The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1921-03-19
OFFICER JOHN PURVIS WOUNDED BY
GUN SHOT NHANDS OF A NEGRO
Two Negroes B a d ~
Hurt and One Is Ar
rested and II e | d a t
Plant City - Condi-
ton of Purvis Serious
But not Necessarily
Critical.

One Polk county officer from Lake
land and two alleged bootleggers' col
ored. were wounded in lively shoot
ing fray which took place Friday
night at about ten-thirty in a lonely
spot on the road between Mulberry
and Alfalfa at point just over the
Polk county line in Hillsborough.
The officers have for some tine had
an eye on group of negroes suspect
ed of moonshining and bootlegging,
and finally by an ingenious decoy sys-
TEN, the fellows were lured within
reach of the law last night. A car Of
supposed purchasers went out TO meet
an auto in which five gallons of shine
were to be delivered. The negroes
made their way to the spot and wait
cd The decoy car approached the
scent and was followed closely by a
car containing John Purvis and Roy
Hutchinson, of the Polk county po
lice force, both of Lakeland, and Of
fcer Dick Sineath OF the Lakeland
force.
The officers commanded the negroes
to hold up their hands. Two obeyed
with aiacrity, while the third man
opened fire on the officers with shot
gun. This salutation was returned
by the officers. who were AIMED with
shotgun and pistols. Officer Purvis
had fired a couple of shots at the as
sGilants, when load of shot struck
him in the left arm and breast, in
fIicting injuries, which are serioUs,
but not thought to be fatal. Two of
the negroes were known to have been
fa1 hn
ground .r...ss,.
Officers Sineath and Hutchinson
rushed their wounded comrade to the
Hotel ,manita in Mulberry where
medical aid was summoned, and Of
ficer Hutchinson remained at his side
almost constantly until he was
brought to the Morrell Memorial Hos
pital in Lakeland shortly before noon
today.
II. P. Allen, chief of the Lakeland
police force, and Deputies Clyde Oliff
ard Newton Hatcher of Barlow, were
called and accompanied by Officer
Hutchinson, visited the scene of the
fray.
They found blood-spattered place
from which the men, wounded though
they were, had made a hasty getaway
This morning, Sheriff John Logan
took up the trail, accompanied by De-
putty thatcher of Barlow, and Deputy
Dan Marshall Of Lakeland, and MEM
bers OF the Hillsborough county po-
lice force.
At the home of Hamp Dexter, a
Tile and half east of Hopewell, the
officers came upon Hamp Dexter, suf-
bot l,o
shattered his left hip bone, and John
Dexter, laid up with wound through
the ankle. Both men were placed un-
der arrest and taken to Tampa. Hamp
Dexter is charged with assault with
attempt to murder, 1t being well-es-
tablished by the officers that he was
the negro with the shotgun who in
flicted,. the wound on Officer Purvis.
, This morning, near the scene of the
conflict was found five gallon glass
jug of moonshine liquor. It was
brought in to the Lakeland police sta
ton where II was on exhibition as the
original cause of the trouble and elo-
quent of the risks men take in de-
fiance OF the law, matched as they
must necessarily be, by the risks ither
men fake to enforce the law.
AT the hospital this afternoon, 1t
was reported that Mr.. Purvis Is rest
ing we'll and that an operation Is not
thought to be necessary. He was shot
at distance of about twenty feet, and
was wearing. both coat and vest,
which Was little protection at such
close range, and three shots passed
through his watch. 1t Is stated that
had the shot been little larger, the
resuh..wouid have been much more
ssrious. ~
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