Criminal Justice Matters:  C. R. Hatten, 1922, Winn Parish, LA.
Submitted by Greggory E. Davies, 120 Ted Price Lane, Winnfield, LA 71483
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From Inquest Book A, Office of the Clerk of Court, Winn Parish Courthouse,
Winnfield, LA.

An Inquisition Taken At Chester, Winn Parish, LA., Feb'y 19th, 1922, upon
the view of the body of C. R. Hatten, there lying dead.

We the Jurors of this inquest having been sworn to inquire on behalf of
the State, when and by what means the said C. R. Hatten came to his death,
upon their oath, do say that C. R. Hatten came to his death at Chester,
La., on the 18th day of Feb'y 1922 by wounds inflicted by a knife or
knives or other sharp instruments in the hands of Homer Myers and J. W.
Edmonds.

We, therefore, recommend that a warrant be issued charging Homer Myers and
J. W. Edmonds with murder, and that they be arrested and held to answer
said charge.

In testimony whereof, we, the Coroner and Jurors of this inquest have
hereunto signed our names on the day and year above written.

J. J. Peters, M. D.
Coroner

R. F. Brewer
C. J. Erksins
Monroe Erskins
R. E. Beavers
H. N. Crain

J. W. Edmonds, sworn, says:

I live at Joe Willis'.  I left home at 12 o'clock yesterday and came to
Chester and staid here until 4 o'clock; I then went to Bud Nelson's, a
negroes house and staid there 30 minutes, then came back to Chester, got
off my horse, went into Mr. Slay's store and signed a check for a negro
and went out and got on my horse and Mr. Hatten and Homer Myers both call
me at the same time; I went out where they were at the coroner of Mr.
Slay's store;  they were quarrelling, and Homer turned and walked away a
little ways, Mr. Hatten picked up a stick and had a knife in his hand, and
he told me he was going to kill Homer if it took him the rest of his life.
Homer then walked back, Mr. Hatten then accused him of stealing his saddle
and some whiskey, and Homer told him that the one that said that he stole
his saddle and whiskey, told a damn lie.  Mr. Hatten then asked him if he
put himself in a man's place and he said, he did not say anything about
putting himself in a man's place; he asked him the same thing again and he
answered the same thing.

Then Mr. Hatten hit him with both hands, a knife in one and a stick in the
other; he had the stick in his left hand and his knife in the right hand,
I then called W. P. Myers and he came out there and he and I took him off
Homer, neither one was trying to do anything when we separated them.

J. W. Edmonds

Filed February 20th, 1922 at 8 o'clock A.M.; recorded February 27th, 1922.