Jackson advocate., 1941-11-22
Fort Bragg Killer
Continued from Page ~

DuS on 1JS arrival Dy CnfeaJen-
ing the colcred policemen
whose duty it was to ride the
bus. deferred the latter from
three of the military police
men who we're inside the bus.
All six chambers were emptied
Five of the six bullets are
definitely accounted for: Ser
geant Harglave was killed; two
other white military policemen
were wounded; a colored sold
ier was wounded; and one
bullet struck the framework
of = seat and dropped TO the
floor The effect of the sixth
bullet is determined only upon
presumptive evidence. That is,
the bullet removed from the
body of Private New Turmar
is of the same commercial
make and of the same type
of that make, as the bullet
fired from Sergeant Hargrave's
going aboard The driver of the
bus, fearing trouble from the
disorderly disposition of his load
refused to take the bus out
without the protection of the
military police. The delay pro-
vided for more disorder, some
attempting to get off, others
trying to crowd aboard. White
military policemen boarded
the bus and attempted to talk
the group into sense of order
illness. This failing they at
tempted to uuell the disturb
ance by force. pushing some
into seats and undertaking to
remove one of the ringleaderS.
A congestion in the aisle of the
bus was surging first toward
the rear and then toward the
front. Following one of these
forward thrusts, colored sold
ier withdrew from close con-
tact with Sergeant Elwyn L.
Hargrave, holding in his hand
the sergeant's revolver which
had hung in holster at his
side. The soldier Immediate
ly opened fire directly toward
revolver, killing him and
wounding two other white mill
tary policemen and colored
soldier.
EXAMINES BULLETS
"The bullets taken from the
bodies of Sergeant Hargrave
and Private Turman were iden-
titled by Federal Bureau of
Investigation laboratory exami-
nation to be of exactly similar
manufacture and type Rem-
ing AS caliber, with nickel
plated bullets) and to cores
pond as to the extent Of their
surface wear caused by age and
handling. No other person.
armed with a service revolver
and known to be present at
the scene, carried that par
1icular ammunition. Upon this
state of related fact, the in
vestigating officers report that
it is most probable that Pri-
vate Tulman was killed by the
sixth bullet fired by the soldier
who killed Sergeant Hargrave
and that the score against the
murderer has added to it the
life of this soldier.
Regarding your concern be-
cause of the reported shooting
of Private Turman by Ser
geant Owens. the report shows
that Sergeant Owens used gov
ernment-issue ammunition fit
ted into a metal clip that
would not take the commercial
type bullet that killed Private
Turman. The investigating Of
ficers report 1t to be their in
eScapable conclusion that Ser
geant Owens did not kill Pri-
waite T'urman and that, al
though he fired twice, hs shot
nobody. One of his shots went
through the roof of the bus.
The other left no trace.
"The nature Of Private Tur-
mans wound is indicative of
the probable manner in which
he was shot. The bullet struck
him squarely at the front of
the left shoulder and coursed
IN straight line TO posi-
ton just right of the center
of the lower part of his back.
When the firing started, there
was an instantaneous scurry-
ing for cover under the seats
and out of doors and windows.
1t Is Surmised that in this
scurry Private Tu1man may
have gone from a seat on the
left Side of the bus (there is
some testimony that he had
been seated on that side) In a
plunge to cover under a seat
and that, as he turned to
crouching position facing the
firer. he was hit in such man
ner as to give the bullet the
straight-line course described. !"
The cursing and beating up
Negro soldiers following the il
cident is not mentioned by Sc,
retary Stimson in his letter to Il
NAACP, although the excuse
given that the round up of q
persons for the purpose of loca
ing and listing "all importa1
witnesses was logical nece
sity,' which was mot realized
the soldiers at the time, and ur
fortunately. has been largely mi,
represented as measure involvir
racial considerations"
In this connection. the NAACF
in reply to Secretary Stimson. sta
ed that every account of the trea
n,ent OF the soldiers after the ir
ctdent on the bus agreed upon tt
curling hHatinc hI,p,iIiotio,, ir