The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-09-25
BYRON DAVIS Is SHOT BY EARLE RICHARDS IN OFFICE AT ENSLEY Trouble Said to Have Been
 Caused by Remarks
 to Girl DAVIS DIES WHILE
 TRYING TO SPEAK Richards Claims That He Shot in Self Defense, But Dead Mans Friends Say He Sought Physical Encounter Only

Byron Davis. aged 24 years, struc- tural iron worker, and well known young man of Ensley was shot and instantly about ( o'clock last night at the offices of the Jefferson Bottling Works, at AT Seventeenth street. Ensley.
 The shooting was done with .3S-cali- bre Colt pistol and the bullet entered the right shoulder and tore a shaggy hole The bullet sred downward from right to left and almost penetrated the entire body. The police arrived within a min ute following the fatal shooting and they found Davis In a pool of blood As the officers entered Davis was gasping for breath and made frantic attempts to speak but died in Officer Lowry's arms with out making statement.
 Accounts of the killing are that Davis had made several attempts in the last three or four days to interview Richards about a statement concerning Davis, which Richards Is alleged to have made to young lady of Ensley. Davis is all leged to have made the statement that he was going to whip Richards if he ever got him outside of the offices of the Jefferson Bottling Works. Last night about o'clock Davis entered the offices and saw Richards who is foreman there, sitting behind his desk. A few words were Spoken and then Richards drew his pistol and shot Davis, who was advancing towards him.
 Richards Surrenders
 Following the shooting Richards went out on the street and met Officers Givens and Lowry. who had heard the shot, and were hurrying to the scene. Richards promptly surrendered and was locked up in the Ensley jail on charge of murder Two hours later he was transferred to the county jail
 Richards is known in Ensley.8 He lives with his brother at Avenue E and Twen- ty-eighth street. His mother lives in At lanta. At the county jail last night Rich ards at first was very reticent about the shooting, but finally made the following statement to a reporter
 He had been after me for three days to go over there but I was lodging him. This afternoon he called twice at the works but the negro boy told him I was out. A little before o'clock he came again and talked to me but l wouldn't go and he left He came back in about four minutes and this time-well, I won't talk about it. Yes, the trouble was over a girl and he was after me about it."
 Richards, at the county jail last night appeared well groomed. fiorid faced man. He is rather inclined to stoutness and is about six feet tall. His victim was about his physical equal.
 Friends of Davis stoutly maintained last night that 1t was Davis intentions to fight Richards with his fists and that there never was any intention of having any gun play. They point to the fact that although Davis is a careful dresser hetdonned shabby clothes on Wednesday and went about Ensley looking for Rich ards to have a fistic encounter because of the alleged derogatory statements Rich ards made about Davis to a well-known young lady stenographer in Ensey, to whom both Davis and Richards were pay ing attention.
 Wanted an Understanding
 Davis had openly stated, it is alleged, that he wanted to bring Richards face to face with this young lady and have a complete understanding. It was with this desire that Davis repeatedly called upon the. offices of the Jefferson Bottling Works to see Richards. his friends state. and that he had no intention of harming Richards until the truth or falsity of the alleged statement had been verified by an interview between the two men and the girl.
 Davis is survived by his parents, who reside near Cullman. His remains are at the morgue of Echols & Angwin and funeral arrangements will be announced later
 Throughout last night the Ensley police, under Captain Ramage. were busy gath ering up possible witnesses of the affair in order to combat the efforts of friends of Richards. who were also busy gather ing witnesses to prove that the killing