Criminal Justice Matters: Inquest of M. M. Smith, 1887, Winn Parish, LA Submitted by Greggory E. Davies, 120 Ted Price Lane, Winnfield, LA 71483 ********************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ********************************************** From: Inquest Records, Office of the Winn Parish Clerk of Court, Winnfield, LA Process Verbal of Inquest Held Over The Dead Body of M. M. Smith State of Louisiana Parish of Winn October 10, 1887 Oath of Jurors W. W. McCarty, J. A. Ford, W. T. Boyett, T. F. McCarty, and B. F. Erskins, you do solemnly swear that you will diligently inquire and true presentment made on behalf of the State when or by what means the person whose body lies here dead came to his death and that you will return a true inquest thereof according to your knowledge on such evidence as shall be laid before you so help you God, sworn to and subscribed before me this the 10th day of October A. D., 1887. J. J. Martin, 3rd Justice of Peace, Acting Coroner. State of Louisiana, Parish of Winn Examinations of witnesses produced sworn an examined on the 10th day of October 1887 at the residence of deceased M. M. Smith. Before me, J. J. Martin, Justice of the Peace in and for said Ward then and there acting as coroner there being no coroner said parish upon an inquest held over the body of M. M. Smith. M. J. Adams, being first duly sworn gives evidence as follows to wit: Washington B. Adams was setting on the well galery he got up and said gentlemen I defy the world he drew his pistol and presenting it at my brother Andrew and I will take my baby and leave. Leroy Varnell followed him I started and Brother Andrew started and Leroy Varnell says hands off and shut the gate, I pushed it open and followed after them Adams says to me don't you put your hands on me if you do I will shoot your brains out I laid my hands on his shoulder and he says don't fester I looked an saw my father M. M. Smith coming we walked on meeting my father he said to Adams stop Sir Adams having a pistol in his hands fired upon my father and shot him down off his horse and as my father fell the only words he uttered was Lord have mercy. The pistol with which he shot my father was a small pistol and looked like the pistol I have seen Isaac Varnell have in his possession to the time of the killing of my father and my husband Washington B. Adams was on friendly terms as far as I know this all occurred at my father's residence on the 10th day of October 1887, signed M. J. Adams State of Louisiana, Parish of Winn Examination of witnesses produced sworn and examined on the 10th day of October A. D. 1887 at the residence of the deceased M. M. Smith, before me, J. J. Martin, Justice of the Peace in and for said Ward then and their acting as coroner there being no coroner in said parish upon an inquest held over the body of M. M. Smith. Andrew V. Smith being first sworn gives evidence as follows, to wit, previous to the killing of my father M. M. Smith, Washington B. Adams and I was setting on the well gallery we were talking friendly and his baby came along and he picked it up in his arms he then got up and drew his pistol presenting it and said gentlemen I defy the world I will take my baby and leave. Levi Varnell was setting on a chair in the gallery and he got up an followed after my sister, M. J. Adams, who is Adams' wife followed on and begged Adams to give her her baby. Adams opened the gate and walked out as did Varnell also who shut the gate. My sister opened the gate and followed after Adams. I also started out at the gate when Levi Varnell caught and said you comeback or he will shoot you as he came after his baby and he is going to have it. I pulled loose from him and followed on after Adams who was waiving his pistol at my sister and threatening to shoot her brains out. We had gone about sixty or seventy yards down the lane I saw my father M. M. Smith. My father rode up in front of Adams and said stop sir, Adams then presented his pistol at my father and fired. My father fell instantly from his horse I then looked around and saw Levi Varnell who was then on his horse trying to take Adams horse away from my mother, the bridle reins broke when my mother caught the top of the bridle and pulled it off the horse Varnell then got behind the horse and drove it off after Adams after my father was shot he lived about two minutes the pistol with which Adams shot my father looked to be a British Bull Dozer or an American Bull Dog make of pistol. My father and Adams were on the best of terms and were friendly. The pistol looked like one I have Isaac Varnel have in his possession previous to the shooting of my father, this shooting occurred in my lane about sixty or seventy yards west of the yard gate at my father's residence on the 10th day of October A. D. 1887, signed A. V. Smith. Amanda Beavers, who being duly sworn testifies as follows: I was standing in the kitchen door when I saw Washington B. Adams pick up his baby and start off at the same time he drew his pistol and presented at Andrew Smith saying gentlemen I defy the world I will take my baby and leave. Levi Varnell who was setting on the gallery got up and started after him Varnell got on his horse at the gate an tried to take Adams' horse but my mother caught hold the horse bridle to prevent him from doing so when the bridle reins broke she then caught the top of the bridle and pulled it off the horse. Varnell then got behind the horse and drove it off but previous to this my stepfather M. M. Smith came riding up the land when he met Adams I did not hear any conversation between my stepfather and Adams but I saw him present a pistol at my stepfather and saw the smoke and heard the pistol fire when the horse my stepfather was riding went sideways a few steps when my stepfather fell off I ran to him and found him dying he died in a few moments after the shooting of my stepfather M. M. Smith occurred in the lane about sixty to seventy yards from the yard gate at his residence on the 10th day of October A. D., 1887. Signed, Amanda Beavers State of Louisiana, Parish of Winn At an inquest taken this the 10th day of October 1887 for the State of Louisiana at the residence of M. M. Smith in the Parish aforesaid before me J. J. Martin Justice of the Peace in and for the 3rd Ward in said parish acting as coroner of said parish for the time being upon view of the body of M.M. Smith then and there lying dead upon the oath of W. W. McCarty, J. A. Ford, W. T. Boyett, T. F. McCarty, and B. F. Erskin, good and lawful men of said Parish who being sworn and charged to inquire on the part of the said State. When, where, how, and after what manner the said M. M. Smith came to his death do say upon their oaths aforesaid that the said M. M. Smith came to his death from a gunshot would in the left breast one half inch above the nipple ranging upwards inflicted by a ball from a pistol which wound was given by one Washington B. Adams with the premeditated design of afflicting the death of said M. M. Smith. In witness we the said jurors as well as the Justice acting as the coroner aforesaid have to this inquisition set our hands on the day and year and the place aforesaid. W. W. McCarty J. A. Ford W. T. Boyett T. F. McCarty B. F Erskins Attest: J. J. Martin 3rd Justice of the Peace Recorded Oct. 19, 1887 R. C. Jones, Clerk 4th District Court