Bertie COUNTY NC Court Coroner's Inquest - Death of William Powell alias, William Gardner Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by F.B. Firstbeam@aol.com http://www.usgwarchives.net/nc/bertie.htm Coroner's Inquest - Death of William Powell alias, William Gardner North Carolina Division of Archives & History Raleigh, NC CR 010 928.9 Received Nov 11 - 1913 Served Nov 11 - 1913 W. R. Rayner Dept Const J B Ruffin Coroner Affidavit before Coroner for Inquisition North Carolina In the Matter of William Powell Alias Gardner } Mr J. H. Myers being duly sworn says: that William Powell alias William Gardner late of said County is dead: and the affiant has reason to believe that the said William Powell came to his death by the Criminal act or default of some person or persons unknown to him Sworn and subscribed before me this 11 day of Nov 1913 J. H. Myers ____________________________________________ Received Nov 11- 1913 Served Nov 11- 1913 W R Rayner Dept Constable J B Ruffin Coroner State of North Carolina to any Constable or other lawful officer of Bertie County Greeting: You are Commanded forthwith to summon a Jury of six good and lawful men to appear before the undersigned at the house of Geo. E. Clay Coleraine township Bertie Co to do such things as shall be given them in charge in behalf of the State: and are also Commanded to be then and there yourself with this precept. Herein fail not. This 11 day of Nov 1913 - J. B. Ruffin MD Coroner ____________________________________________ Received Nov 11 1913 Served Nov 11 1913 W R Rayner Const J B Ruffin Coroner State of North Carolina To any Constable or other lawful officer of Bertie County - Greeting: You are hereby Commanded to summon W. W- Forehand Thad Revelle J. H. Myers Annie Mizell Allie Clay Mrs. W. W. Forehand Linwood Valentine Personally to appear before the undersigned Coroner at the house of Geo. E. Clay in Coleraine township Bertie Co. at 12 OClock the 11 day of Nov 1913 to give evidence concering the death of William Powell alias William Gardner - and you will also at the same time and place return this precept with the manner of its execution This 11 day of Nov 1913 } J. B. Ruffin Coroner ____________________________________________ W R Rayner Const J B Ruffin Coroner Mr. W. W Forehand age 42 years and lives in this Co (Bertie) Well I don't know much of nothing only what I know his disposition to be bad I know nothing about the fuss between them. I don't know or not as to William Powell following Mr Clay home In fifteen minutes after Mr. Clay left my home I heard the bell ring I went to see what was the trouble and found William dead 10 ft from front door. I live about three hundred yds. from Mr Clay's I had William working for me I asked Mr Clay to come over and trim a hog for me Mr Clay, William, and Mr. Forehand myself trimbed the hog Mr. Clay gone towards his home. I and William to supper. Witness: - W. W. Forehand Mr. W. W. Forehand being sworn age 42 I discharged him on acct of his bad disposition I said William your disposition is such if you work with me I will have you to kill or you kill me. After William commence working with Mr Clay, I heard that William ran Mr Clay to the house with a knife in his hand. This being after I had discharged him. Witness W. W. Forehand ____________________________________________ Received Nov 11 - 1913 Served Nov 11 - 1913 W R Rayner Const J B Ruffin Coroner Annie Mizell being sworn age 33 years lives in Bertie Co I know William Powell I heard Mr Clay's bell ring and set my little boy down to Mr Clays. William Powell is a bad man I heard he and Thad Revel had some trouble last xmas He come to my house some and didn't know how to behave so I told him to keep away and I was going to tell Mr Forehand that he cused me and said if I told Mr Forehand I had better stay in Mr Forehand's fields for he would kill me I was at Garfield Mitchell house and he said he was going to slap hell out of me and did slap me Mr. Garfield come home with me for protection Powell followed behind us cussing me He come to my house after Garfield left that night I was afraid of him Witness Annie Mizell ____________________________________________ Received Nov 11 - 1913 Served Nov 11 - 1913 W R Rayner Dept. Const J B Ruffin Coroner Linwood Valentine being sworn age 22 lives in Bertie Co I work for Mr. Clay and have been for 3 years last May Mr. Clay told him William Powell to house some greens and he wanted to go off and he ran Mr. Clay to the house with an open knife. William Powell told me last xmas he run Thad Revel with a shot-gun and shot him ever body gives him a bad name He told me when he worked for a man if he did not pay him he fix him so he would pay a Dr. and would not do it with his fist While I was under Mr Clay's employment - our relations was very satisfactory, and I am still working for Mr. Clay, and we never had any misunderstanding. Witness Linton Valentine ___________________________________________ Received Nov 11 - 1913 Served Nov. 11 - 1913 W R Rayner Const J B Ruffin Coroner Mrs. W W. Forehand being sworn age 35 lives in Bertie Co He worked at my house yesterday he eat his supper very fast He made no remarks A very short while after he ate his supper I heard the bell ring at Mr Clay's. I was used to the way he eat and noticed that he ate unusually fast he took potions of his supper out with him he seemed to be in a great hurry. Witness Mrs W W Forehand ____________________________________________ Received Nov 11 - 1913 Served Nov 11 - 1913 W R Rayner Const J B Ruffin Coroner Mr J H Myers being sworn age 68 years lives in Bertie Co I know William Powell I heard the bell ring at Mr Clay's and come over to see what was the trouble and found William Powell dead 8 ft from the front door To my judgement he was the worse negro ever here in this county. He stayed on my place two months with one of my tenants nights but never worked for me any. I tried several times to get him work for me but he never would. I told him not to stay on my place if he could not work for me and he said he would stay where he dam please, and he said if I come in the road he beat hell out of me. and I went on to my house to keep from having any trouble with him. I live about 1/4 mile from Mr Clay's He married my daughter Witness J. H. Myers _________________________________________ Received Nov 11 1913 Served Nov 11 1913 W R Rayner Const J B Ruffin Coroner Thad Revell being sworn age 22 years lives in Bertie Co. I know William Powell. last xmas we boys was shooting the block and he come along there. He took Jim Mores gun out of the buggy and shot at me and some other boys. Then I went to Powell and asked him who he was shooting Then Powell goes in the house and gets more shells and bolts around the house after me I run in the house to keep from getting shot - and Garfield Mitchell held him to keep him from coming in the house after me. While Garfield was holding him he fired the gun off and then I run down the road and he after me. I made my escape through the woods Everbody spoke bad of him and he always was alright to me. Witness Thad Revell ____________________________________________ Mrs Allie Clay being sworn age 26 years lives in this Co. I am Mr. Geo Clay's wife. William Powell worked with my husband about May. he had trouble with my husband about some money he owed. He had an open knife in his hand after Mr Clay and started to go in the house after him but I took hold of him. and he spoke disrespectful to me. Last night when he came up here and told Mr. Clay if you say I owe you $6.00 you are a dead man and he advance on Mr Clay and Mr Clay said go back several times I dont want to hurt you and he continue to advance on the porch and he said you have shot me in the leg and then continue his advance on the porch and Mr Clay backed in the hall and he grabed at him while he was backing in the hall and then Mr Clay shot him again and he fell over on his hands and scramble out doors to where he now lies Witness Mrs Allie Clay Received Nov 11 - 1913 Served Nov 11 - 1913 W R Rayner Dept Const J B Ruffin Coroner ___________________________________________ In re Wm. Powell, Alias Gardner Received Nov 11 - 1913 Served Nov 11 - 1913 W R Rayner Depty constable J B Ruffin Coroner Be it remembered that On the 11 day of Nov 1913 - I J. B. Ruffin Coroner of said County (Bertie) Attended by a Jury of six good and lawful men Viz: - J. C Britton W. E. Baker Jake Cullens J. A. Raynor G. B. Miller W. S Sessoms By me summoned for the purposes according to law and after being duly sworn and empaneled at Geo E Clays Residence in Coleraine township Bertie Co. did hold an inquest over the dead body of William Powell Alias William Gardner and after inquiring into the facts and Circumstances of the deceased from a view of the corpse and of all testimony to be procured . The Jury finds as follows Viz: - That this man came to his death by a gun in the hands of Geo Clay being Justifiable in doing so. Inquest held Signed and sealed the presence of Coroner of Bertie Co. J. B. Ruffin, M.D. Coroner John C. Britton (Seal) Jacob Cullens (Seal) W. E. Baker (Seal) T. A Rayner (Seal) G. B. Miller (Seal) W S Sessoms (Seal)