The Cairo bulletin., 1909-07-31
CRAFTY INQUEST
HELD YESTERDAY
CORONER'S JURY DEVELOPED
LITTLE TO SHOW WHO FIRED
FATAL SHOT.
COULD NOT FIX BLAME
Grain Was Principal Witness-Ac.
ccrding 10 His Story Man Was
Shot Without Least Provo
cation-Other Witnesses.

The coroners jury which adjourned
short time ago, met again yesterday
afternoon in the council chambers, to
inquire into the death of Hayes Graf.
ty. The jurors were E. A. Burke, A
S. Fraser. W 3. Huette. Otto Schulz
W. S. Thompson and A. Glauber. They
returned the following verdict: That
Crafty came to his death from a bnl-
let wound caused by a bullet fireI
from a revolver held in the hands Of
a person unknown to us. The shoot
ing took place on the county gravel
read in Alexander county near the l.
c. switch which crosses said road"
The following witnesses were exam
ined; John Grain, who was with
Crafty at the time of the shooting, II.
N Hoopengarner. c. J. Brady, Thos
Stout and James Crawford Grain ties.
titled that he had met Crafty at
Mounds and they hired a buggy and
started to drive 10 Cairo, stopping at
the Halfway house. They got down
10 the switch that runs from the Hi
nois Central tracks to the Greer-Wil-
kinson Cos. plant when they passed
man on the right hand side of the
road. Grain. however, could not give
his description. Crafty asked, him
what he was doing out there and got
the answer, None OF your business
Shortly after they had passed him, he,
Grain, heard a shot from the direction
the man was walking. Grain then no
ticed that Crafty did not reply when
ne was spoken to and then Grain red
lized that he was dead He then fell
into Grains lap, He. Grain, tried 10
rouse the attention of the people
along the road and finally attracted
the attention Of II. n HOopengarner
who with two companions was driv-
ing surrey towards Cairo. Hooper
garner then got into the buggy ami
drove it to police headquarters while
Grain held the dead body of his friend
IN his lap. The other witnesses cali
I'd could not give much testimony on
the death of Crafty.
The tragedy was enacted about
O'Clock Monday mornig July 10, and
at which time Crafty and Grain wers
driving to Cairo From previous re-
ports it seems that they met someone
who commanded hem to give him the
read, and as they passed. a party un,
known to them fred a pistol the bul
let striking Crafty IN the back of the
head and killing him instantly
Many conflicting stories were told
the next few days concerning the
Iced The day Of the shooting Sheriff
Davis went up into the county &c learn
what he could of the affair aud stated
70 Bulletin reporter that Louis Be-
land told him that Grain called him
and said Some one shot my partner.
Grain also added that the shuotist wa
in a wagon. Grain was subsequently
held until ordered released by Coron-
er McManus on promising TO appes
before the coroner's jury.
Claude MCGOWAN who resides ar
Holloway. Ky. stated to the sheriff
that he saw a man who was walkiuz
very leisurely towards the Halfway
house and described him as wearing
a light SUIT of clothes, carrying his
coat over his arm and that be hal
his sleeves rolled up TO mis- elbows.
He also saw a surrey with two men in
il drive very fast to the Halfway
house and added that there mignt
have been more in the rig but il there
were he did not see them.
There was also diversity Of opir-
ion as to the exact location Of The
shooting the day after il happened
and a boarding house keeper. whose
place is near the Country Club stafeI
that it was in front of the Country
Club that the shooting occurred
while Grain stated at that time TIA.
the shooting took place in front Of
the boarding house.
Chief Witness Story.
The statement of Grain. companion
of the murdered man was given in
manner which left no question on tire
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