The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-01-04
". |. SPARKS KILLS E [. BUSH IN HOTEL . FOR WRECK|NG HOME Tragedy In Victor Hotel Con- mitted In Presence of
 Mrs. Sparks SPARKS GIVES HIMSELF
 UP AND Is NOW IN JAIL Bush Came to Birmingham From Chat tanooea, and Was Brother of
 Former Sheriff of Hamll-
 ton County.

to his violent death on Bradley avenue and Ninth street, south, a second fatality involving white men occurred in the Vic tor hotel, on Third avenue, between Twentieth and Twenty first streets. E. c. Bush was shot and almost instantly killed yesterday afternoon shortly before 5 o'clock by w. c. Sparks.
 About 5 o'clock yesterday afternoon there were vague rumors of shooting in circulation on the streets, but no def mite information could be ascertained. Shortly after o'clock, however, Deputy sheriffs vaught and Kennamer were in the sheriff's office when a. man called and told of the shooting, and stated that Sparks had sent word that he desired to surrender to the authorities. The two deputies immediately went to the Victor hotei and took Sparks into custody and locked him up in the county jail on charge of murder.
 Family troubles seem to have prompted Sparks desperate action. When he was placed in the county jail he made no plea of self-defense, but simply stated that he had shot Bush because "he had ruined my happy home.'
 ALparently only one shot was fired-the one that sent Bush into eternity. The body of the deceased man bears a single wound, a bullet hole in the head, Just above the left ear. Bush must nave died instantly after being shot. He was lying in the bed in his room resting on his right side with his left hand hanging back and resting not far from S2 callbre sl1 ith & Wesson revolver, which was ly- irg partially under his body.
 When Sparks was arrested he made sts tement to Deputies Vaught and Kenna- mer to the effect that he had told Bush never to let his (Sparks) wife come into his room or he would kill him, and that yesterday afternoon when he went to his room and not finding his wife, he inquired for her, and found her in Bush's room. Sparks said that when he found Bush in the room he shot the man.
 It is stated that when Bush was shot he was lying on the bed in his room with his coat vest and shoes off. Apparently he never got up from the bed after SraIks entered the room, and it is be- lieved by the authorities that as Bush raised when Sparks entered, Sparks fired and that the bullet struck Bush in the head, killing him almost instantly
 There were a number of people in the Victor hotel yesterday afternoon at the time e the shooting, although it is very likely that no one actually witnessed the shooting J. M. Fitzpatrick, close friend of Sparks and an acquaintance of Bush, and who lives in the room next to the one occupied by Sparks, gave graphic acccun. of the circumstances leading up to the shooting to an Age-eHrald reporter last night, however.
 Mr Fitzpatrick stated that he had known Sparks for some time. and was a very close friend, and added that while he had known Bush but about week he was im- pressed by his personality and liked him better every day he knew him.
 ''Bush roomed in No 12 of the hotel; Sparks and his wife lived in No. 13, and l have the adjoining room, No. 14," said in Bushs room, No. 12.
 "i had expected trouble between Bush and Sparks Yesterday morning I heard Sparks tell Bush that if he ever came into his room again or that if he (Bush) ever let his (SparksD wife come into his room again he would kill him. I also heard it stated during the course of the day that Bush had said he would have killed Sparks if 1t hadn't been for the fact that he (Sparlss) was drunk.
 .eYesterday afternoon Mrs. Sparks and
 
 ing a late dinner. Bush got up and left the room and few moments later Mrs. Sparks left.
 .Immediately afterward Sparks came in and asked me: Marvin, do you know where May is?' told him that did not and he repeated the question. I gave him a second negative reply. He immediately left my room and I suspected from his demeanor that there was going to be trouble. I went to my door and saw Sparks go up to Bushs room and open the door. then saw Mrs. Sparks fall | through the door of Bush's room, and I | saw Sparks strike her with the butt end | of his revolver, which I believe was a Ss calibre Smith & Wesson.
 iImmediately afterward I heard a shot | ring out and within few seconds Sparks l walked out of the room and said: Marvin. | I've killed Bush.' I knew well enough he | had, but laughed and told him did not l think he had. He replied:. Yes, have. | The Is lying in there on his bed as l dead as - using vile epithets.
 q went to Bush's room and looked in | and he was lying on his bed with coat, l vest and shoes off. He had been shot in | the head and was lying on his right side | inst as if he was sleeping. A 32 calibre | Smith & Wesson revolver was lying par ! tially under his body, and I am told that 1 one cartridge had been snapped. I cannot | say whether or not Bush attempted to | shoot Sparks Sparks later surrendered to | two of the sheriff's deputies.
 ..Prior to the shooting Sparks told me that he was going to kill Bush. He told l me that he had been in trouble before. and that If he killed Sparks 1t would probably go hard with him. but he said he couldn't help 1t"
 Sparks was employed in Satterfeld's pool room on Second avenue, between Twenty-first and Twenty-second streets. Sparks is about 30 years old.
 E. c. Bush, the deceased, who was oho,t An vaars uas a tinner hv trade and