Sherman Daily Democrat November 3, 1924

STANLY CLARK SHOT AND KILLED AT WHITESBORO

SHOOTING OCCURS ON MAIN STREET OF TOWN SHORTLY AFTER 9 O'CLOCK
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J. A. HOLCOMB SURRENDERS
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Men Had Met Earlier in the Day and Holcomb Had Filed a Complaint Against Clark.
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Stanly Clark, 42 years of age, farmer of the Sanborn ranch community six miles east of Whitesboro, was shot and almost instantly killed on the main street of Whitesboro at 9:15 o'clock Saturday night.

The shooting was done by J. A. Holcomb, 27 years of age, residing on an adjoining farm to that of which Clark lived, and occurred as the two men met in front of Dude Lassiter's barber shop. Holcomb was accompanied by his two small children, the oldest five, and by Charley Woods, of Sadler, who with R. J. Kennedy of Whitesboro are said to have been eye witnesses to the tragedy. Holcomb had just left a picture show which he had attended with Woods and his own children when the meeting with Clark and the shooting followed.

Clark staggered to an automobile at the curb and falling on the running board died in about five minutes time. He was shot twice with 38 caliber bullets, one of which produced only a flesh wound in the arm, while the other penetrated the body.

HOLCOMB SURRENDERS

Soon after the shooting, Holcomb surrendered to City Marshal Brick Barnett of Whitesboro, who held him in custody until the arrival of deputy sheriffs from Sherman. He was brought to Sherman and placed in the county jail at 4 o?clock Sunday morning, while a formal complaint charging murder was filed in the Justice of the Peace Court of R. A. McCrary of Sherman. 

At the county jail Sunday afternoon, Holcomb refused to make any statement regarding the killing, saying that he had been advised by his attorney not to do so. J. D. Buster, attorney for Holcomb, stated that the defense in the case would be based on a plea of self defense and threats against Holcomb's life by the deceased.

Holcomb in Sherman Saturday afternoon filed a complaint against Clark, charging him with abusive language Saturday morning. Officers went to Clark's home Saturday Afternoon to arrest him on complaint but were unable to find him at home. They had still failed to locate him when the shooting in Whitesboro occurred.

The accused man has lived in Grayson county the past seven years, coming to theis county from near Kaufman, Texas. He farmed the G. C. Cook farm, six miles east of Whitesboro. He has a wife and two children. 

Clark resided on the C. D. Anderson farm, adjoining the Cook farm. He is survived by his wife and a married daughter, Mrs. Marple, of Sadler.

HELD WITHOUT BAIL

Holcomb was held without bond to await action of the county grand jury now impaneled in the Fifteenth District Court, at a preliminary hearing held in the Justice of the peace Court of R. A. McCrary Monday morning. The defense offered no witnesses. The State placed several on the stand, but the testimony of only two was reduced to writing.

R. J. Kennedy of Whitesboro testified that he was an eye witness to the shooting. He testified that he was coming from the post office at Whitesboro when he saw the defendant, Holcomb, and Clark approach each other. He said he heard Holcomb with an oath say "You are a liar." and about 10 seconds later saw him fire a pistol toward Clark. Five seconds later another shot was fired. The only thing that Kennedy said he heard Clark say was "Don't shoot me again." as he staggered off the sidewalk.

Sheriff Floyd Everheart testified that he was called to Whitesboro after the shooting and found Clark dead. He said he examined him and found two pistol wounds on the body. One shot passed through the left arm between the wrist and elbow and then entered the body on the left side and came out under the right arm pit. The second appeared to have entered under the left shoulder and to have come out in front. Deputy Sheriff George Brinkley gave substantially the same testimony as Sheriff Everheart. 

Holcomb was taken back to the jail after the hearing. A number of residents of the Sadler and Whitesboro communities were in Sherman and prepared to make his bond, according to his attorney, J. D. Buster.

Officers indicated that their investigation has shown that family trouble between the two men caused the tragedy.