The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1909-06-11
EWALL BOY FIRES
| WITH FATAL EFFECT
At HIS PLAYMATE
,nLE STIRRED BY AWFUL
'Asr,,croy WITH JUVENILE
PRINCIPLES.
sHROUDED IN MYSTERY
Of wednesday Supposed to
go. Been Renewed-Oistraeted
cents Nearly Witnessed the Kill
i,o-Loeked Behind Bars.

he result Oh d oo' isN y i"' =
.s5sr afternoon Jesse Mcpherson.
s,4 years. who lives at 4407 Ala
-. avenue. shot and instantly
ana his companion and playmate,
r,.or T. Surber, aged Is years, who
-, 81 1900 Park avenue. at 1880
,.,oct Friday night The weapon
..od bv Young Mcpherson was an au-
,oloa3ing winchester shotgun. Two
.bots we're fred. Only one shot took
,yact Fired at close range, the load
M 2 pellets struck Surber square
r in the face, naturally mutilating
and tearing his features horribly
Edgar was sitting upon the front
,orcb with his mother and father
sfter supper, according to the story of
tba affair BY neighbors, when young
MCPHERSON called to him to come out
n the street. The Surber home is on
the corner Of Park avenue and Forty
second street. Mcpherson was sta
honed in the latter thoroughfare when
ne called his companion.
The scene of the tragedy is screen
ID from the front porch OF the Surber
home by the living room. Upon hear
ipg voice calling her son, Mrs. Sur
her attracted Edgar's attention to the
fact as the call was repeated. Edgar
went down the front steps, through
the front gate, and disappeared
around the corner Of the house. Mr..
and Mrs. surber continued their con-
yersation, thinking only that some
companion of their boy wished to dis
cuss some affair of Importance to the
youth of the neighborhood.
Within few moments OF Edgar's
leaving them a shot shattered the
Stiffness of the evening, and before
the parents could recover from their
surprise another discharge rang out.
Wild with apprehension and being
made aware by some sense of parental
telepathy that his boy was In dire
distress, Mr.. Surber rushed to the
scene of the disturbance.
Within twenty feet of where he had
been sitting with his wife the dis
tracted father found his SON writhing
upon the ground, weltering in his
lifes blood. In the gathering dark
ness Mr.. Surber saw a figure rapidly
leaving the spot. Giving chase, ne
pursued young Mcpherson a block,
stopping at Charlotte avenue to return
to the side of his dying boy.
Mrs. Surber was already at the
scene of the tragedy, endeavoring to
staunch the flow of the crimson tide.
With the assistance of several neigh
bore attracted by the sound OF the
shots Mr.. Surber carried Edgar into
the house The boy expired Detore
he could be placed upon a lounge IN
one of the living rooms. DR.. FRANK
Head was hastily summoned, but ne
arrived too late to be of assistance.
Mcpherson overcome with horror at
his wild act, had fed the scene OF the
murder Immediately after firing the
second shot Going directly to his
home, he surrendered a short time
afterward to Officer w. D. Rash. He
was brought to the police station ana
placed in cell No. 4. The charge OF
murder was entered against him Dy
Lieut.. Long.
The immediate cause OF the Tragedy
Is shrouded in mystery. When seen
at the station Friday night, young
MCPHERSON refused to throw iignt
upon it. It is generally supposed to De
The result Of some boyish quarrel A
difficulty occurred on wednesday pc
tween the two boys, it is said, ana
Tor some time they had been at OUTS
Mcpherson is a man in size, while Sur
Der is much smaller.
MCPHERSON, 1t is said, Is not re-
Sponsible at times. Surber, on the
other hand, bears the reputation OF
possessing gentle and winning person
alty A rumor had gained currency
IN the neighborhood that an open
Knife had been found by the BODY
As the load of shot had been received
straight in the face, it was evident
mat surber was facing Mcpherson
When the fatal shot was fired. me
'umor relative to the knife could not
be verified.