The Phoenix index., 1941-11-22
Investigators Claim
Continued from Page u

three of the military police
mon who were inside the bus.
ALL six chambers were emptied.
Five of the six bullets are
definitely accounted for: Ser
geant Hargrave was killed; two
other white military policemen
were wounded; colored sold
ier was wounded; and One
bullet struck the framework
of a 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- quell the disturb
ance by force, pushing some
into seats and undertaking to
remove one of the ringleaders.
A congestion in the isle of the
bus was Surging first toward
the rear and then toward the
front. Following one of these
forward thrusts, co1ored sold
ier Withdrew from close con-
tact with Sergeant ElWyn L.
Hargrave, holding in his hand
the sergeant's revolver which
had hung in a 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 tyre (Rem-
ing As caliber, with nickel
plated bullets) and to cores
roDd 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
ricular 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 il 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 it to be their in
escapable conclusion that Ser
geant Owens did not kill Pri-
waite Turman and that, al
though he fired twice, he 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 frcnt of
the left shoulder and coursed
in a 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.
III Is surmised that in this
Scurry Private Turman 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 a
crouching position facing the
flrer, he was hit in such man.
ner as to give the bullet the
Straight-line course described"
The cursing and beating up of
eoCo soldiers following the in
dent is not mentioned by Sec
'tarv Stinson in his letter to the
AACP, although the excuse is
lven that the round up of all
ersons for the purpose of locat-
lg and listing "all imnortant
illnesses" was logical neces-
ty," which was mot realized by
e soldiers at the time, and un-
rtunately, has been largely mis-
as a measure involving
lcial considerations"
ealize much from his new venture.