Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1917-01-16


undertaking parlor. this morning for
post nortcm examination. lie said
two doctors would conduct the exam
lnatlon and that the bullets found
would be retained as evidence
County Attorney George Reeves an
nounccd officially last night that III
formations charging murder viii be
fIlcd this morning against the five po-
lice officers who last Friday NIGHT shot
and XII ed Vernon Hatfield, 90 taxi
cab driver.
The county attorney made II known
at the same time that he had aban-
doncd the plan of holding "A coroner =
inquest, and that the jury that has
been empaneled would be discharged
this morning.
The informations against the OIL
GERS will be filed in the county court
the prosecutor said. and the prelimiu-
airy hearing, at which the testimony
that viii result either in the members
Of the flying squadron" facing Il dis
trict court jury on murder charge oi'
IN their complete VindiCation, will be
started Wednesday morning before
County Judge II. L. Standeven.
Accused Quintet.
The five officers to be charged Ih
the informations County Attorney
Reeves VIII file today are.
H. II. TOWNSEND, assistant to the
chief of police ard leader of the
SQUADRON
w NJ. SHUE, detective.
DICK NELSON. detective.
CARL LEWIS. detective.
RAINY MILLER. detective.
When the prosecutor made the
formal announcement last night that
the officers all would be placed unde
arrest this morning he was asked why,
if II had been decided to hold them.
they were not arrested at once?
"Thcy Won't Run"
81 have worked on this case from
early this morning until 6 o'clock this
evening and have not time tonight to
prepare and file the informations, y"
he replied
Moreover" continued the county
attorney, 81 have no fear that any OF
the officers will attempt to flee If
! thot there was the slightest chance
that any one of them might he MISS
Ing tomorrow I'd certainly cause fheir
arrest at once"
County Attorney Reeves reached
Tho decision to file murder charges
against the officers without going
thru the formality of Il corners In
quest late yesterday after conferences
that lasted all day with witnesses in
the case.
Star Witnesses.
Reeves announced that flat con-
! tradtction of the police officers YER
sion was made by more than one eye
witness at these secret conferences,
and that these statements would be
made in public at the preliminary
hearing before County Judge
| StandenVen.
The officers who are to be placed
under arrest today were on duty at
police headquarters last night. Town
send, the assistant to the chief, was
/ the only one who would be quoted.
Wants Bullets Found.
II want the bullets found in Hat
fields body examined" volunteered
Townsend
Were there any like these?" he
asked, exhibiting couple of cart
/ ridges to newspaper reporters.
There are many things 1 could
/ say, said Townsend as he went out
| the door at police headquarters, end
! Ing the interview, but so much has
| been said already that ! do not care
, to make any formal statement"
II Will say however" he continued.
| that I'm deeply sorry the tragedy
occurred. SO are the other Officers
who had part in the unfortunate
| occurrence"
There was big crowd In Lee
| Daniels courtroom yesterday morning
! at . o'clock when che coroner's In
quest was to be held. The throng. in
which there were many women, wait.
ed patiently for an hour and a half
only 20 be disappointed at the end
when County Attorney Reeves re.
| quested postponement until Tuesday
In order that he might have time TO go
into the matter more at length with
a number OF witnesses.
Sees Scared Car.
Mrs. Effie Hatfield broke down and
became hysterical Just after leaving
the courtroom when she saw for the
first time the taxlcab In which her
son was killed. As her vision took In
the bullet scars on the machine she
| screamed and was comforted by rela-
tives and friends. She was assisted
into a taxi and taken home.
J. II. Bennett, a lawyer, with offices
ir the Robinson Arcade, appeared In
the case yesterday as special counsel
retained by the Hatflelds.
bNN'l'l B'NiNipha N'It utlilE NlTtu-
lated yesterday by business men who
were anxious to raise funds to aid In
the prosecution of the officers. II
was reported that several hundred
dollars was raised and that Momau
1 Pruiett, well-known Oklahoma City
lawyer. would come here TO take part
In the trial.
Killing Deplorcd.
Resolutions adopted last night by
the Law Enforcement club deplored
tho killing and expressed sympathy
to the family. Tho club members
pledged themselves to raise a fund OF
$4,000 to be used In seeing that the
dignity OF law and order in this com
munity is upheld. II was stated IN
the resolutions that petition bearing
a thousand signatures would be pre-
sented to the Legislature making |,
unlawful for minors to convey liquor
and making employers OF minors In
this traffic subject to = Zine oi
>iO.oss.