Richmond daily register. (Richmond, Madison County, Ky.) 1917-1978, 1921-05-25
CLAUDE SpURLOCK
QUICKLY ACQUITTED
Testimony Shows He Was At
tackled by Finis Lovett and
Neville Daniels First

r
of self defense, Claude Spurlock
who shot Finis Lovett to death a
Bobtown April II, was quickl,
cleared by a jury in circuit a
noon Wednesday.
Testimony of even the common
wealth's witnesses showed thai
Lovett was the aggressor; thai
he was wild drunk" on moon
shine whisky, and after having
cndeavored to provoke a tight
with several others around the
Rrcker store, Jumped on" young
Spurlock after the latter had told
him he was a stranger to him and
did not want any trouble with
him. The testimony showed that
Lovett first knocked Spurlock
down, then Neville Daniels, who
had gone to the store with Lovett
struck Spurlock; and when he
arose Lovett knocked him down
again. Mr.. William Ruckcr, and
Spurlock both testified that Low
EFT put his hand in his pants pocl-
ct as if to draw a knife. Then
Spurlock shot and Lovctt step
ped back a step or two and fell
over and died.
Spurlock was defended by At
torneys A. II. Burnam and g..
Murray Smith, while Common
wealth's Attorney B. a. Crutchcr
and County Attorney o. p. Jack
son handled the prosecution.
Jim Alcorn, a young man O.
the Bobtown section, was the
first witness. and told of scvcra
trips that he and Lovett made to
the store at Bobtown. He sale
Lovctt was drinking some when
he first met him about 9 o'clock
that morning. He said that Low
cit had a gun but that Neville
Daniels got it. He said they had
been at BobtoWn but a few mo-
mcnts. at 2 o'clock. when the kill
ing took place. Alcorn said that
he and Lovctt had scuf1ed around
some at tile store; that they had
wrestlcd about and Lovett threw
him down. As they went into
Ruckcr's store he said that Low
cit unbuttoned his coat and asked
ii anybody wanted to fight. Spur
lock was in The store but went
out. Alcorn lid not see the kill
ing he said. lie said he hcarc
The shot and went out the bach
dour. He saw. no knife or gun.
Neville Daniels. another young
man who said he lived at Kings,
ton. said he saw Alcorn at tht
store as he and Lovett got there
and that they got some liquor af-
ter they left the store and Lovett
got drunk. He admitted drinking
some himself but said he was no
drunk. He said the other boys got
the liquor from over towards Big
Hill and he didn't know where.
He said he saw no scuffle between
Alcorn and Lovett. Spurlock
hadn't been with them, but came
out of the store. and Spurlocl
and Lovett began fighting. Dan
icls said he tried TO stop then
and that Bart Burns grabbed him.
When Spurlock shot, he said Low
cit made three steps back an'
fell. Daniels sad that Lovctt had
taken a gun up with him and hac
sold it to a colored man that he
had Lovett's knife when he wa
shot. as he had borrowed it to cut
a rope with. He said that Low
cit hit Spurlock once with his fist
but he saw Lovctt made no effort
to draw a gun or knife. He
said Lovctt was very drunk.
On cross examination, Daniels
said that he had holster under
his coat but no pistol was in it.
He saw Lovett and Spurlock gc
across the road fussing, but said
he didn't remember having told
Lovctt he'd stand by him, and he
didn't remember having hit Spur
lock himself; nor did he see
-Lovett knock him down the third
time.
Oscar Rucker who conducts the
store at Bobtown. said that Low
cit walked out and past Spurlocl
talking loud, and hit Spurlock
and knocked him up against tho
fence. Spurlock got up and Low
cit hit him again and then Spur
lock hit him. He didn't see any
pistols before that; nor Lovett
with any weapon Lovett was
very drunk bad" drunk he called
it. Just before the shooting. he
said Lovett and Jim Alcorn were
fighting; Lovett was hitting Al
corn with his fists. He said
Daniels hit Spurlock an instant
before the shooting he didn't
see Daniels with a knife or wea-
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