James Beckner
 

Kentucky Post, Monday, 21 October 1940, page 1

Charged with the murder of one Negro and the wounding of another, Doc Warren, said by police to be a Negro illicit whisky operator was held Monday without bond on charges of murder and malicious shooting. The shooting was the culmination of a quarrel between two rival factions of illicit moonshine operators.

Warren fired five shots into the body of James Beckner, 44, Negro, 212 W Fourth street, and wounded Robert Ingulls, 34, Negro, 303 W Fifth street.

Beckner, died from a bullet wound in the heart. Four other bullets entered his right side. Ingulls is in a serious condition at Speers Hospital. A bullet passed through his right arm and entered his chest.

Warren said he found Beckner and Ingulls and a third Negro attempting to force a window in his home at 224 W Fourth street. The trio fled and he pursued Beckner and Ingulls to a house at 216 W Fourth street. He fired as Beckner reached into his pocket as though to draw a gun.

Return to African American Citizens Index