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Subject: [KYHARLAN-L] Re: Evarts Officer Killed Friday 1924--Newspaper Article
Date: Wed, 8 Sep 1999 15:17:17 EDT

Harlan Enterprise
May 30. 1924


Evarts Officer Killed Friday Porter White, chief peace officer of Evarts
died shortly
after being shot Friday night after receiving two gun shots wounds at the
hands of Burley Middleton. The shooting took place at a Gypsy Fortune Telling
camp on the road just below Evarts depot.
It has not been exactly determined how the trouble started, but the
coroner's, Jury which investigated the case rendered a verdict that charged
Middleton with murder.
According to the inquest papers, George Davis, his wife and daughter were
operating a fortune tent at Evarts. White was sitting nearby while Mrs Davis
was telling the fortune of Miss Ella Farley and Howard Luster. Then a car
drove up and three men alighted and came over to where the fortune telling
was going on. All three were on their way to Verda,after having to get a
radiator for a car.
After pausing for a moment, White asked, " Where you boys from; Harlan,"
and they replied "no we're from Verda." They remained standing, waiting for
their turn with the fortune teller. Then the shooting occurred.
The Gypsies testified that Middleton shot White without them having any
trouble or any words. Middleton is not much over 20 years old and White about
30 and a cripple.
Researcher: Elva Nolan Morgan

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