Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-08-21
BROTHER OF VICTIM
IN TRIPLE SHOOTING
SWEARS WARRANT
Continued From Page u ?

CONTINUED From Page IL
there was q scalp wound above the
eye. 1t was stated there were
powder burns on the right cheek.
Solicitor Boykin said he was stop
ped on the street Saturday morning
by a man who said he was a passen-
ed to avoid the flying bullets. He
said this man told him the lives of
passengers were almost endangered
by the incident.
Patted StigalI ON Back
"This man did not hear what took
place between the men," said Mr..
Boykin, but he said that after the
first shot, the man in the brown
suit crouched, threw his hands up 10
his face, and that one shot was fired
as he tried to turn. Another man
told me that after the shooting, some
one unknown to him came up AMI
patted Stigall on the back in a con.
gratulatory manner. | intend to find
out the identity eof this man if pos
sible."
worked on the case all afternoon
and evening, Solicitor Boykin stated
Saturday night that certain facts"
had been reported to him which
would make a grand jury investiga-
ton next Tuesday virtually i'm
perative."
Mr.. BoyIzin would not divulge the
nature of the reports turned over
to him, other than TO say that three
persons who witnessed the shooting
from the windows of a street car
that was halted to avoid the flying
bullets had voluntarily come to him
and told their stories, and that he
expected to secure the names of
other passengers on the car. He
said he would lay all evidence I'M
his possession before the grand jury
Tuesday.
Chief Beavers early Saturday
morning detailed a special squad to
| investigate the shooting and he had
received a verbal report late Satur-
| day afternoon. However, he said
he wished a written report from
| these men before announcing their
| findings.
| Chairman Armisteads Statement
The police committee met for an
a1joudned session shortly after the
shooting occurred. Chairman Jesse
Arrnistead said Officer Stigall and
j. w. Wallace, salesman for
local automobile concern, were the
only witnesses heard before the
three members of the committee
in attendance voted to exonerate
the officer. Two negro women, he
said, told the committee about
threats alleged to have been made
to them by Detective Hames that
he would get" Stigall. Committee
men Fred c. Woodall and j. L.
Wells were absent.
II voted to exonerate Officer Sti-
gall because he claimed he had shot
in self-defense and because 1 had
informed him of Hamc's threat to
get him." said Chairman Armit
tead Saturday night. Mr.. Armistead
told how the slain man had come to
his office on Thursday and made
certain charges against Stigall,
complaining that the officer was
protecting alleged bootleggers. The
police chairman said he insisted
that Stigell was innocent Of these
charges and that Hames had left
the office with a threat against the
vice squad head. Later, Mr.. Armis-
tead said, he informed Stigall of
the threats and warned him to be
particularly alert.
Several officers have been killed
lately by standing by while others
got the jump on Them" said Mr..
Armistead, land I take the posi-.
oft
right to protect his life by shooting
as any citizen enjoys" I
Chairman Armistead said he would
ask the grand jury Tuesday for per-
mission to tell his story of the en-
tire affair, and, if allowed to APP
pear before that body, would ask
that a no-bill be returned.
II am confident" he said, that
when the grand jury knows all the
facts surrounding this case, the
charges against Stigall will be dis
missed, as L am convinced they
should be-"
Mr.. Wallace, who testified before
the committee, said he saw Stigall on
downtown corner and picked him
up to ride down the street, having
known the policeman for several
years.
when we approached Houston
and Courtland streets" said Mr.. Wal
lace, in a statement to reporters
Saturday, "Stigall suddenly said, let
me out here" Mr.. Wallace said the
officer ventured no explanation of
this request. After conversation,
which he could not hear, Mr.. Wal
lace said Stigall drew his pistol and
began firing. He did not see a pistol
in the possession Of the other men,
the salesman stated.
AS near as can be reconstructed
from statements by Stigall the cir
cumstances leading up to the shoot
ing involved a belief on StigaiPs part
that the three men were trying to
frame up on him and were deter
mined to have him discharged from
the vice squad; that they would XIII
him if they could; and that at the
moment of the shooting they were
about to draw guns and begin shoot
ing.
Others Version
The version Of Kirk and Stanton
is that Stigall stopped the automo-
bile in which he was passing when
he saw them, and approaching them,
commenced to shoot without threat
or any offense from them.
While held at police headquarters,
Stanton denied that he had a weapon
of any kind or that he had made
any threatening move toward
Stgall. Kirk said he found Stigall
talking with Hames and Stanton at