Evening star., 1923-06-07
Staying OFFERS
TANGLED PROBLEM
Change of Venue Likely in
Trial of Shooting of
Minister.
Special Dispatch to The Star.


RICHMOND. Va June Robert
Q. Garrett and l.. C.. Garrett, both OF
Cumberland. are to be arrested on
new warrants charging them with
the murder of the Rev. f. l.. Pierce,
a Baptist minister, at Cumberland
courthouse. r. o. Garrett still is in
a local hospital with a bullet in his
back, while L. c. Garrett is under
stood to have a slight flesh wound in
his arm. Just how Robert Garrett
received the bullet In his back is
not clear. nor is it yet established
who fired the first shot in the affray
| that snuffed out the life of the min
lister and left seven fatherless chill
dren, some of them mere infantsai
Feeling is bitter in that section,
and, as the attorney for the state is
one Of the witnesses for the prosecu-
ton alleged TO have been ordered by
the Carrots to refrain from interfer-
ing with the man attacking the
preacher, he cannot serve. The be-
lief is that the state Will ask a change
of venue. David E. Satterfefd of
this city, attorney for this city, has
been selected by Judge Hundley 10
prosecute the case, the selection be-
ing made through the efforts of Judge
Smith. who is the attorney for Cum
berland.
Shot After Falling.
The evidence taken by the coroner
shows that after Pierce had fallen.
shot through the body. several other
shots were fired into the PROSTATE
form of the minister, these being
dug from the ground under the body
while the coroneTs jury sat in the
case. These bullets and the pistol
from the dead mans hand are in the
possession of the officers.
NJ ha
TO have said that Pierce came to the
store and that the shooting took
place there. The facts are that the
CARROTS went to Pierce's house and
called him out. that l.. c. Garrett and
the minister had words and that the
preacher was badly beaten, rendered
partially insensible and that he final
ly got up. staggered into his home
pistol The gun was knocked from
his hands and the Carrots then COW
cred him with pistols, and Immediate
ly the shooting commenced.
Bitter Feeling.
The statement that the preacher
had, criticized the CARROTS in a SER
mon On Sunday is disproven, as he
did not preach at that time. Mr..
method of conducting the school at
that place, opposed him for superin-
tendent for the county and did his work
boldly and openly, giving his reasons
therefor. This did not suit the Gar
retts and the feeling was and is
bitter.
Indicating just how tense the feel
ing is in that section. it is known that
when a travelling salesman visits one
store he is not allowed to sell to
any other-that run by the opposing
faction.
Political Whips.
L. c. Garrett is the school superin-
tendent. and he is referred to as "the
school board" and his brother is the
county clerk, having held this posi-
tion for years. +rhey were a power
politically, and for years they had
been seeking to control the politics
of the county. Several years ago the
CARROTS had trouble with a man
named Corson, growing out of the
beating administered to a brother of
Corson, and in this last melee Corson
was shot and Garrett acquitted by
a jury in that county. The Carrots
are prosperous people in that county
and have acquired considerable
wealth.