The gold leaf., 1910-03-10

away over III Tie livery sLdDIe open
space as well as several others, attend
ing to his own business. He was sitting
on a tire-set with his back to the three,
watching his horse which was being pre-
pared to be clipped. when the two shots
rang out as quickly as they could be
fired.
NO REASON TO SUSPECT AN AS
SAULT.
"The explosions caused him to arise
and as he was turning in their direction,
he was shot by Powell, the ball entering
under the left shoulder, passing across
his spinal column, penetrating the right
lung and proving fatal. Neither OF the
three, Travis, Kitchin nor Dunn, had
reason to suspect that any assault was
intended.
''In the case referred to in the letter of
Powell, Mr.. Kitchin appeared for Pow
ellis son, but Mr.. Travis did not. Threats
have heretofore been made by Powell
against both Travis and Dunn but they
had not been taken seriously. Mr.. Dunn
had on several occasions been called upon
to execute warrants upon Powells son,
Aquilla, and on one occasion, few
months ago, as an officer, caused Pow
ell to desist cursing on the streets. 1t
malice towards Dunn. His feeling to-
wards Travis was probably caused by
Travis failure to reply to the letter re-
ferred to-
TRAVIS HAD NEVER READ POW
ELLIS LETTER.
"a search today by Mr.. W. E. Daniel
in Mr.. Travis office at Halifax brought
the letter to light in a pile of papers.
Evidently it had been overlooked by
Travis, as it was unopened, and Travis
was innocent ofits contents. 1t is known
that at the last August court Powell
had accosted Mr.. Travis about the letter
"The letter referred to is as follows:
Scotland Neck, N. c., July o. 1909.
"'Mr. Travis:
"'Please let me know by letter, as
soon as you receive this, it you are en-
ployed against my son, Aquilla p. Pow
ell, in small affray which comes off this
court. If not let me know what day
can see you by coming to Halifax next
week. Any day will suit me except on
Saturday.
Respectfully,
"'E. E. POWELL'
DEAD MAN BRAVE AND~FEARLESS
OFFICER.
"Mr. Dunn was a brave and fearless
officer, one whose place cannot be filled in
this community, and one of the best by
long experience and high courage and it
is unjust to his memory that there should
be suggestion that he was retreating
as appeared in Sundays paper
"Powell is not a man Of property. He
and his Oldest son, Ed, run little store
in the town carrying a stock not in ex-
cess of $500. The store is located about
fifty yards South of the place of the
tragedy on the same side OF the street.
Powell is accustomed to make violent
threats. While some consider him des-
perate and dangerous man, others look
upon him as buffer or brag. He is a
drinking man. He has the reputation Of
being an accurate pistol marksman.
CONSIDERATION FOR WOMEN PRE-
VAILED.
"The statements heretofore made in the
papers that there was no attempt to ar
rest Powell are erroneous. Immediately
after the shooting, he went to his store
with his pistol in his hand got his shot
gun and went to his home.
AN officer was sent at once to guard
his house. Parties were at once depu-
tized to make the arrest, but before it
could be done some lady members of his
family came to me and said that Powell
would kill any one that came and tried
to arrest him, but that if the authorities
| would not proceed to make the arrest
with force they would persuade him to
give up his arms and surrender.
"a guard of several were at once
placed about POwelPs premises to pre-
vent his escape.
"Finally, without the necessity of fore
| ing his arrest, he surrended, and on reach
| ing the street was Immediately hand
cuffed and was afterwards committed to
| the county jail at Halifax.
IAN actual effort to arrest him by
| force before his surrender was not made
| on account OF the presence in the house
| OF women members of his family and the
condition of his invalid wife.
(Signed.) ga. C. LIVERMON,
Mayor"
While there had been no threats
made and probably no danger OF
summary justice being visited upon
the triple assassin, it was thought
best to remove Powell from the
| county Jail and he was taken to Raj
| eigh Sunday and placed in the States
prison for safe keeping. He has been
trying to play the insanity dodge
claiming that his mind was a blank
at the time of the shooting and he
had no knowledge of what he did until
he came to himself at his home some
time afterward when his daughter
was talking to him. But he knew
enough to go home and tell this
same daughter what he had done,
saying he had ruined his family, that
he had shot Charlie Dunn, the best
friend he had in the Notwithstanding
to statement she is credited with
making.