Tabor City tribune. (Tabor City, N.C.) 1946-1991, 1955-08-31

Tavern and was told that J. B.
Strickland had shot Talmadsc
Collins.
Return To Tavern
Deputy Small said that he
then called Deputy Harry Har-
relson for assistance and that the
two officers then went to the
home of Judge T. ]. Elliott Of
Bayboro and obtained a warrant
for Strickland's arrest. Deputy
Small said they then hunted for
Strickland in the Loris area, but
when they could not find him
they returned to Butch's Tavern.
There they found the gun battle
had occurred and that the two
men had been taken to the hos
pital.
In rcconstructing the tragedy
Tor The Field, Deputy Small
said that after the fracas that
occurred around 1890 pm. in
the Tavern, Collins had gone to
his home To get gun. He then
returned TO the Tavern, accord
ing to Deputy Small. and shot it
out with Strickland.
Deputy Small said that eigh:
bullets struck Collins in the
chest and that three struck in
lStrickland's chest and two in
Strickland's hand.
Mrs. Guyton and Mrs. Louise
Robinson. who works at the
Tavern and who witnessed the
tragedy. told The Field Monday
that the trouble started some
time after 10 pm. Sunday. They
said that Collins was in the
Tavern and that Strickland went
up to him and an argument en-
sued. They said that both men
had been drinking, but that
Strickland had been drinking
heavily and was crazy
drunk" They said that Collins
Did not appear TO be drunk.
Collins Beat Up
Shortly after the argument
started, Mrs. Guyton said.
Strickland shot Collins. She,
and Mrs. Robson. said that then
Strickland and several men with
Strickland drug Collins into the
Eavern'S kitchen and started
beating Collins. They said that
Strickland beat Collins in the
face with his pistol. which Dep
uty Small described as a .25 au-
tomato.
Collins got away from the
melee, Mrs. Robson said. and
walked TO his car. She said tina,
he was holding his hands over
his stomach as he walked out
and was bending over.
A little later. the two women
said, Collins returned in his car
Mrs. Robson said she askcc
Collins If he was mad and tina,
he said ne was not. that In,
trouble had started sometime
back and we had to have it ou;.
sooner or later"
Mrs. Robson said she then
went on back in the Tavern and
that when Strickland went out
TO Collins car she thought the
.wo men were going to make il
up Instead, she said. they
started the shooting that ended
IN the death of the two men.
Called For Mother
Mrs. Ribson said that Collins
lied in his car almost immedi-I
ltely. She said that Strickland.
nortally wounded. told her TO
rall his Mother to take him To-
the hospital. His mother is Mrs
Missouri Strickland, who lives
near the Tavern.
When the first trouble began
N the Tavern. both Mrs. Guvton
md Mrs. Robson said they tricG
o break II UP but were power
csS TO do so. After Collins had
)ccn shot in the first skirmish in
he Tavern, Mrs. Guyton said
hat Strickland told her that eff
'ou call the law I'll move this
place to the other side of town H
Mrs. Guyton called the Shcr- H
ifs Department after the first
roublC Gained down.
Mrs. Guyton said she believed 4
hat Strickland would have tried 1
o kill her if Collins hadn't NOR
ally wounded him first.
Deputy Small said that a Il
;oroncr's Inquest will be held
later this week.
Funeral services for TalmadgC
'ollins will be held Tuesday at
80 pm. from the Zoan Metho-
list Church with the Rev. J. l..
'arrish officiating. Burial will
ollow in the church cemetery.
Friends may call at the resi-
encc Of his father until the
Mr.. DuRant points oGt that
With good prospects for n cora i