The Little River news., 1923-01-13
Taylor and LOvevvell Tell Story of Tragedy Without Tangle---Defense Holds
 the Floor Friday Afternoon.
OWENS TAKES STAND FOR HIMSELF

lay night after deliberat- punishment was set who had been to a store somewhere for groceries, called from the other l side. LoveWell and Taylor are about 20 and 21 years of age. The party at the Pine Tree were still talking anc
 drinking. Uncle Jimmie went to the boat and crossed Lovewell and Fay Tor over. Parham and the boys did
 not stop when they had reached this
 side of the river, but passed by tns
 crowd with Owens and went on co the
 house, where they ate dinner. Owens,
 Cooper, Throckmorton and Scruggs
 still stayed at the Pine Tree for an-
 other hour. They discussed lodges, Throckmorton and Owens both said l to have been masons. It was during | this time that a man came along in a
 boat Owens drew his pistol and
 said he would kill the d-s-b- for
 stealing his boat. Cooper stopped him. Then the man turned and Ow- ems recognized Hunt in his own boat. 1 Owens seeing that it Was noI his boat came back to the tree and asked Coop CT to take another drink. The latter said he had enough, but took one more Owens wanted a game and ex- hibited a large roll of bills. Throck- morton handed the money back. He then scattered the money on the ground Cooper gathered it up and asked him to give it to his wife as they wanted no game. This happened again and finally Owens accused Cooper of stealing the money and
 drew his pistol Cooper jumped over the river bank with Owens firing at him. He went under the bank out Of sight. Owens jumped on the horse
 
 bank firing Cooper by diving and
 hiding under the bank finally escap- ed to the woods. Cooper was drunk. He immagined that he saw Throck- morton in the woods. Remembered nothing clearly. Owens turns his horse and runs back up the river to his house. Parham,I Lovewell and Taylor were still at the house. He wanted his savage rifle, but Parham file followed. He fails 10 get the rifle, but finds a shotgun. Was going to follow Cooper. Throckmorton and 1 the others who were at the Pine Tree had arrived Hugh begs Tor Cooper and his own life is threatened
 Throckmorton jumped off the porch with Owens after him, the former 15 or 20 feet ahead. They go down the river road. Owens shoots twice with pistol, seemingly into the ground. The others said that ThroclSmorton gave what they believed to be the Masonic sign of distress. He drove the doomed man on down the road cursing while the latter seemed to plead for his life Get Cooper and my money or I will kill you," was re- ported to be said by Owens. They passed out of sight in a thicket near the boatlanding. Owens returns to house still raging, Uncle Jimmie and a little boy leave for the woods
 Scruggs leaves before the return Of Owens. Just before Tnrockmorton was driven away nan named J. M
 Smith and wife had driven up with 9 load of fruit jars. Not rong after Ow- ems had returned from his trip down the river with Throekmorton Noah TTarnel came from Allene for whis- key. Taylor and Lovewell who had taken to the woods during the row
 had returned They all go to the Pine Tree together. ". C. Mize and two men hail them from the other side. Honnell leaves; Owens, Love well and Taylor cross over 70 the Mize party. They all drink Owens sends the boys mile and half down the river for more whiskey, two gal Ions. He is, still mad and fires off his pistol. The Mize party soon leave for their camp. They return and see Owens in his boat, beating on it and cursing Parham, who has returned from his hiding and is back ax tho house goes down to the river<for wat