The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-09-30
FARMER KILLED BY FEDERAL OFFICERS
 IN LIQUOR RAID
In Affray Over Search of Wagon One Is Killed and One Lodged In JaiI--No
 Liquor In Evidence

Kirk Tidmore of Oneonta is dead and Chalmers E. Huffstutler of Oneonta was placed in the county iail at late hour Wednesday night to be released under $500 bond yes terday morning as result of an at- fray with federal officers on the Springville road about 20 miles north of Birmingham.
 According to the officers informa- ton was received over the long dis tance telephone by N. L. Pierce, fed eral prohibition agent, Wednesday evening that the two men were com Ing to Birmingham with load of liquor concealed in a wagon load of vegetables. Mir. Pierce swore out searcn warrant for the two men and detailed W. E. Bubanks, Jack Horton, T. C. Dews, deputy federal agents, and W. M. Dews, federal posseman to go to the Springville road to intercept the wagon. It is said that the federal officers were accompanied by J. B. Thompson, a city traffic officer. The men had received an accurate description Of the wagon
 The officers stated that they passed the wagon answering the description at point about 20 miles out on the Sprngville road. Proceeding about mile further down the road they turned their car and overlook the wagon.
 Shot Was Fired
 Ira u ipp nn n fhn side of the wagon, Federal Officer T. C. Dews. who was riding the running board or the car containing the federal agents says he commanded the men ill the wagon to stop, saying that the men in the car were revenue officers. The officers stated that a shot was then fired from the wagon, the but let glancing from the steering wheel of the automobile, narrowly missing Federal Officer Horton who was driy- ing the car.
 Following the shot the officers are said to have rushed from the auto mobile, closing in upon the wagon. Tidmore Is said to have fired q shot gun later found in the wagon, into the officers as they surrounded the wagon. Eubanks dropped to the ground in time to miss the charge from the gun but was said to have Ottn Dui ncO bHc ldCt by lilt powder from the shot.
 Hand to Hand Combat
 A hand-to-h hand combat followed the shooting In which Tidmore was shot. It is said that Horton was struck over the head by TidmorS with the butt end of the shot gun and that before the men stopped struggling they had to be handcuffed
 Not Sure as to Liquor
 f.... sf. At. l. found that Tldmore was suffering from wound in the left side. The two men were placed in the federal officers automobile and rushed to the city under guard of two of the revenue officers while the remainder brought the wagon to Birmingham Tidmore was taken to the Hillman hospital where he died on the oper- ating table as a result of wound in the left side. Huffstuttler was placed under arrest in the county jail and released under $500 bond yesterday morning.
 N. l.. Pierce stated yesterday even ing that he was unable to state whether the officers found any liquor in the wagon or not.
 Hufrstutter's Statement. c. E. Huffsutler who was with Mr. Tidmore when the shooting occurred made the following statement yes terday afternoon:
 We were driving along about ten o'clock and I had slid down in the seat in comfortable position. There was sudden command to halt and one of the mules l was driving took fright and as l had the lines in my hand 1t Jerked me down on the double tree. Seeing that the mule was about to run away I was try ing to get to his head to stop him.
 "It was then the men began to shoot. Tidmore fell to the ground and they had put handcuffs on him before they ever said anything about being prohibition officers. l heard 1idmore ask them where they were from and what they wanted and then heard him tell them we had no liquor. All the time he was asking them to let him up off the ground saying that he was hurt. It all hap pened so quick and in the middle of the night that both of us were nat urally excited.
 gun lying along the back of the seat. 1t did not have a shell in it and the only shells we had were in my pocket. We never fired a shot. The officers must have fired five or six times. We live about 10 miles from Oneonta just across the county line in St. Clair county. Tidmore lives only quarter of a mile from me and We were bringing a load of vegetables to town to sell. We had no liquor. I myself have always been for prohibition. I voted for it.
 'Tidmore leaves a wife and four children and I have wife and five children"
 JORDAN PARK CHR