Western Carolina Democrat and French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1913-1915, 1915-08-05

Is = (. =
Hendersonville experienced an un-
usual sensation that is shrouded In
mystery last wednesday night when
four persons approached the home of
a. A. Carter on South Main street and
! ione or more began firing as a result Of
which Ed Mills OF Atlanta suffered se-
rions WOUNDS and Albert Thompson of
s1Irg g64 in exchange a shot IN
houlder from the window of the
second floor OF the Carter home.
Physicians and officers were called.
nda were dressed, arrests made and
men were rushed to the hospital and
/ when the news spread up town people
grouped themselves and began asking
why the shooting r. The question
has not been answered authoritatiyely
and while Chief of Police Otis Powers
says he can't answer 1t officially he and
the other officers keep on working in
hope that the mystery as to why the
shooting occurred will be clearly re-
vealed.
Albert Thompson, Aiken Mitchell, S..
G. Leonard and Criss Woodfn of Ashe-
EviIIe are said to have employed viii
jackson to bring the party to Hender-
IsenviIle in the latter'g car. which
1 stopped in front of the Citizens Ma
!tional bank. The occupants, excepting
jackson, are said to have gone about
/ g o'clock to the Francis residence on
South Main, occupied by A. A. Carter
1 and family of New York Mr. Carter.
was called for and 1t is said that when
I Mills, who was visiting at the Carter
home, called for Carter, Thompson
fired on Mills three times Carter in
turn is said to have fired three shots
from HE room upstairs at Thompsor
One shot took effect Ia the left should
ser.
4 Mills was serious1F Wounaed3 ing
heen shot in the stomach 1hlceTs
were called and Afil rs was taken to the
= Hospital An operation showed that
q. rad been rtlElefured IN
seven is e6S1d
idefet bllt gfestes
9hopes for his rscoVery are now ENTER
! tanned. - .sss
Four Men Ran. -.
When the shots were made from
the window on the second Hoor the men
in the yard made hasty retreat and
soon afterward Chief Powers learned
that Thompson and Leonard had gain
Led entrance to the home of Charles
Sunofsky on the opposite side of the
street. Thompson's wounds we-e
] dressed by physician and a bu-ea
4 vas removed from his body ai,er WE4,a
he was taken to the hospital and placed
under the guard of police until S,a-
day, when his condition warranted his
being taken to the county jail.
Two Arrested in AsheViiie.
Chief Powers gained informati3
to Woodfin and Mitchell and soon t-cy
1 were arrested in Asheville: About 5
4 O'Clock in the morning Chief Powers
land Tax Collector j. w. McCafson
brought them back to HendersonVille
They were placed in the county jail,
where Leonard had been taken in the
meantime.
Hat and Pistol Lost.
A straw hat and 80 U. S. pistol with
one empty chamber was found in the
! Carter yard. Thompson, 1t is said,
claimed he fired three times. with a
! Smith & Wesson gun, which has not
been found, but which Thompson is.
said to have stated was left in the
yard. Leonard had no gun on him
when taken In charge by the officials,
but sufficient time had elapsed for him
) to dispose of it before arrest. Woodfnl
Is said to have claimed ownership of.
:. the hat that was left in the Carter
yard.
Walk TO Carter Home.
There was persistent report that
the men rode to the Carter home in
/ an automobile, but Chief Powers said
this was a mistake that after the men
left the machine in front of the bank
the chauffer took it to the garage on
South Main, where Woodin and Mitch
ell are said to have entered it after the
shooting.
Carter Couldn't Identity Men.
When Carter was admitted to the
] fail for the purpose Of identifying
/ Leonard, Woodfin and Mitchell he
could not recognize any of the boys.
Mills is said to have known all those
lin the party except Leonard. The dep
osition of Mills, which was taken on
the morning after the shooting, is said
tc have shed no light on the situation
! SO far as showing motive for the.
! shooting.
Greeting Was Friendly.
Thompson upon approaching the
Carter home is said to have greeted
Mills in friendly manner and asked
/ Tor carter tnen uT6d On Mills WAtnOot
j any further exchange Of words. This
/ action makes the mystery deeper am:
opinion has been given that Thompson
and his men went determined to TAX.
/ the life of both Mills and Carter
Gambling May Have Been Cause.
/ Some of those involved in the shoot
inc were mixed up in gambling case
in Hendersenville recently and the