The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-02-02
Coroner Spain Spends Day
at Oak Grove Investi-
eating Tragedy
HAS LONG TALK
WITH HONEYCUTT
Latter Steadfastly Maintains He Shot
Landman Brothers in Self-Defense.
Bodies To Be Sent to Huntsville
This Morning

| impaneled by Coroner Charles L. Spain
to investigate the killing of Samuel
and Houston Landman at Oak Grove
about o'clock Saturday night Cor
oner Spain spent the day at Oak Grove
yesterday and has ordered the inquest
to follow the funeral services of the
youngsters.
| 1t was announced at Shaw's morgue
last night that the remains of the
Landman brothers will be sent this
morning at 6:15 o'clock to Huntsville
for interment. All the immediate rel
| atives of the two brothers will attend
] the early morning services at Shaws
private chapel and will accompany the
remains to Huntsville
At the county jail, Emmett Honey
eutt, the 21-year-old boy who killed
Samuel and Houston Landman, passed
a quiet day. He talked cheerfully with
his jailers and had a long conversation
with Coroner Spain. He steadfastly de-
| clared that he would be cleared as he
claims he can prove that he shot the
Landman brothers in self defense. Ac-
cording to Coroner SSin the boys
story is borne out by the other eye
witness of the tragedy, John F'uqua.
Spain Makes Statement
Il went to the scene of the double
killing" said Coroner Spain, early
Sunday morning and interrogated ev-
eryone concerned in the affair. 1 found
the little village of Oak Grove great
ly excited over the killings, but the
sentiment seemed to be that if young
/ T,r1D l,1 LII
brothers they would have killed him.
From preliminary examination it
| looks as if Honeycutt shot in self de-
Tense, but L will allow a jury to pass
on the question as | am unwilling to
| take the responsibility of setting at
| liberty this young man. If a jury can
be satisfied that Honeycutt acted in
defense of his life l Will gladly allow
the young man his freedom.
From the preliminary examination
yesterday | discovered that bad feel
ing existed between Emmett Honeycutt
and p. r. Reese, a brother-in-law of
the Landman boys, beginning the early
part of last week. The Landman boys
| became involved and l find that threats
We're made to Honeycutt and that he
was told that he should leave the vi
cinity as quick as possible or he would
! be carried out. However, on Saturday
night it seems that Samuel and Hous-
| ton Landman came to John Fuquas s
house where young Honeycutt lived
and worked a dairyman and asked
him to come out behind the barn. They
wanted to talk with him, they stated.
Young Honeycutt tells me, and his
statement is substantiated by John
Fuqua, that he replied that he was too
| small to fight them; that he could
not fight and therefore he would not
go out behind the barn.
1t 4.
I am told that Hsuston Landman drew
| an automatic pistol and, pointing it
at Honeycutt, ordered him to come out
behind the barn. The older brother,
Sam Landman, is also said to have
grabbed Honeycutt by the coat and lit
orally dragged the boy behind the
barn. John Fuqua followed at a dis
tance.
HOneycutt Reluctant to Fight
Behind the barn some words were
passed between Honeycutt, who Is a
young boy very slightly built, and the
two Landman brothers, both we'll
built, strapping fellows. Honeycutt
again said he did not care to fight and
suddenly p. r. Reese. the brother-in-
law, appeared on the scene and, ac-
cording to the SOY Mr.. Fuqua and
Honeycutt tell, ind Hediately jumped on
young Honeycutt. Reese is also a we'll
built man of about 80 years of age.
According to the story of the eye
witnesses, knife was drawn and some
passes were made, and again the auto
ratic pistol was drawn. Out of the
scramble in which all four young men
were involved three shots were fired
ana both the Landman brothers fell in
the field dying. Reese ran out of range
before Honeycutt could shoot at him.
immediately after the shooting
Honeycutt started back to the Fuqua
y sci dan xx-h Ia 1r nt aal 30
the two wounded men. Houston Land
man, who was shot through the chest,
died almost Immediately and without
speaking a word. while Samuel Land
man was carried into his own home,
about 100 feet away, where he died
in about 10 minutes in his wife's arms.
Sam had been shot through the neck
and stomach.
Following the death of the Land
ran boys Honeycutt and Mr. Fuqua
walked through the little village and
alxing up NJ E. Moore. a deputy sher-
iff Honeycutt surrendered, Deputy
Moore drove the young man, who
showed slight knife wounds on the
forehead and on the arms to the coun-
ty Jail in a buggy. At the county jail
Tioneycutt was placed in a cell on
double charge of murder
"As to the motives that led to this
fatal quarrel it centers largely on a
been mixed up in the domestic affairs
of Reese which led to the threats and
finally the tragedy of Saturday night.
1t was a horrible affair and the peo-
pie of Oak Grove are greatly exdited
ever it. The Landman family and
Honeycutt family are highly respected
il. that little mountain community"
Many View the, Bodies
Throughout yesterday there were
many visitors to Shaw G. Sons to view
the bodies of Samuel and Houston
I.andman as the young men had many
friends in the city. Houston Landman
was employed as a car reparer in the
southern railroad shops at Avondale
and resided in Acipco with his wife,
whom he married at Christmas. Samuel
l,andman was dairyman and oper-
ated dairy in Oak Grove in partner
ship with w. p. Walker. He Is sur
vived by his wife and two young chill
dren. Houston Landman is 21 years
CT age and Samuel Landman is 25 years
old. The boys are also survived by
their parents, Mr.. and Mrs. George
Landman, of Oak Grove, four sisters
and two brothers.
1t was stated last night that the con-
dition of Mrs. Birdie Reese. the a.
year sister of the Landman bows.
is still considered serious and that the
young woman is in the care of physi-
clans. Mrs. Reese is hysterical as a
|