The Parisian. (Paris, Tenn.) 1907-1962, 1919-05-23
Magistrates Court Declines
To Allow Him Bail On
Murder Charge.
ALMUS MOORE is
VICTIM OF SHOOTING
Public Sentiment Is Strong
Against Matthews and
Violence Feared.

hearing in the magistrates ceurt
Wednesday afternoon of John Mat
thews, 40 years of age, charged with
murder in shooting to death Almus
Moore at New Boston on Monday
morning, Judge HARDWOOD instructed
Wednesday afternoon by telephone
that Matthews be taken to the Hunt
ingdon Jail for safe keeping, after
Magistrates Erwin, Snow, Cross and
Mobiles had remanded him to Jail with
out bail on a charge of murder in the
first degree. He was taken to Hunt
ingdon on the afternoon train shortly
after the preliminary trial, by force
of deputies.
AImus Moore who is some 35 years
Of age, died within half an hour af-
ter he was twice shot by Matthews
in the big road near the store at New
Boston between 8 and O'Clock Mon
day morning. He leaves wife and
one child He was highly respec-
ted citizen of the Cottage Grove COM
munity, and reputed as a man of
very even temper, being originally
from Weakley county.
Matthews started for Paris inme-
diately after the shooting to surren-
der to the sheriff, but encountering
Deputy Sam Hagler, in charge of
road repair crew, stated his case to
him and was arrested by Hagler, who
brought him to town, where he was
released on a $4,000 appearance
bond. The preliminary trial was
held in the circuit court room We'd
nesday afternoon.
According to the evidence anus
Moore, who drives transfer wagon
between Cottage Grove and Paris via
New Boson, was on his way to town
Monday morning. Matthews in a
Ford car, in company with a young
l6-year old negro was on his way to
his brothers farm beyond New Bos-
ton where he was taking the negro
who had been engaged to set out to-
bacco plants. They met some so
yards beyond the Shoffner store at
New Boston. There had been some
Misunderstanding between the two
men a few days previous when they
met in the road and experienced some
! difficulty in passing each other with
heir vehicles, and according to the
statement of the young negro, JAM
es Terry, when they met on Monday
morning Moore swung his team to
block the road causing Matthews to
stop in the road in trying to pass and
killing the engine of the car. The
negro stated that Moore thereupon
said to Matthews that he was ready
to settle that difference that existed
between them and proceeded to ct
down off the wagon with a knife in
his hand. That in the meantime, he
(the negro), had gotten out of the
car to crank it, and that the mex.
thing he knew the shooting was tax
ing place. The negro, however, sub
sequently testified on cross examine
ton that when the car stopped on the
right hand side Of the wagon the
front seat of the car and the wagon
seat were about opposite and that
there was feet between the two
vehicles.
A. D. Shoffner testified that jus
previous to the shooting, he had no.
ticed Moore coming over the hill APP
preaching the store from the Cottage
Grove direction, and afterwards no
ticed Matthews pass the store in his
car going toward Cottage Grove. That
: in a little while, being of the opinion
that Moore was slow in reaching the
store, he looked up the road and saw
5 the wagon and the automobile anil
simultaneously heard Moore in a
= loud voice halloo to Matthews that
/, he was coward-to get out of the
car. That Moore at that time was
: sitting in the wagon seat. and tina
the shooting commenced.
Matthews shot three or four times,
according to witnesses. The revol
yer used was 45-Colt automatic
One shot struck Moore in the left
side, and according to DR.. Paschal.
who examined Moore, it ranged up
wards, passing through the body anf
coming out the right side. Z h