Wiley Taylor Inquest, 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 ********************************************** AN INQUISITION TAKEN AT LOUISIANA LOGGING COMPANY S CAMP on the 7th day of October in the year 1917, before the coroner of the Parish of Winn, upon view of the body of Wiley Taylor there lying dead. The jurors whose names are hereunto subscribed having been sworn to inquire on behalf of the State, when and by what means said Wiley Taylor came to his death upon this oath do say "Death due to Gun Shot wound inflicted by Herbert Williams while shooting at Clinton Picket". In testimony whereof, the Coroner and jurors of this inquest have hereunto subscribed their names they day and year above stated. A. M. Peters, M. C., Coroner J. B. Haynes J. T. Harlan A. V. Fait W. T. Babers J. E. Carter Statement of Ed Thomas: Picket and Herbert Williams or Ringo as I knew him were gambling. Also Bird Wilson and myself were in the game. Ringo and Bird were partners against me and Picket. Picket and Ringo got into a squable over a quarter. Ringo claimed he didn't owe Picket a quarter, so Ringo gave Bird some money, this boy Picket snatched the quarter, claimed it was his, claimed that Ringo owed it to him. Ringo said he didn't owe it to him. By this time Ringo told his partner he wanted some fish, and he went to the house to get them. In about five minutes Ringo came back with his pistol. He asked Picket for his quarter and Picket said he wasn't going to give it to him. Ringo pulled the pistol and a boy called Marshall pushed him out of doors and asked Ringo not to shoot Picket. Ringo threw his pistol on the Marshall boy and made him turn him a loose. Picket was standing by the door with his gun in his hand. He peeped out of the door and Ringo shot him, and the shot missed and hit the boy Wiley Taylor. Wiley Taylor hadn't been doing anything at all. Wiley Taylor died pretty soon after he was shot. After the shooting both Ringo and Picket left. Ringo didn't have any gun while he was here gambling. He went to the house and got his gun. I wasn't in the fuss at all, neither was Wiley Taylor Ed Thomas (x) his mark Attest: A. N. Peters, M. D. Statement of Ida Lilly: Herbert Williams came to the house this morning after breakfast and asked me to get his gun. He didn't say what he wanted with it. Herbert boards at our house. He had had breakfast already, about 9 o'clock. He didn't ask for any fish when he asked for the gun. Signed: Ida Lilly Statement of Letha Lilly: I don't know anything about the killing of Wiley Taylor. I met Herbert Williams sometime after nine A.M. and he asked me how about some fish, and I told him I didn't think the children wanted to sell him any fish. He was here by the shack when he asked me about the fish. I don't know whether he went on to the house or not. Signed: Letha Lilly Statement of Chris Turner: I was in this room when Wiley Taylor got killed. That was about ten o'clock this morning. Herbert Williams and Clinton Pickett got into a fuss. Herbert Williams left the room, went off saying he was going after some fish. In four or five minutes he came back with his gun. He walked in and asked Clinton for his quarter, and when Clinton didn't give it to him, he pulled his gun and Marshall Reed pushed him out of doors. Clinton looked out at the door for Herbert and Herbert shot back at him hitting Wiley Taylor killing him. Wiley lived four or five minutes after he was shot. Messrs. Will Widow, Ed Thomas, and Albert and Window were in the room at the time of the killing. Signed: Chris Turner (x) his mark Attest: A. M. Peters, M. D. Statement of Will Moore: I was standing in room by the table when Herbert Williams and Clinton Picket got into a fuss over a game of cards. I called Herbert Williams, Ringo, that's his nickname. Clinton Picket said Ringo owed him a quarter and Ringo said he didn't. Then Clinton Picket snatched a quarter that was his own down on the table for Ringo, and Ringo says to Picket, keep it. Then Ringo said he wanted some fish and left the room. He came back in about five minutes. He came back and told Picket to give him his quarter and threw a pistol on him. Then another boy named Marshall Reed pushed Ringo out of the door. Clinton Picket pulled his gun and went to the door looking for Herbert Williams, or Ringo, as he was called. He peeped around the door and when he did Herbert Williams shot at him and the shot hit Wiley Taylor who was standing back in the room. Wiley Taylor fell to the floor and Herbert Williams and Clinton Picket ran off. In a minute or two I went out at the door and I heard someone say he shot Wiley Taylor. I then came back into the house and found Wiley down on the floor. He was grunting, and lived only a few minutes, about five minutes. Wiley Taylor wasn't in the fight. I didn't hear him say a word when Ringo and Clinton were squabbling. Signed: Will Moore Filed for the record, October 8, 1918, and recorded this the 6th day of March, 1920. Eugent Beck Dy. Clerk & Ex-Officio Recorder (Copied from Inquest Book A, Office of the Clerk of Court, Winn Parish Courthouse, Winnfield, La., and submitted by Greggory Ellis Davies, Winnfield, Winn Parish, LA.)