The Forrest City times., 1913-06-20
TRAGIC DOUBLE KILLING

A pitched battle occurred Thursday morning in St. Francis bottoms, near the Cross and St. Francis line, in the vicinity of the convict farm, between a posse of deputy sheriffs and Bob Elrod, in which Bob Bailes, young farmer of good repute and circum- stances, was killed, followed by the killing of Elrod, the outlaw.
 Elrod had fled the law in Cross county and was known to be desper ate man. Two deputy sheriffs of this county, one by the name of Tackett, had been notified that Elrod was hid ing in the swamps about eighteen miles northeast of this city, came up- on the desperado some time Wednes- day and arrested him, but in some manner Elrod quickly got the drop on the officers and disarmed them, after which he unloaded their guns and re- lieved them of all their ammunition, handing their guns back to them, tell ing them to "beat it," at the same time adding with emphasis that he did not intend to be arrested and that he would die before he would go to jail.
 Later Elrod and a man by the name of J. M. Fore went fishing, and some negroes heard them talking of the cir constance. Elrod, it is said, told Fore that he felt satisfied that posse of officers would be sent after him. Fore, it is said, agreed to help Elrod and supplied him with another gun.
 Deputy Sheriffs John Tankersley ana Chas. Walker left this city on Wednesday night with instructions to bring Elrod to jail. When these two officers reached the locality of the convict farm they were informed that Elrod had taken refuge in dense thicket and had sent out his def that he would kill the first man that came within range A posse of six or eight men was gotten together Elrods $ rendezvous was surrounded. The ad' vance from all sides began. True tc his word, no soon had the first man who was stalking the criminal come within range than Elrod opened fire, shooting at and barely missing Deputy Charles Walker. who immediately fel forward upon his face, as if he hao been shot. Walker then crawled for ward few feet and very cautio sl, raised his head At the same time Elrod sighted Walker and raised hi gun for second shot at the deputy but Walker raised his shotgun anC fired two charges of buckshot at tht criminal. A number of shots tool effect, hitting him in both hands, on, entering his eye, another his cheek and still third in the head.
 From this shot Elrod never wavered but turned his gun on another mem Der of the posse, Bob Bailes. who wa approaching from another direction killing him at the first shot,
 Elrod was obscured from tine officer in the thicket. He had them at disadvantage, and was taking deliber ate aim at them as they approached from the open.
 Deputy Sheriff John Pickins, wh, carried Kragg -Jorgensen rife, caugh sight of Eirod, and taking deliberat, aim shot him through the middle 0 the body, and Walker, who had con tinued to advance, saw the desperad, fall. The deputy went on In, bu when he was within about ten feet o the spot where Elrod had fallen, tn dying man scrambled, raised himsel on his elbow, at the same timemakinI an attempt to shoot Walker, at whicl Walker fired the shot that fiuishe, him. It is said that after the last sho had been fired into Elrod's body, h snatched his cap from his head, fel over upon it, and was dead almost il an instant.
 The officers who took part in thi tragic affair say they never saw sucl desperate coolness and display of tn fighting man to the last gasp as tha displayed by Elrod.
 It could not be learned what tn charges were against Eircd,
 J. II. Fore and Chas. Dcnham yer arrested and are now in jail her charIed with being accessories in tn murder of Bailes.