Obituary;
Feb 24, 1938
Casper Berry, 45, died instantly Sunday night from gunshot wounds from a .45 automatic allegedly wielded by Hubert Howard, 35, son of the proprietor of the roadhouse at Blanton Bridge about 8 miles from Jackson where the shooting occured. Berry left here on the afternoon train and is said to have had $50 in his pocket and a .32 calibre pistol and when examined after the shooting, only .38 cents was found on him; relatives believe that when he started to pay for a beer for a boy, he missed his money and was shot before he could make a statement; Howard, who surrendered to the Breathitt Co Jailer, claims to have shot in self defense. Coroner James T. Goff called to the scene by a kinsman of Howard, said he found Berry lying on the dance floor with a pistol in his hand half way out of the holster. Sammy Jett, 16, the boy whom Berry was buying the beer for, is reported to have stated that they both reached for their guns and that Howard fired twice, without either saying a word. The body was taken to Jackson by the Breathitt Co Coroner where it remained until Monday morning when Ferrell Lewis arrived to bring it to Irvine. Berry was a member of the ORC and was employed by the L&N as a brakeman at the time he was killed. Survived by his wife, his mother, Mrs. Emily Berry, Pinehill, two sons, Foster May, age 20, and Jack Wilson age 19, three sisters, Mrs. Laura Freeman, Pinehill, Mrs. Gus Carmen of Irvine and Mrs. John Manning of Sardina, OH. Two brothers; John of Huntington, W. Va and Foster of Louisville.
Obituary;
Feb 24, 1938
Casper Berry, 45, died instantly Sunday night from gunshot wounds from a .45 automatic allegedly wielded by Hubert Howard, 35, son of the proprietor of the roadhouse at Blanton Bridge about 8 miles from Jackson where the shooting occured. Berry left here on the afternoon train and is said to have had $50 in his pocket and a .32 calibre pistol and when examined after the shooting, only .38 cents was found on him; relatives believe that when he started to pay for a beer for a boy, he missed his money and was shot before he could make a statement; Howard, who surrendered to the Breathitt Co Jailer, claims to have shot in self defense. Coroner James T. Goff called to the scene by a kinsman of Howard, said he found Berry lying on the dance floor with a pistol in his hand half way out of the holster. Sammy Jett, 16, the boy whom Berry was buying the beer for, is reported to have stated that they both reached for their guns and that Howard fired twice, without either saying a word. The body was taken to Jackson by the Breathitt Co Coroner where it remained until Monday morning when Ferrell Lewis arrived to bring it to Irvine. Berry was a member of the ORC and was employed by the L&N as a brakeman at the time he was killed. Survived by his wife, his mother, Mrs. Emily Berry, Pinehill, two sons, Foster May, age 20, and Jack Wilson age 19, three sisters, Mrs. Laura Freeman, Pinehill, Mrs. Gus Carmen of Irvine and Mrs. John Manning of Sardina, OH. Two brothers; John of Huntington, W. Va and Foster of Louisville.
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