The gold leaf., 1910-09-22
OFFICER FATALLY SHOT.
Chief of Police Stalllngs, of Spring
Hope, Receives Death Wound at
Hands of Negro Blind Tiger Whose
Arrest He Was Trying to Effect
Criminal Captured In Henderson.

Arrest he was Trying to Effect
Criminal Captured In Henderson.
Spring Hope, Sept. 19.-Last night
about eight O'Clock Mr. }. Al. Stallings,
chief OF police of Spring Hope, was prob
ably fatally shot here when he went to
arrest Norman Lewis, a negro who is
charged with retailing liquorr
Mr.. Stallings and others went to
Lewis front door and Mr.. X. r. Wrenn
and Others to the back door and called.
The door was opened and Stallings was
shot down by load OF buck shot which
entered just above the heart. Doctors
say that he will die and for that reason
decline to operate.
In the excitement caused by the shoot
ing, Lewis escaped. The authorities
telephoned Immediately for blood hounds
which arrived about one O'Clock from
TarborO, and were put on the trail and
followed it to the Want of the Mont
gOmery Lumber Company, then crossed
the river and trailed on cold track to-
wards Bum, which the dogs this morn
ing were still following
Chief Stallings is not expected to live
through the day.
The above tells a terrible tragedy
in connection with which Henderson
has figured somewhat After max
ing his escape from Spring Hope Sun
day night Norman Lewis made his
way through Nash and Franklin
counties to Henderson where he was
arrested Tuesday morning about
half past eight O'Clock by Policeman
}. c. Champion. Seeing the negro
standing about the passenger station
and recognizing him as a stranger
Mr.. Champion gave him more than a
cusual look. Discovering that he was
being watched by the officer Lewis
turned his back on him and put his
hands in his pocket. Approaching
the negro Mr.. Champion engaged him
in conversation. He was evasive in
his answers and contradicted himself
several times. The officer told him
to take his hands out of his pockets
and found that the fore finger on his
right hand was missing The tele-
phone message which had been re-
ceived in Henderson describing the
negro who was wanted for shooting
Mr.. Stallings stated that the fore
finger on the left hand was missing.
The suspicious conduct of the negro,
the missing finger and other points
in which he answered the description
of the hunted man caused Mr.. Cham
pion to arrest him. He was later
identified by some one who had
known him in Nash county, and he ad-
mitted his identity but denied doing
the shooting. To a question as to
why he wanted to try to put it on
his wife, (the supposition being that
they alone were in the house at the
time) an idea seemed to strike him
and he said his wife. told him to 60
out at the back door while she. at
tended to the front door. She took
the gun he says and just as he ran
| fire.
All day Monday Norman Lewis
was hunted through Nash county
and Franklin. When he was cap.
tured in Henderson a phone message
was conveyed to Sheriff Johnston oI
Nash who was trailing in this di
rection with posse. He requested
deputy sheriff Henry Kearney O
| Franklin, to come and take charge
Of the negro and bring him tc
Louisburg where he would meet
them. Later owing to the excited
state OF the public mind and th'
great feeling against the negro in th'
community where the crime was com
mitted it was thought best to tax,
the prisoner to Raleigh for safe keep
ing for the present at least.
Monday the injured officer wa
taken to a hospital in Richmond, bu
nothing could be done for him. Hi
condition was such that an operation
was not advisable. The injured mai
was splitting blood when he arrived
at the hospital and from the natur
of his wound the surgeons saw tina
it was only a question of a shor
while before the end would come.
Chief Stallings died about halfp
nine o'clock Wednesday morning
He was conscious for most part III
to short while before he died anC
in reply to question as to who sho
him said Norman Lewis did. Whel
Lewis tried to implicate his wife il
the shooting, after his capture il
Henderson, the authorities atSpring
Hope phoned to the hospital in Rich
mond to ascertain from Chief Stal
lings whether he was shot by Levi
or his wife. Chief Stallings, when ap
prised of the negro's story, denied i
most emphatnally, declaring tina
there was no doubt in his mind tha
Lewis did the shooting.
The death OF ChiefSStallings i
greatly deplored. He was regarded
as a fearless and courageous officer
and was a man who could be de
pended upon to discharge his duty
In Henderson where hefOrmerly live,
the death of James NJ Stallings cal
ries sorrow to many hearts. II
lived here six or seven years an,
drummed tobacco for COoper's ware
house. He was a faithful employe,
sober, Industrious and hardworkini
man and was very popular with hi
| associates and the farmers of VanC
and adjoining counties. He was
brother Of Mr.. Joe Stallings VIII
lived with Mr.. W. w. Reavis a lon
time and among many who recall th
latter because of his more recen
residence here the impression prevail
that it was Joe instead OF Jim VIII
was shot.