The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1912-08-27
.LANCFORD LOST HIS LIFE
In N Difficulty that Began I'm q Playful
TussIe With n Former
Friend
Jacksonville Metropolis, 26th)

In a fight said to have started in a
friendly tussle, Sheriff John y. Lang
ford, OF Bradford county, was shot to
death in room 134 of the Duval hotel
lSunday afternoon, shortly after 4
o'clock, by his friend. w. T. Andrews
29 years of age, of Raiford. Andrews
is now a prisoner in the Duval county
Ijail, charged with murder. while the
body of Sheriff Langford was removed
to his home in Starke. Bradford coun-
ty, this morning.
From J. W. Hatcher, a friend of both
Sheriff Langford and Andrews. and a
member of the legislature in 1909. a
fair was given to the Metropolis this
morning. Mr.. Hatcher has a store and
livery barn at Worthington Springs.
| The three, Langford, Andrews and
Hatcher, came to the city Saturday af-
Iternoon. They went at once to the
Duval hotel They were out for a
harmless good time and went to the
lRathskeller. Here they had several
drinks and Sheriff Langford finally left
them, saying that he had some busi-
ness to look after, and would meet
them later in the night.
| After Hatcher and Andrews left the
Rathskeller they took a cab and drove
to the number given them by Sheriff
Langford. Here they were informed
1.-THE sheriff was not in. Then they drove
Iaway. Later they returned to the
number, again looking for the sheriff.
and were again told he was not there.
At this Andrews is said to have be-
come angry. He started cursing and
drawing his gun he fired it into the
air few minutes after Policeman
lSweat arrested Andrews who was
Isearched and the gun found. The
Iyoung man was sent to police head
lquarters. Hatcher succeeded In ar
ranging bond for his companion, and
after 500 had been put up by ]. J.
Williams. a local liquor dealer. An
drews was released. Hatcher then went
Ito the hotel, where he found Sheriff
! Langford already in bed, and he, too,
retired.
| Andrews did not return to the hotel
until about o'clock Sunday morning.
but when he passed through the lobby
the clerk says he was perfectly sober.
| He went to his room and soon he and
Sheriff Langford came into Hatcher's
room and woke him up. The sheriff
and Andrews engaged in a rough and
tumble tussle over the bed and room,
but later all three went out and got
breakfast
After breakfast they separated and
Hatcher did not see his two friends
la again until about 3 o'clock in the aft
ernoon, when they returned to the
hotel. They all went up stairs to-
gether, and all had a drink from the
Ibottle. There were no words, and al
though both Andrews and the sheriff
seemed to be slightly under the infiu-
ence of liquor Mr.. Hatcher says he did
mot consider either of the men to be
drunk
Soon after the trio had adjourned to
their rooms, Sheriff Langford and An
Idrews started scuffling again, and soon
Iwere pulling each others hair and car
lrying on a general rough and tumble
lscrap, although apparently without any
Ill feeling. Both were laughing ali the
time, Hatcher says, until Andrews
threw the sheriff off the bed and Lang
ford made some remark that the young
man did not like.
| Andrews is said to have remarked
THAT the sheriff had it on him because
he carried a gun. whereupon Sheriff
lLangford took off his revolver and
Hatcher says he became worried and
tried to talk the two out of having a
further argument. He says he parley-
ed with them for perhaps half an hour
Iwhen suddenly Andrews remarked to
1.-THE sheriff that he could whip him with
nothing more on than a taybird." An
ldrews is said to have removed his
shoes and started to throw his sus-
lpenders off his shoulders when Sheriff
Langford jumped for his gun, which
twas still lying on the bed.
Hatcher says he realized there was
Igoing to be trouble and ducked be-
hind a dresser. Almost Immediately
there was pop! pop! an interval OF
lperhaps a second or two, then two
more shots in quick succession. Looking
up he saw Sheriff Langford sinking to
the floor with Andrews standing away
from him with the smoking pistol
Iclutched tightly in his hands and his
lips drawn and blue while over his
realized he had shot his friend to
death.
| No Family Feud
| Although 1t was at first reported
that there had been a family feud be-
tween the Langford and Andrews fam
lilies, this is denied by relatives OF
lSheriff Langford and young Andrews
A member of the Andrews family wa:
shot some time ago. and although II
was never known who had killed the
man it was generally believed the sho
Ihad been fired by Sheriff Langford
| John y. Langford had been sheriff Of
Bradford county for the past five years
He was a. married man, having thre.
children. ranging in ages from to 1!
years. He was very popular with res
idents of the county and had hundred
of friends both in Bradford count!
and in Jacksonville.
Young Andrews. son OF A. Dennis
Andrews, of Raiford, is also married
and is said to have two children
The coroner's jury held the inques
before Justice of the Peace Abbott il
the criminal court room this morning
and held Andrews without bail for tn
murder of Sheriff Langford. Attorne.
I. L. Farr1s represented the defendant