The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-12-22

to get in ahead of Tarplee and get the advantage of him so that he could ar rest him, he drove to Third avenue, West End. AS he neared Almond street and Third avenue, he saw Tarplee behind a tree leveling his pistol at him, swearing at and cursing him.
 Sergeant Buckalew then dismounted from the wagon and tried to reason with Tarplee again, but states that he could not get the man to talk sense. Seeing that he could not handle the situation alone, he made his way to Oscar E. Thompson's house and telephoned Cap tain Mckinney at the West End fire sta- tion to send him some help. He then came out on the veranda of the house. where he encountered Tarplee who had followed him across the street there Tar plee is said to have rushed at the ser geant and made an effort to shoot him. Sergeant Buckalew, according to eye wit nesses, grappled with him in an effort to wrest his pistol from him.
 Tried to Shoot Officer
 Tarplee, during the scuffle, is said to have pressed the muzzle of his gun against Sergeant Buckalew's stomach and at tempted to pull the trigger. Sergeant Buckalew then is said to have grabbed the pistol, the space between his right thumb and forefinger going between the hammer of the pistol and the cylinder When the hammer came down the plunger was buried in his hand. At the same time the hammer was going down, in a desperate effort at self defense, Sergeant Buckalew began shooting. firing his 3S Smith & Wesson special three times, two of the shots taking effect. The wound
 in. Tarplees neck is the one which is said to have caused his death. Tarpees pistol was a .S2 Colts.
 Mrs. J. R. Gardner, 1914 Tuscaloosa avenue, who is said to have telephoned the call to Sergeant Buckalew stated that day or two since Mrs. Tarplee jestingly said that she was going to get job and go to work, and that at the same time no one paid any attention to what she said. However yesterday while in town Tarplee is said to have begun worrying about the matter. He came home and found his wife and children gone and it is said that he completely lost his head.
 Statements of Neighbors
 Miss Salie B. Graves. 1317 Tuscaloosa avenue, stated that Mrs. Gardner came running to her house across the street and said that MT. Tarplee was trying to kill his wife and children and asked her to telephone for an officer, which she did. l In few minutes she saw Tarplee com 1 ing across the street toward her house. He did not come to the front door, how | ever, but went around to the back door and knocked. Miss Graves states tha, she went to the back door to see what he wanted. When she reached the back door she states Tarplee pulled his gun from his pocket and asked if his wife was in there. She told him that she was not and states that Tarplee then de- manded to search the house, which was allowed, the ladies in the house being too frightened to do otherwise. Mrs. Bradley Brown, who lives in the same house, cor roborated Miss Graves statement
 w. J. Sleep, 1lOO Tuscaloosa. avenue stated that in his opinion Sergeant Buck alew was absolutely-flstifiable in shoot ing Tarplee. said that Tarplee in normal condition was as fine a man as anyone woHd want to meet. but that yesterlsaS he was not himself. He practi- cally reiterated the statement made by Sergeant Buckalew. Herbert Morrer, l5ol Second avenue, West End. stated that he was with Sergeant Buckalew from the time he left the station house until the shooting and says that almost anyone else would have shot Tarplee long before Ser geant Buckalew did
 While he was making his way across Second avenue, West End, Tarpee is said to have encountered a delivery wag' on driven by Clyde Garner for the Tatt Grocery company of Cleveland, and a the point of his pistol, compelled him s1t turn around and go back from where n ] had come. This he did. returning Wis
 Sergeant BuclEalew
 !! After the shooting, Sergeant Buckalev
 secured Tarplee's pistol and went back |