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John Ingram Dies of Injury in Fight For Officer’s Gun(Continued From P«fe 1)- mi- y----- r- - — A . . --------- ... imprint And braises the following day. Back and forth the men weaved with the gun in their hands9 the officer trying with his left hand to jpry loose the fingers that clenched the gun in his right, until Ingram made . an extra spurt of strength, pulling the gun downward and toward him as it was discharged.Moses and Carroll, both horrified at the sight, witnessed the struggle in the dim moonlight, helpless to prevent the impending tragedy and both exonerate the officer of all blame for the man’s death. The men lifted Ingram’s inert body into his own car and Carroll drove it to the office of Dr. Fogg. Jones had preceded in his car to the doctor's office and roused him out to care for the injured man. He also notified the sheriff's office of what had taken place and directed that an ambulance be sent to Wasco at once.It was Harley Williamson of Lost Hills who reported the presence of the car blocking the highway. With his wife and children he was returning from Bakersfield and almost collided with the car across his right of way. He drove to the Moses lunch room and told of the situation and Harry Moses reported it to Constable Jones who invited him to accompany him to sed what was the trouble. Jones had no idea of the identity of the persons involved or what occasioned the car being across the roadway.Young Carroll explained that two weeks ago he drove over here from Norro Bay and that he had car trouble on his return and was obliged to leave his car at Blackwell's corner and hitch-hiked back to his home. Sunday Ingram drove with Carroll to Blackwell's corner so he could repair his CAT and take it home. They were to return to Mor-ro Bay by 9 o'clock that night, but according to Carroll, Ingram procured some liquor on the way here and insisted on driving to Wasco and to McFarland where both young men had formerly resided. Carroll believes that Ingram secured more liquor after he came to Wasco and he had serious difficulty in managing him. It was while Carroll, who was driving, was trying to get the car headed back toward the coast that the car came crosswise of the highway and Ingram* attacked him. He said he did not want to go to McFarland as he had to be back in high school at San Luis Obispo on Monday morning and Ingram was supposed to be , back on his job in C.W.A. work at Morro Bay. Carroll had not touched any liquor and behaved like a young gentleman throughout the harrowing ordeal. He was suffering intensely from the beating he had received at the hands of hia brother-in-law, but rendered every assistance, as did llarry Moses, when Dr. Fogg was administering emergency relief to the injured man.Dr. Fogg stated that young Carroll volunteered his belief to him that Constable Jones was not to be blamed for the tragedy; that Ingram had brought the trouble upon himself through drinking the liquor. He also added: *1 hadn't thought much about it before, but this experience hasbrought it pretty close home that liquor is a mighty bad thing to fool with and it's going to be a lesson that I'll never forget. Carroll repeated his views of the tragedy to the reporter for the News the night of the fatality and again the following morning when he expressed his appreciation of the kindness shown him by Mr.-and Mrs. Walter Moses and their son, Harry for taking him into their home and caring for him bfter he was hurt.Ingram formerly resided at Me* Farland where several relatives now live. He is survived by a widow and two children, a daughter aged two and a son two months old. He came to Kern county several years ago from Texas where his father \ still resides.Elton Carroll ia a son of I. J. Carroll, who for five*'years was engaged in operating a store and Ailing station at McFarland, removing to Morro Bay two years ago.• Constable Jones had a friend reach Mr. Carroll at Morro Bay by telephone to inform him of the death of his son-in-law and Monday afternoon he and Mrs. Ingram came to Wasco and took Elton with them to Bakersfield while they conferred with the authorities regarding the case and to arrange for Ingram's funeral.Constable Jones expressed keen regrets over the fatal outcome of the battle for possession of the gun, especially referring to his sorrow for the widowed mother and the children left fatherless. He, however* stated, “My conscience is perfectly clear that I performed my duty as an officer and that I should have hung on to my gun to the last and that it was discharged through accident. Further, it was apparent that had the man succeeded in securing possession of the gun, in what he might have done. There might have been three fatalities instead of one.”' * '• l* — * * ' -* * • *-4 ' # . • A.....--O' —-- -I1II1*
Newspaper Details
Shafter Progress
Shafter, California, US
Fri, Jan 26, 1934
Page 8
Full Page
Clipped by
Anonymous
USA 25 Oct 2021
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Shafter Progress
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