or five years and John Akens
year or two. He had often talked over
the telephone with Garner and knew
Garner5s voice when Garner answered
his calls or called Tom up.
Monday morning Garner called for
Tom over the telephone. His brother
answered the phone and notified Tom.
Tom went to the phone, recognizing
Gamers voice.
Garner asked me- said Tom, IF
had a gum
Il said l did"
Garner asked if he could get it,"
Il asked Garner what was he 60
ing to do with it."
Garner said he was going out on
the river"
Tom then went to where the pistol
was, got it, took it to the store and
put the pistol in a paper sack.
About ten minutes afterward John
Akens came in and said.
Garner says to send him that"
What's that?" asked Tom.
He just said shat, " replied John.
Il refused to let John have it"
said Tom, "and went to the telephone
and called up Garner"
Garner answered"
Il told Garner l would not let Akens
have the pistol unless he said it was
all right"
Garner said it was all right, to let
John have it."
John took the pistol said Tom,
"and went back toward the drug store
where Garner was. Knew it WITS the
drug store because l asked fer the
drug store number, and the cal WIS
answered by Garner.
Tom next saw the pistol in the Of
flee Of Sheriff Magruder.
Helen Farley was called to show
that Garner had siven her his pistol
some time before the shooting of
Emma Holston while she was at Bond,
Miss. She had kept Gamers pistol in
her trunk until she returned it to him.
at his request, on Wednesday morning,
the morning after the crime at Make.
The next link in the chain was to
line out the movements of Garner
and Akens. Carrie Rogers, who runs
a restaurant on Mobile street, between
8 and O'Clock Tuesday morning
went into the drug store where Gar
ner works and while there John Akens
came in. Carrie knows both Garner
and Akens well.
Hamp Heslip, who has known Gar
ner and Akens for long time, with
his native humor would have kept the
court room in a roar if the court and
he sheriff had not interferred. Hamp
said that Tuesday morning he was
Walking up Mobile street when he saw |
81 Garner and John Akens coming up L
iobile street going toward the Gulf
nd Ship Island depot Hamp went
VI to the depot. The train was
landing at the depot. He saw Gar
er and Akens at the depot. There
'as quite a stir there, said Hamp,
nd he didn't know whether Jonn
hns got on the train or not. Ham,.
ever saw John that day again but
q saw Garner several times. Didn't
now whether or not John Akens
ent off on the train.
The court at $50 p. m. adjourned
II $50 o'clock Thursday morning.