Tales from the Morgue: Merchant policeman slain, part 1

UREY FORD SHOT TO DEATH IN DOWN TOWN FIGHT
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JIM PARKER IS SALYER; ADMITS GUILT AT JAIL
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Men Battle Over Attentions Paid to Parker's Wife, He Tells Police
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CROWD SEES TRAGEDY
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Brother Arrives Too Late at Hospital, Where Wounded Man Succumbs
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Urey Ford, 50, special merchants policeman, was shot to death at 11:20 o'clock last night by James T. Parker, 49, night watchman of the University of Arizona in front of the Consolidated National bank at the corner of Congress street and Stone avenue. Parker was placed under arrest immediately by officers attracted by the shooting.

In a statement made to police officers Parker declared he shot in self defense after an argument which had started over Ford's alleged attentions to his (Parker's) wife.

Ford died a few minutes after he had been taken to St. Mary's hospital as the result of a wound near the heart and another directly below the larynx. The shooting was witnessed by a large number of people. According to the accounts of several witnesses, Parker fired three shots point blank at Ford with a .38 Colt automatic pistol. Three other shots were fired by Patrolman Charlie Hines at Parker in an effort to drive Parker away from Ford. None of them took effect. Parker was struck over the head with a night stick by Patrolman Paul Wright, inflicting a minor wound on Parker's right ear.

Ford was taken to St. Mary's hospital in the Tucson Mortuary's ambulance, which was called to the scene immediately after the shooting. In spite of the lateness of the hour, a number of people quickly gathered at the corner of Stone avenue and Congress street after the first wild rush of the few who were about when the shooting started. Those in the immediate vicinity of the shooting scudded for cover behind automobiles and buildings as the crack of the pistols of the two men opened the fight.

When placed in the ambulance, Ford, hard hit and bleeding profusely from the two wounds which took his life and from the third wound in his left arm, begged for air and alternated with a repeated question of "Where are you taking me?" The question was practically his last words.

Because of his apparent strength it was not thought at first that he was mortally wounded, but Ford died on the operating table within five minutes after being brought to the hospital and before Dr. G. W. Purcell could reach him.

Parker declared he shot in self defense when taken to the police station.

"Why did you shoot him," Captain Mark Robbins asked.

"To keep him from shooting me," was the answer from Parker.

The self confessed slayer displayed no emotion but, as he was placed in jail told the police he thought Ford would probably die.

"I think I got him all right," he said, then added in short crisp statements that the trouble had arisen over Ford's attentions to his wife who was living at a different address than Parker, himself.

Parker gave his address at the Belmont hotel and his wife's address as 144 East Fifth street.

Frank P. Buckley, who gave his address as 146 East Fifth street, next door to the residence of Parker's wife, was probably the first person to arrive at the scene of the shooting and was probably the only direct eye-witness. He declared he heard Parker exclaim, "Now I've got you," and then fire two shots at Ford.

Fired Two Shots

Buckley said he had just stepped outside the door of the Western Union office adjoining the bank, when he heard Parker's low voiced exclamation then, he told the police, Parker fired two shots. Wounds received by Ford show that three shots were fired at him, which took effect.

Officer Hines then rushed up behind Buckley, the latter said, and ordered him to step aside. Buckley already had reached Ford as the latter slumped to the sidewalk, and his hands were covered with blood as he made his statement to Captain Robbins and Desk Sergeant McLaughlin.

Three shots were fired by Officer Hines in the air in order to force Parker away from Ford, according to Buckley. A blow from Officer Wright's night stick partially stunned Parker.

The crowd, which had ducked behind automobiles and into nearby doorways, gathered around the two men and the officers while an ambulance was called. Parker's gun, which had been knocked from his hand, was picked up on the sidewalk by a newspaper reporter and was immediately taken by Captain Robbins. At the police station, the clip showed five shells missing, while from the automatic pistol which Ford had carried no shots had been fired.

Brother to (sic) Late

Ford was the brother of Dallas Ford, police detective. He arrived at the hospital a few minutes after his brother had died.

Coach J. F. McKale and Major J. Prugh Herndon, were other witnesses to the shooting. They were sitting in an automobile on Stone avenue beside the Palace of Sweets when the shooting took place. According to McKale the two men were seen to be talking to one another across the street. Suddenly one of the men turned away and started to walk off, when he turned and two flashes of fire and the reports of the shots were seen and heard. Two more followed immediately and McKale and Herndon started across the street. They ducked when they saw another man waving a pistol dash across the street toward the two combatants. This was was "Lefty" Lewis who had been standing across the street at the time of the shooting.

The statements of the witnesses varied. Buckley decared there was a short scuffle between the two men, while McKale said he had seen no sign of an argument. Also the number of shots heard varied according to statements of the various witnesses.