Richard Williams Newspaper article

Case(s)
Source Type: Newspaper
Publisher: The Tuskaloosa Gazette
Place of publication: Tuscaloosa, Alabama
Date of publication: Jul 15, 1897 12:00 am
Transcript:

Officers Go to Arrest One Man and Another Shoots First and Is Killed. There was an unfortunate shooting affair down below the depot on Thursday night that very aptly illustrates how a guilty conscience may result fatally. On Tuesday night at Ridge, PO, in Fayette county, Jim Reynolds and Lee Logan, two negroes broke into Mr. Morgan Barnett’s store and made off with a considerable amount of goods. Messrs Barnett and Oswalt traced the darkeys down to Tuskaloosa and together with Deputy Kyle and Deputy Sheriff Carroll of Birmingham who happened to be present, went down to Randall Williams’ home near Mr. Wilds’ about a mile from the depot. Here they thought they had the two negroes located. Messrs Oswalt and Carroll went to the back of the house and Messrs Barnett and Kyle stopped in front, Mr. Kyle knocked on the door and in response to the inquiry told who he was. He knocked several times and still there was no admission but they could hear somebody moving around. They heard a gun cocked and then a rear window was opened and a negro man jumped out and Deputy Carroll called out “Halt” but the reply was a shot from a double barrelled shot gun. The shot was returned instantly by Carroll three times as the negro sped away. He fell about 75 yards away and when they came up to him they found he was not either one of the men wanted but Richard Williams, a son of old man Randall Williams. He had been hit twice, once be- low the fifth rib and once in the heart. He died almost instantly. What he was running from isa mystery and it is supposed he thought the officers after him for some devilment or other or he knew something about the men wanted. The two men looked for were found later in the night, one near Rardall’s house, at a son in-law’s and the other on Mr. Wild’s place. a The coroners jury was impanelled and sat up the case rendered their verdict stating [they, believed the shooting was done in self defense.