The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1909-08-12

Watkins. after the men had been
taken 10 the hospital He said that
about i.s0 O'Clock this morning q
messenger came 10 him from the
manager of the Gladstone. With . re-
quest that he go TO the hotel and
put stop TO n row and disturbance
created by two men In the hotel. Con
stable Watkins said that he imme-
diately went ever TO the Gladstone:
that he found the two men whose
names he did not then know. partial
iy intoxicated on the tioor ofsa room
which they were occupying.
He said that when he reached the
hotel women were running around In
their night clothing barefooted and
frightened. Il went up TO the room
where the men were." said the con-
stable, and entered. The room was
in darkness and as entered, I struck
a match 10 see my way and lighted a
lamp. One OF the men. don't know
which one. asked who I was. and
said a police oficer-the town con-
stable.
"One of the men with an oath.
said in effect, well. We take care OF
all police here and about that time
one OF them kicked the door shut
and then the light was snuYed out.
"One of the men jumped at me
and grabbed me about the neck. the
other at the same time closing In and
clinching. The men were both OF
strong build; one Of them had some
thing in his hand. but I don't know
what 1t was. When they closed In
on me and grabbed me. one reached
for my pistol or pistol pocket.
Il drew my revovler. a 3S-calibre
Smith & Wesson, and In the darkness
fired two shots apd the men stagger,
ed back-one of them fell. When |
went in there was third person In
the room, but whether he got out
before the shooting I don't know. II
all happened quickly. called for the
door to be opened and 1t was open
ed-don't know whether from the In
side or the outside. A light was Sc
cured and the manager came In. |
assisted one Of the men to bed; the
other one went out into the hall"
Bunting's Wounds Prove Fatal.
Asheville. N. c., August John
H. Bunting died at 1905 a. m. with
out having regained consciousness
from the operation. No relatives
could reach his bedside by time Of
death.
Officer Not justified I'm Shooting.
Asheville, N. c., August S.-That
Paul Cameron Collins. cashier Of the
Bank of Hillsboro, and John Hill
Bunting, who were shot by Policeman
F. G. Watkins yesterday morning at
the Gladstone Hotel, Black Noun
tain, the latter dying last night OF
his wounds, while Collins is still In
a serious condition, made no effort to
attack Watkins, but we're shot az
they rose from the bed; that the
shots were fired by the policeman in
a state of semi-panic, and that the
men were lying in bed In their room,
wherein no light was burning, when
Watkins burst open the door, was
the substance of the evidence pre-
sented to-day at the corners inquest
on the body of Bunting by the only
eye-witnesses of the tragedy, Glenn
Jones and Burley Gowan, negro en-
ployes of the hotel, who accompanied
Watkins to the room when the latter
we're summoned to quell an alleged
disturbance. The coroner's Jury re-
turned a verdict to the effect that
John Hill Bunting came to his death
from bullet wounds inflicted by r. C.
Watkins. and the policeman is now
in custody to await the action Of the
grand jury, which sits tomorrow.
Various guests of the hotel, men
and women, testified as to the dis
turbance created by Bunting and Col
Inns in their room about midnight
Several of them stated that the two
men were shouting and using pro-
fame language, and that on complaint
OF the proprietor Of the hotel the lat.
ter sent for the village constable tc
quiet the disturbers. The negroes
Jones and Gowan. testified that after
entering the room Watkins lit thu
lamp and shouted to the men on the
bed not to come near him. Collins
rose to sitting posture on the side
of the bed. Jones stated, and at tha
moment Watkins accidentally hit tn.
lamp. knocking 1t over. Just as tn,
lamp fell, witness stated, the police
| man fired. Watkins ordered witnes,
to re-light the lamp. Collins hat
fallens across the bed, bleeding from
a wound below the heart Buntfni
rose from the bed and stood on hi
feet, holding out his hands to tn,