The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-03-06
Neighbors Engage in Fatal Shooting Affray at
 Rising Station
MRS. MARBUT SAYS
 NO CAUSE IS KNOWN
Strong Was Eating When Marbut Fired-Running Fight Ensued. Both Men Died at a Local
 Infirmary

In desperate pistol battle last night at o'clock, L. E. Marbut and c. J.
 Strong, both living at 1527 North avenue,
 within two blocks of Rising station. fa- tally shot each other and both died later at local infirmary.
 There was but one eye witness to the shooting, Mrs. L. F. Marbut who was
 unable to throw any light on the cause of the difficulty. The men were appar- ently on good terms an hour before and
 had always been good friends. The the police.
 Strong was shot once in the abdomen,
 the bullet piercing the intestines in 8 number of places. Marbut was shot in the head and hand.
 The men were rushed to the South Highlands infirmary immediately after the shooting in Greens ambulance. Mar
 but died few minutes afterward, and Strong fingered until Il o'clock. Capt. Martin Eagan, Sergt. R. H. Haw-
 kins and Detective Tom Williams went
 to the scene of the shooting immediately after it was reported, but failed to dis cover anything that would show a cause
 for the sudden enmity between the two
 men.
 No Cause Known According to their investigations it
 seems that the Marbuts rent the cottage from Strong, with the exception of one
 room, which he reserved for his own use. Strong took his meals with the Marbuts. Yesterday evening. according to the statements of the police. Strong was eat ing supper and Mrs. Marbut was serv- ing it when Marbut entered the room and
 began firing at Strong without warning.
 It is stated that he said nothing. Strong sprang up from the table and dashed
 out the back door with Marbut follow ing him. He turned around the corner of the house and returned Marbuts shots. He fired six times at Marbut, who emp
 tied his gun at Strong. Marbut fell at
 the side of the house and Strong reeled
 across the street, where he fell. The weapon used by.-Strong was .sS- calibre old style Smith & Wesson revol-
 yer. When picked up by his side the
 gun was broken as if he had tried 70
 reload it. The revolver was covered with
 blood. The empty cartridges were lying
 on the ground near him. Marbut used 1 a 3S-calibre Special, Smith & Wessoh revolver. It was found lying by his side empty.
 | The shooting caused a sensation as I it was thought that Marbut and Strong
 were the best of friends. They were | together hardly an hour before the shooting at the grocery store of Julian Gilliou. at Rising station and, accord : ing to MT. Gilliou, were apparently on
 good terms.
 Mrs. Marbut Talks Mrs. Marbut made the following
 statement of the shooting to Capt.
 Martin Eagan a short time after the
 occurrence:
 q am totally at loss to know why
 my husband shot at MT. Strong. So
 We rent the cottage from Mr. Strong and he has one room. which he occu- pies himself. He takes his meals with lus. Mir Strorg was eating supper to- night when my husband came into the room and, without saying word, be- gan shooting nt MT. Strong. MT. Strong sprang up and rushed out the back door. That was all I knew of the actual shooting
 l Officer c. C. Hancock of the police department, who lives at 15s1 Peter | avenue, only a short distance from tho
 Marbut home, heard the shots and was on the scene a few minutes after the shooting occurred. He made the fol- lowing statement last night: Officer Hancock Interviewed "When I heard the shots l rushed down to the Marbut home. which is | only a short distance from my cot tage. I found MT. Strong across the street with bullet in his abdomen.