The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-04-27
TWO DETECTIVES ARE KILLED AND
 POLICEMAN HELD
Officer Claims to Have Shot One in Self Defense and Killed the Other by
 Accident

Anniston, April 2s.-(special)- City Detectives Joe Holiday and c. Brice Hurst were instantly killed by Policeman Marshal Welch on West Fifteenth street here Wednesday morning about o'clock, the fight be- tween the officers it IS reported. pe- e ing tffe resuiI of the be1fe For Wefcn that the two detectives had reporteu him and his partner for sleeping on duty last Sunday morning..
 Welch used 45 calibre Colts pis- toI, three of the heavy bullets strik- ing Detective Holiday in the left side and two striking Officer Hurst both of the men being dead when people living nearby rushed to the scene. After killing the two men Of ficer Welch ran into an alley, re- loaded his pistol, and returned to the car in which the two detectives were sitting when they were killed.
 The surviving officer claims that Detective Holiday made motion toward his scabbard and threatened to shoot him, and that he was quicker and began firing first. The first bull let fired by Officer Welch went through the top of the car, but the other five found their mark. Welch claims that he fired at ,lliday in self defense and that Hurss was acci- dentally killed.
 Takes Bodies to Morgue
 After returning to the car and finding both the men dead Oiiicer Welch moved the body of Holiday to the back seat of the car, secured the services of driver and brought the bodies of his fellow officers to the Smith and Usrey undertaking parlors, going from there with off cer Joe Gilpin to the county jail and surrendering to the county jailor.
 Welch was seen by newspaper correspondent Wednesday and de- scribed the killing. He made the statement that Officer Davis was in no way concerned in the shooting and that he left the scene immediately after he saw that trouble was brew ing. Welch claims that Holiday fired six shots at him during the fight. the bullets lodging in build ing behind him.
 Detective Holiday was a baseball player at Talladega befoss coming to Anniston several years ago and be- coming connected with the city police department. He is survived by his mother, wife and one small daughter, while Hurst is survived by his wife and three little boys. The officer who did the killing is the father of five small boys.
 Detective Hurst was n son of for mer Probate Judge A. A. Hurst, of Edwardsville, and who was also edi- tor of the Standard News in that town for many years.
 Hold Funerals Today
 Arrangements were being made Wednesday to hold the funerals of the two officers Thursday afternoon.
 no ,te 5.. light Wednesday morning and con- fined in the county jail. Chief Rut- ledge making the announcement that he would be prosecuted as an acces- sorry if the investigation indicated that he was responsible in any way for the kilXng.
 Chief Rutledge made sae statement Wednesday that he had investigat ted a report last Sunday morning to the effect that Officers Davis and Welch were sleeping on duty, but that he could not find them after a searcn of two hours on their beat.
 While making his investigation Chief Rutledge stated that he saw Officer Welch make his exit from an open building on West Fifteenth street at 5 o'clock and that Officer Davis left the same building at $50 o'clock, both of the officers being reprimanded by the chief.
 It is supposed that the two officers thus accused had attributed the charge to the two detectives and that the shooting of Holiday and Hurst was the result of the argument be- tween them.
 Officer Welch announced Wednes- day that he would make a plea of self defense. making the statement that Officer Davis was in no way re- sponsible for or connected with the shooting.