The Paducah evening sun., 1910-02-22
Sheriff Issues Statement Con.
cernine His Position..Te Ii.
mony at Inquest..More Sol.
diers Arrive.

INITIAL verdict OF the cOroner'S jury
was reached after an hours delibera-
tion at the inquest into the death of
Alex. Halliday. Some of the jury
were inclined 10 utter severe CEN
sure against the sheriff for employ
ling the kind of deputies he did, and
also because of the refusal to per-
NIT anyone to take charge of the
body of the dead man; but two i'm
portant facts were held to overshad-
ow all else, viz: that the dead man
had no right to be where he was at
the time and on the mission which
evidently brought him there, and
that the sheriff was there as an Off
Ger of the law, engaged in upholding
the law.
There was no doubt in the minds
OF the jury that a rifle had been used
and that 1t was a steel bullet that
had killed the deceased. There was
evidence that several rifles were in
possession of the deputies on guard:
but 1t was impossible to determine
from the testimony which. of the dep
uties had used them, or which of
them had fired the fatal shot.
The Testimony.
Ed Henderson, colored. one OF the
deputies, said he was called at about
IL O'Clock: brought 3S and A caHbre
pistols with him Repeated the in
struction given him as others had
done, from the sheriff says was in
north side Of building in sheriffs
Office at north window at time of
shooting. He shot three or four
times at the mob with the 3s gun.
but could not use the a. gun; a
white man was with him; didn't
know who he was: II there was any
one else in the room he did not know
II: he had been constable for four
lyears was now a deputy sheriff; he
got his first message from Pearl
Head. son OF T. A. Head. who said
the sheriff wanted him at once; his
place OF business Is at 2613 Com
mercial avenue; saw two or three
Winchesters, but didn't know who
used them.
Rudy Laurent testified number OF
lpeople came in his place; thought
they had come from the Alexander
Iclub dance: they said they thought
there was trouble at the court house;
this was the first he knew about the
trouble: Sam Wessinger came in 10
wash his face; saw him bleeding In
the face. and a crowd came in behind
him: believes G. b. Walker was
there who was shot in the leg;
lcrowd got so thick could not see who
was there. heard Gene Ellis tele-
nhoue Sheriff Nellis asking him
about the man lying dead or dying
, alongside the steps asking II some
one could see II the man was dead OF
I alive and who 1t was; understood
the answer was would not let any
one enter the yard or touch him. he
said that no crowd congregated d,
his place prior to the trouble excep'
several young men who had been t'
dance: shortly after they iett De
fore they could have gotten 70 uh'
wagon yard. heard shots
, Chief of Police.
Mart s. Egan, chief of police, tesu
fed saving he got to court nous
about 9 O'Clock; no one around oour
[ lbonse. when he got there walked ul
: IN court house, heard sounds INK
groans close by and called the sheriff
he answered and let him In; went II
and asked him who's that lying il
the uard?": he said, "I don't know
IL might be dummy or Il might u
body" and he said "let me go an'
see understand that one OF th'
bunch of fellows that came up mere
was shot" The sheriff said mo, YOU
Ican't go; my orders are not 10 le'
anvbody go near the body" Egan
saSd "It might be some immediate
attention would save his life, II he
,sn't dead" sheriff said, 81 Will moi
let YOU go;" walked into circuit
b clerks Office. looked out OF window
e to see the body; couldn't tell who u
: was because body was lying race
! down Had no information that mol
: was forming; when the militia wa
Il picking up the body went into tn'
q court house and telephoned Dr. WSls'
II TO go to the hospital.
e Alderman Frank j. German wh'
lives across the street from the cour
n house. testified he saw crowd OF 20 o
20 men. more or less, standing ol
II corner after the shooting; was no
q out in front at time OF shooting; tn