The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-12-23


 any in the land. I loved him and the children loved him and he loved us.
 q believe that there was no cause for him to be killed, and l think that he was murdered outright, but to God I leave the punishment. I have no malice In my heart for the man who did it, and it is not my intention, and I would not for the world, destroy his home as he has de- stroyed mine. I pleaded with him to go and leave MT. Tarplee alone; that did not call for a policeman; that I had no cause to call one; that I would guar any trouble whatever, and that there was no use in arresting him.
 However. he would not listen to me, but seemed imbued with a mania to ar rest MT. Tarplee. He said, If he ever comes out of that house, I will take him dead or alive He has threatened my life And he did take him-dead
 T wish everybody to understand that MT. Tarplee was the kindest of husbands and the most loving of fathers, and noth- ing to him seemed too good for the chil- dren and me, and his death is the great est loss we could ever experience. It has left me d penniless widow, and has lost the education of two innocent babes"
 The body of MT. Tarplee will be sent today to Canton, Ga. his old home. for interment by the Johns Undertaking company. His father, from Nashville, Ind, arrived last night, and will accom- pany the remains to the place of inter- ment.
 After examining about score of wit nesses yesterday afternoon at the ? o'clock inquest, Coroner Brasher ordered Sergeant Buckalew held for the grand jury under a $500 bond for manslaughter. The bond was made at once.
 Statement From Employers
 MT. c. McLallen, manager of the Forbes Piano company, last night dirested the following letter to The Age-Herald concerning MT. Tarplee's character:
 feel under obligations as manager of the E. E. Forbes Piano company to state to you for publication what we know re- garding Mir S. l.. Tarplee. who was shot and killed by Sergeant J. NJ Buckalew.
 Now, regarding any family trouble, we know nothing about any, but we wish to say, personally we knew him to be one of the best men that we ever had in our employ. We found him honest and re- liable in every way. He came here in 1910, the 1st day of August, and took charge of our shop as head foreman, and filled same position until a month or sc ago, when MT. Tarplee wished to change his position, and do outside tuning, and we also used him to set up pipe organs for us.
 It was great shock to us when we heard of his death; we could not believe that it was he-and we did not believe l, until we went to the undertakers and saw him laid out. He was man who was well liked by every employe of this store: he never was known to have any trouble with any one of the boys, and was man who always spoke highly ol his family ins every way and it is witt great sorrow that we regret that he is lost from our midst
 We further wish to say before the aues tion and the cause of MT. Tarplee's deatt being settled and the matter dropped, 2 most thorough. investigation should be made to know the real state of affairs I myself feel personally interested, and for one, am determined to know why sucl a rash act had to be done.
 c. McLALLEN. Birmingham, December 9, 1911.