Pine Bluff daily graphic. (Pine Bluff, Ark.) 1893-1942, 1914-03-17
CORONER'S JURY
EX0NORATES Chief
Fiveash Held Within Right
in Killing Elisha
Clark.
WAS DESPERATE MAN.
Noted ROX Tar Thief Had a Revolver
and Evidently Tried to Shoot
the Officer When Killed.
WAS DESPERATE MAN,

A coroner's jury yesterday after
neon completely exonerated Night
Chief of Police w. ID. Fiveash. who
on Sunday night shot and killed
Elisha Clark. notorious negro, who
was in the act of robbing box car
in the Cotton Belt yards. The negro
aided by some others. it is thought.
had made away with three cases of
whiskey which had been consigned
from this point to Dallas, Texas.
Clark, whom the police say has had
record of thievery dating over a
period of twenty-five years, was one
of the 300 or more convicts who were
pardoned in 1912 by Governor George
W. Donaghey, the larger number of
whom have since that time landed
back again in prison.
The action on the part of the officer
in opening fire on Clark was regard
ed as timely, as Clark, armed with
a revolver, had gotten his weapon
from his pocket when called upon to
halt and surrender, and snaps on two
cartrides indicate that he made an
effort to fire at Chief Fiveash. Failure
OF the weapon to respond to his bid
ding is probably the only thing that
saved the officer from either being
wounded or killed himself Clark s
pistol was found on the ground, under
his coat, near where his body was
found.
Had Robbed Car.
Chief Fiveash had been informed
just prior to the affair that a negro
had been seen to enter the box car.
Previous to this time, however, C. M.
Trubey and D. Murphy, railroad men.
came upon three negroes robbing the
car. One Of the negroes drew re-
volver on the men and ordered them
to hurry along. They did so long
enough to reach telephone and
Chief Fiveash was informed of the
robbery. Before he had reached the
scene, two cases of whiskey had been
taken to the shadow of the sattion
house, and later officers found two or
three cases of whiskey at Clark's
house, 403 Missouri street. Will
Thomas, an old negro, found at
Clark's house, was arrested on suspi-
cion of having some connection with
the robbery.
Chief Fiveash went Immediately to
the railroad yards on learning of the
robbery. At that time, but at a diff
ferent point, Special Cotton Belt Of
ficer w. d. Higinbotham came upon
the scene. He went back to the trans
fer shed to learn which car had been
robbed. In the meantime Clark came
along to take another case of whiskey
from the car Before he had neared
Chief Fiveash. the latter had recog-
nized him. He did not make a move,
however, until Clark had opened a
sack and was about to place case of
whiskey in it.
Clark was then ordered to surren-
der. Instead Of doing that, he drop
ped the sack and ran his hand toward
pocket. Chief Fiveash, knowing his
record and not wishing to take I'M
necessary chances, had already drawn
his revolver and when Clark made
the move, opened fire. Five shots
were fired at Clark. Four Of the shots
took effect. CLARK died within a
short time.
All the goods taken at this time
were recovered, but it is believed
that Clark was at the head of gang
which had been Systematically rob-
bling cars for quite a period, and that
they may have secured quite a large
amount.
A Dangerous Man.
That Clark was a dangerous. man
was well known to officers. Several
years ago when now Justice of the
Peace j.. E. Cheek was special agent
for the Cotton Belt, he and another
officer had pistol duel with Clark.
They finally captured him. Clark
had served two sentences for robbing
box cars and was serving sentence
for robbing Cotton Belt car whom