Haralson County GaArchives Obituaries.....Hornsby, Arlin October 4, 1931
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Candace (Teal) Gravelle http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00023.html#0005680 January 14, 2007, 5:45 pm

"The Cleburne News"
Heflin, Cleburne Co., Alabama 

NEWSPAPER Issue of Thursday, OCTOBER 8, 1931

BOWMAN IN BUCHANAN JAIL AFTER KILLING

Tallapoosa, Ga., Oct. 5th

A murder charge was made here this morning aganst Elbert Bowman, 23, of 
Providence, four miles south of Tallapoosa, following the fatal shooting of 
Arlin Hornsby on Sunday night. The shooting occurred within a short distance 
of Providence church late Sunday night, an old grudge between the men being 
responsible for the killing. Hornsby was shot three times through the body 
and lived only a few minutes after the shooting.



Additional Comments:
Georgia Deaths, 1919-98 
about Arlin Hornsby 
Death Date: 04 Oct 1931 
County of Death: Haralson  
Certificate: 25663 
*
NEWSPAPER Issue of Thursday, OCTOBER 15, 1931

HORNSBY SHOT WHEN CALLED TO OWN DOOR

Buchanan, Ga., Oct. 9th

Called to the front yard of his home near Providence church, four miles west 
of Tallapoosa early Sunday evening, Arlin Hornsby, age about 20 years, was 
shot and instantly killed by unknown parties. The assassination came without 
warning to young Hornsby. Hearing the call for him to go out to the front, 
he did so. Only a few words were spoken when a shot was heard by the family 
who rushed to the yard and found the young man shot to death. The wound 
indicated that he was shot almost in the back of the head.

Sheriff Richard was immediately notified and he went to the scene and 
conducted an investigation, with the result that Elbert Bowman, member of a 
well known family in the same settlement, was arrested. Bowman, when seen by 
a Tribune reporter Monday morning was very reticent and would have nothing 
to say for publication.

Coroner Cole held an inquest over the body Monday morning. At the coroner's 
inquest held at the Hornsby home Monday morning, testimony was produced that 
members of the household apparently recognized the voice that summoned young 
Hornsby into the yard as being that of young Bowman. Testimony introduced 
showed also that Hornsby and Bowman had had trouble during a recent 
protracted meeting.

Officers who examined the footprints leading from the scene sent to the 
county jail here and secured young Bowman's shoes which fitted the tracks 
perfectly. They state that one of the tracks showed a marked peculiarity as 
if a plug had been cut in one of the shoes and that a similar indenture was 
found in one of the shoes of the accused.

Leon Bowman, the boy's father, was also arrested Monday, charged with being 
an accessory before the fact, and lodged in jail here, while young Bowman 
was carried to the Cedartown jail.

Solicitor Ragsdale was present at the inquest and conducted a searching 
investigation and he expects to carry the matter before the grand jury which 
convenes today, Thursday.

----

NEWSPAPER Issue of Thursday, DECEMBER 3, 1931

PENITENTIARY SENTENCE GIVEN IN KILLING CASE

Buchanan, Ga., Nov. 26th

Elbert Bowman, tried in Haralson Superior Court for the slaying of Arlin 
Hornsby, was found guilty of manslaughter and given a sentence of from one 
to two years on the chain gang. The trial began on Monday morning and the 
case was given to the jury late Tuesday, and after considering the case for 
several hours, brought in a verdict as stated above. It is currently 
reported that on the first ballot the jury stood 9 for acquittal and 3 for 
conviction.

After the state had concluded its case shortly before noon Tuesday, Judge 
Hutcheson granted a request of the defendant's attorney for a recess and 
adjourned court until 1:30 in the afternoon. When court reassembled, the 
defendant went upon the stand and reading from a prepared statement, 
acknowledged the slaying of Hornsby, giving in detail the events leading up 
to the killing. Bowman stated that on the evening of the killing, he went to 
the Hornsby home to "talk things over with Arlin", and that during the 
course of their conversation, Hornsby flew into a rage and reached into his 
bosom for something, and at this juncture, he (Bowman) fired. He stated that 
he never remembered firing but once. Bowman recounted events which led up to 
the tragedy and the appeal he made touched many in the audience. It 
developed at at the trial that the trouble that preceded the killing 
involved Hornsby's alleged relationship with Bowman's 13 year old sister.

Both were residents of the Buncombe district, just over the Alabama line and 
the trial attracted hundreds of relatives and friends from the Lebanon and 
Rocky Flat communities.

His father, Leon Bowman, who was held as an accessory before the fact, was 
allowed bail by Judge Hutcheson on Tuesday of last week.

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