The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1921-08-05
TOMLINSON SHOT
BY APATROLMAN
INSTANTLY DIES
JAKE Stages, OF LOCAL FORCE,
KILLS YOUNG MAuRY TOM
- liNSoN.
BRAzIER'S RESTAURANT SCENE
OFFICER Claims to Have Acted in Self
Defense, While the Prosecution says
Was Without Justifcation-police.
man Landed in Jail.


most instantly killed at about 3 o'clocl
TINS morning by Patrolman Jake
Stages, OF local police force, near tn,
restaurant Of ALI Brazier. opposite
TIE union station. A forty-four Colts
automatic revolver was used and the
one shot entered the left side. pierced
the heart and penetrated the entire
body. 1t is thought that death was in
: Simultaneous.
There were several witnesses to the
shooting, but all of the versions dc
not agree. Some of the witnesses de
clmed to talk and it will probably be
next Monday at 10 O'Clock when the
preliminary hearing Of the officer is
held before Justice of the Peace T. M.
Jones before the facts are clearly
known ana even then they may not be
Ireeoncidel.
Officer Stages, who has been a vet.
eran of the police force, and in point
OF age its oldest member, is at the
cotnsy Jail charged with murder on a
warrant issued at the instance of Gen.
Job b. Garner, representing the fami
ly OF the dead man. He declined to
tax, except to say that il was a plain
case OF self defense, fact which, he
declared, would be conclusively dem
onstrated at the hearing of the case
On the other hand it is claimed by
the prosecution that the shooting was
| altogether unnecessary and wholly
without justification. The theory sof
the prosecution is based on this state
OF facts: r..
| Young Tomlinson, who is well
known about town, went to the Bra
zier restaurant SHORTLY before three
o'clock this morning in company with
William Roberts, to procure a lunch.
Witnesses agree that Roberts had
been drinking and was under the inhu-
ence of liquor, but several who had
seen Tomlinson during the night deny
that he was under the influence of in
tCXieantS. The lunch, so it is stated,
was ordered by Roberts, who after
eating it, declined or neglected to pay
for it. Upon this fact being called to
his attention by Willie Martin, on du.
ty at Brazier's, he is said to have in
sited that it be charged But this the
clerk declined to do. An argument
then ensued, with Tomlinson, so it is
claimed, trying to effect settlement
Hearing the argument, Patrolmen
Stages and Lamar, who were at the
Union station, crossed to the restau
rant where Officer Stages is said tc
have placed Roberts under arrest
Upon being requested by Tomlinsop
to release his companion until morn
ing an argument took place between
Stages and the dead man, which be
coming heated, Stages, so it is claim
ed, drew his pistol and without warn.
ing fred the fatal shot
1t is strenuously denied that either
Roberts or Tomlinson had any sort OF
weapon on their person or that either
Of them made any sort OF threat o.
movement against the officer. Howev
er, as above stated, Mr. Stages claims
shat the shooting was done solely az
Tense.
The shooting created somewhat of
}ensation in the city, as both parties
were we'll known. The slain man was
thirty-two years of age and was un
married He was travelling sales
man and was son of Judge and Mrs
Jesse Tomlinson, and a brother OF
County Attorney Pride Tomlinson
Judge Tomlinson, who holds an i'm |
portant office with the supreme court |
of the District of Columbia was al
once notified of the tragedy and is eX |
pected to arrive here tomorrow night |
Young Tomlinson was a young man OF
a wide acquaintance and was quite pop |
ulaY in his set and many expression
If sorrow were heard this morning |
lis devoted parents and his splendid |
young brother are the objects of The |
sympathy of the entire community.
The body of young Tomlinson wa
removed to the undertaking parlOr |
If Cakes & Nichols where it was pre-
AIRED for burial The funeral will b.
1eld Sunday but the arrangements |
nave not yet been announced.
Stages Refuses Statement.
a Herald reporter called at tn,
county Jail this morning for the pun
lose of getting a statement from Pa
.rolman Stages, the man charged witt |
he killing of Maury Tomlinson, but
Viz. Stages refused to talk, except t.
say: ~ regret more than | can tell
hat had to do what did. shot il
elf defense"
officer Stages added further tina
here were number of eye-witnesse
O the ARRAY and that I'm due time all