The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1907-1921, 1915-06-03
FAMILY FEUD ENDS IN
DEATH OF VIM. TRAYLOR

county, was shot and killed last Fri.
day near Jordan, by Arthur Carver.
his brother-in-law.
Word reached town about / o'clock
and Deputy Sheriff Fred White and
County Physician Leming went to the
scene Of the tragedy leaving here a
few minutes later. Judge Cutlip, and
Judge Swan together with A. X. Car
ter and the drivers of the autos, Jesse
Smith and j. f. Tarpley, also went out
and remained for the coroners inquest
which was held at Jordan Friday night
The body Of Traylor was brought to
this city where it was buried at the
Sunnyside cemetery after short fu-
neral service at the Koch undertaking
parlors.
The cause Of the killing is not yet
known but IL is the elimination of
family troubles, in which these two
men had participated for several
months.
Traylor's wife had been in that part
Of the county and was staying at the
home of G.. II. Williamson, about five
miles west of Jordan.
Traylor had called Williamson up
to a neighbor's to get him to plead
for him TO his wife and get her to re-
turn to him, so IL is said, but had been
unsuccessful. He was riding with Mr..
Childress, the neighbor at whose resi-
dence this meeting had taken place,
and had just turned south on the Sec
ton line and had gone but a short
distance when Arthur Carver called
to them to stop. Traylor got off the
wagon and started across the field,
but Carver again asked him to stop.
He stopped and reached down in his
satchel or pocket and withdrew six
shooter and told Carver to go on back
as he did not want to have any trouble
with him. AT that instance they be-
gan shooting at each other and sew
eral shots were fired before Traylor
was mortally wounded with ball of
45-calibre automatic which passed
through his stomach at slanting po-
sition and came out below the hip
bone on the right side. He was also
shot through the right ankle. Carver
was shot in the left shoulder and the
ball was removed here Saturday af-
ter he was arrested and placed in jail
in Tucumcari.
Traylor was loaded into a wagon
and hurried to Jordan but he died be-
fore reaching that place.
The coroner's jury returned ver-
dict which caused Carver and r. X.
Wilson to be arrested and brought TO
Tucumcari and placed in Jail.
Their preliminary was held at the
court house in Tucumcari Wednesday
before Justice Of the Peace McElroy.
] took several hours to hear all the
testimony and the court house was
filled with spectators. Judge Cutlip
appeared for the prosecution and C..
c, Davidson for the defense.
After the hearing of the testimony
Judge McElroy could see no cause for
the holding Of Wilson and discharged
him from the charge, but held young
Carver without bond under the charge
of first-degree murder.
II was brought out in the preimi-
nary that when Wilson and William
son arrived at the scene after Tray
lor was down and Carver had gone
on south, when Wilson was getting
out of the wagon on the opposite side
from Traylor, Traylor shot at Wilson
and cut the lines near Wilson's hand.
Traylor then gave his gun to William
son and asked to be taken to Jordan.
The assertion has been made that the
gun used by Carver belonged to Will
son, but this was proven not true by
witness Williamson who identified IL
rs the same gun he had seen at Car
ver's home and swore IL belonged to
Carver.
The following testimony which was
given ut the coroner's inquest at the
village of Jordan, is approximately the
same as that given here yesterday and
will give our readers full story of
the case so far as was brought out by
the court.
The following is the testimony of
w. w. Childress, who was with VIM.
Traylor and who was the only eye
witness to the shooting:
The questions were asked by Judge
j. ID. Cutlip at the coroners inquest
the night of the same day the killing
occurred:
@. Where do you live?
A. At Jordan, N. M.
@. What county and state?
A. Quay county, state Of New Mex
q. State whether or not you knew
William l.. Traylor in his life time?
A. have seen him several times.
@. State whether or not you saw
him in the morning or forenoon of the
2sth day Of May, 1915.
A. Yes, sir.
@. When and what time in the
day did you see him?
A. Over and near our place west OF
Jordon. About three and one hall
miles west.
@. What time of day?
A. Probably eight or nine O'Clock
or something of the kind.
@. Detail TO the jury just undel
what circumstances you saw William
l.. Traylor this morning or forenoon
A. He came over tony place.