THE TAMPA TRIBUNE (TAMPA, FLORIDA) 1/8/1926

VICTIM OF BULLET BURIED AT ARCADIA
MANY ATTEND FUNERAL OF REALTY MAN, ALLEGED KILLED BY CONVICT GUARD.

ARCADIA, Jan 7, ---(Tribune News Service) ---Funeral Services for Russell King, alleged to have been shot and killed by a convict guard Monday night, were held yesterday afternoon from the home of his Mother and friends and relatives were present from all over Florida, making one of the largest crowds that ever attended a local funeral.

Flowers were banked from the floor to the ceiling in the room where the body lay. Only a brief service was held, Dr. A.J. Holt, Pastor of the Punta Gorda Baptist Church, being in charge in the absence of Dr. W. D. Nowlin. Music was furnished by a few members of the Baptist Choir.

Pallbearers were G.P. Lamb, W. E. Dunwoody, Gus Hendry, John D. Kelly, Jack Whidden, L.J. Robins, Stam Stathis, Abriel Whidden, Pat Ellis, Walter Sullivan and Ben Britt.
Mr. King is survived by his Mother Mrs. Florida King; a son, Russell King; a daughter, Helen King; three brothers, TB., H.L., and John King, and two sisters, Mrs. Nannie Houston of Jacksonville, and Mrs. J.E.T. Bowdoin, of Waycross, Ga.

Besides other relatives present, Mr. and Mrs. Tom Lykes of Tampa; Mr. and Mrs.
Carl Fish, of Tampa; Mr. and Mrs. Carl Fish, of Tampa, Mrs. Bowdoin, of Waycross; Mrs. Houston of Jacksonville were present. Many friends were present from Fort Ogden and other out-of-town points. Interment was at Oak Ridge Cemetery.

Few cases have more complicated angles than the case of Merton Hayman, who is being held without ball for the murder of Mr. King. As a convict guard, Hayman was acting for Mr. Harrison, the man in charge of the convict camp. Mr. Harrison is an agent of the county commissioners of DeSoto County. So, the county attorney will, according to the natural processes, be the counsel for Hayman. The state will prosecute Hayman, who will be defended by the county attorney of DeSoto County, if the logical procedure is followed