First Degree Murder Charge
Is Filed Against Ches Rodgers
In Slaying Of Edward Howard
Cardwell Resident IsSlain With Pistol
Bullets At 8 O' clock
Saturday Evening
Shooting Occurs On
East Kingshighway
Chief Of Police Nath Coln
Says Two Men Had Trouble
Earlier Over Poker Game
Deputy Prosecuting Attorney George W. Butler Today filled a charge ofChief of Police Nath Coln said he understood that the two men had trouble
earlier at
the home of Rodgers, on South Pekin near the shirt factory,
over a poker game
and that Mr. Howard tried to strike Mr. Rodgers with a chair
and later with a
stick, but
others prevented it and talked him into leaving.
The officer said that Mr.
Howard was
talking to J. C. Fartning near
the highway sign on the northwest corner of
the
intersection, when he saw Mr. Rodgers come around the corner of
Neal Morrow's cafe ,
on
southeast corner.
Chief Coln said he learned that Mr. Rodgers was en route to the home of
Mr.
Wilkerson, at the rear of Bob Isom's pool room at the northwest corner
of the
street
intersection. Mr. Rodgers has made
no statement to officers concerning the
shooting.
Chief Coln said that he was told that when young Howard left Rodger's home
after the fight he had threatened to get Mr. Rodgers
if it took hot lead to do
it.
Following the shooting, Mr. Rodgers took six empty cartridge shells
from his
pistol and handed the weapon to James Hyde, former constable.
Mr. Rodgers
surrendered
to police officers when they arrived at the scene
and Mr. Hyde turned the
pistol over to police at local headquarters.
Mr.Rodgers was later turned over to
County Sheriff Fred W. Gray.
Mr. Howard was born at Beach Grove. He was employed at odd jobs.
Althought
his
home was at Cardwell, he resided part time with his grandmother,
Mrs. Wyoma
Howard of Paragould, and other relatives here.
The body was carried to the Randal L. Mitchell Funeral Home
following the
shooting
and was later removed to A. J. Emerson Funeral Home
and prepared for
burial.
Funeral arrangements are incomplete.
Surviving are his wife,
Mrs. Rochelle Howard, a son, Paul Howard,
a sister,
Mrs.
Theodore Thompson of Live Oak, Calf.
a half sister, Miss Violet Howard of
Cardwell
a brother, Charlie Howard of Paragould:
two half brothers, Frank and George
Randal
Howard of Cardwell;
his mother, Mrs. Grace Hafford of Paragould;
and his
father,
George Howard of Cardwell.
He was the grandson of
Mrs. Wyoma Howard of
Paragould and Mrs. Pearlie Howard of Cardwell.
Since writing the forgoing, it was learned that the preliminarmy hearing of
Mr. Rodgers would be held at 2:30 Wednesday afternoon before
Justice of the
Peace
A. D. Jackson. Officers quoted Archie Brooks a witness,
as saying that
shortly before
the shooting, young Howard
told him that Mr. Rodgers had won $11 from him by
allegedly
using marked cards and that he intented to get it back some way.
Transcribed by as printed by: Ronnie Moore
End Note:
This occured on Saturday 12 Aug. 1944