ky-footsteps-digest Sunday, September 26 1999 Volume 01 : Number 542 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 8 Sep 1999 15:17:17 EDT From: Kiezza@aol.com Subject: NEWS: Evarts Officer Killed Friday 1924, Harlan Co Harlan Enterprise May 30. 1924 Evarts Officer Killed Friday Porter White, chief peace officer of Evarts died shortly after being shot Friday night after receiving two gun shots wounds at the hands of Burley Middleton. The shooting took place at a Gypsy Fortune Telling camp on the road just below Evarts depot. It has not been exactly determined how the trouble started, but the coroner's, Jury which investigated the case rendered a verdict that charged Middleton with murder. According to the inquest papers, George Davis, his wife and daughter were operating a fortune tent at Evarts. White was sitting nearby while Mrs Davis was telling the fortune of Miss Ella Farley and Howard Luster. Then a car drove up and three men alighted and came over to where the fortune telling was going on. All three were on their way to Verda,after having to get a radiator for a car. After pausing for a moment, White asked, " Where you boys from; Harlan," and they replied "no we're from Verda." They remained standing, waiting for their turn with the fortune teller. Then the shooting occurred. The Gypsies testified that Middleton shot White without them having any trouble or any words. Middleton is not much over 20 years old and White about 30 and a cripple. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 9 Sep 1999 12:17:14 -0700 From: "Jean Dalrymple"