Law & Order: Carrie Pritchard Kills Sam Ford, Grant Parish La
Submitted to USGENWEB by Houston Tracy Jr.

The Colfax Chronicle
June 1910 (no complete date shown)

Former librarian, Helen Sorrell, at the Grant Parish Library had gone through
some of the microfilm of the newspaper files of the Chronicle and made copies
of obituaries and/or news items, which led to death.
These were found in a folder on the book shelf at that library on a research
trip there 13 February 1999.
Copies were made and then extracted to post here in the LaGenWeb archives for
Grant Parish.




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Miss Pritchard Kills Sam Ford - Jealousy the Alleged Cause of a Fatal Shooting
at Pollock

News was received here from Pollock, about noon on Monday, May 30th, that Sam
E. Ford, bookkeeper for J.F. Ball & Bros. saw mill, had been shot and
instantly killed by a young lady, Miss Carrie Pritchard.
     It was alleged that Ford had been engaged to Miss Pritchard, having paid
attentions to her for several years and that the date for his marriage to
another girl, Miss Birdie Long, had been set for June 22.
     James F. Ball, the only witness to the tragedy, testified that the young
lady entered his private office at 10 o'clock in the morning and entered into
conversation with Ford, and that they began to quarrel.  She pulled a revolver
out of her hand satchel and fired one shot, which took effect in Ford's jaw
and lodged in his neck, causing instant death.  The cause of the death is
imputed to jealousy.
     The remains of Ford were shipped the afternoon of the killing to his
father's home (not named) in Searcy, Ark.  Ford was only 27 years old, and had
only recently taken out a life insurance policy in favor of his mother (not
named) for $2,000.  He was recently made a member of the Order of the Elks in
Alexandria.
     Sheriff A.B. Perkins was notified of the killing about noon, and by one
o'clock Deputy L.O. Clinton, in company with Dr. E.B. Gray, coroner, were on
their way to the scene of the homocide.  An inquest was held, the finding of
the jury being in accordance with the circumstance already stated.  Miss
Pritchard was arrested and brought to Colfax by Deputy Clinton that night.
     On advice received from Judge Blackman, that he had fixed the bond of the
accused at $1000, which would be signed by Mr. J.F. Ball, Miss Pritchard was
not put in jail, but spent the night at the Williamson Hotel.  The next day
she remained in the court house and Sheriff's office until the afternoon, when
Mr. Ball signed her bond and she was released, and went back to Pollock that
evening.  On Wednesday she returned to Colfax, having a brother (not named)
here keeing the Big Pine Hotel, preferring to remain here for a while, at
least until after the grand jury, has passed upon her case.
     Miss Pritchard is about 25 years of age, and seems to have a number of
friends who claim that she was justified in her action.  She had been visiting
friends in Hot Springs, Ark. for several months, until a couple of weeks ago,
when she returned to Pollock and resumed her duties in the commisary. (The saw
mill's general store)