Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-07-30
KILLS HIS ENEMY
|. IN A COURT ROOM
Nephew of Millionaire Lumber
man Shoots Down Former Hus-
band of Wife in Court Room 1T
Little Rock.

LITTLE ROCK, Ark, July 2S.-W. Y.
ElliR. nephew of John +. Rutherford, mill
lionaire lumberman, of Pine Bluff, Ark,
late yesterday afternoon shot and killed
Nathaniel Parker Willis, of Indianapolis,
Ind, a prominent business man and pol
itician, in the circuit court room here
over the custody of Willis child.
The shooting occurred in the court
room Ellis fired over the shoulder of
Senator Davis, at Willis, seated on the
opposite side. court attache struck
his arm as he fired, however, and the
bullet went wild. Willis ran from the
room with Ellis in close pursuit, the lat
ter firing again when he reached door
way, INJECTING a wound. from the effects
of which Willis died within ten minutes.
The dead man was the father of the
child, his divorced wife having married
Ellis.
Ellis surrendered and was imprisoned.
Later, however, he was taken from the
city by officers, in an automobile for safe
keeping.
After being spirited away in an auto
mobile last night, Ellis has been return
ed to the Pulaski county jail. Although
the shooting has occasioned great ex-
element, there is no danger of violence
of any kind. Friends OF Willis are ex-
pected to arrive this afternoon from In
dianapolis, having left that city last
night.
A coroner's inquest was held over the
body of Willis late last night, verdict
finding that the killing was unjustifiable
and recommending that Ellis be held on
a charge of murder being returned. The
formal charge of murder was preferred
against Ellis today.
SENATOR DAVIS TALKS.
Y,oI
shooting and the events which led up to
It, is told by United States Senator jeff
Davis, over whose shoulder Ellis fired the
first shot at his victim. In speaking of
the shooting, Senator Davis said:
IT was employed by Mr.. Willis in April,
1907 to file habeas corpus proceedings for
the possession of his daughter, Mary,
who was then five years old. The suit
went against us in the lower court and
was sustained by the supreme court.
Mr.. Willis cheerfully bowed to this de-
cision which also stipulated that he might
visit his child at reasonable times in
Pine Bluff, as she was there in the GUS
tody of her uncle. He had not seen his
child for nearly two years when he came
to me this time and asked me to secure
a modification of the order, so that he
might have the little girl here with him
bond of s. 600 to insure her safe return to
her uncle. The order was granted by
Judge Fulk.
ELLIS came into my office yesterday
morning, greatly excited, and wanted to
know about the case. 1 reasoned with
him and told him to see his lawyers. I
believe that he was armed then. In the
court room he appeared very nervous. 1
heard some one cry: Don't do that! and
saw Ellis aiming his pistol, with both
hands, across the table at Willis. l cried
out to him, asking If he wanted to shoot
me, just as he fired and as the clerk Of
the court grappled with him.
He again took deliberate aim and fired
a fatal. shot at willis, who was trying
to crouch behind the door JamD to escape
him."
Relatives of the man killed have been
summoned to Little Rock.
Following the shooting those in an adj
Joining room scrambled fol- an outlet and
in the subsequent excitement. serious in
Jury to several was narrowly averted.
Two attempted TO leap from a window,
but were restrained.
SENATOR BARELY ESCAPES.
That Senator Davis had close call is
declared by those in the room at the
time. Several assert that the first bullet
passed through his coat. Explaining a
rent in his garment, however, the sena-
tor declares that it was torn by catching
on an edge of the table as he hastily
arose.
Willis died almost instantly after he
was shot in his mothers arms, who was
sitting across the room and rushed to-
ward him as he fell in the hallway out
side Of the court room.
Willis secured his divorce a number of
years ago and recently started the liti-