Thank you for visiting SNEWPapers!
Sign up free
Jackson Advocate
Jackson, Hinds County, Mississippi
What is this article about?
In Midland, Texas, veteran police Lt. Gordon Smith, 38, and wanted murder suspect Johnny Lee Douglas, 24, shot each other to death in a backyard gun battle early today. Douglas had earlier assaulted Deputy Sheriff Melvin Simmons while attempting arrest.
Merged-components note: Continuation of policeman and Negro gun battle story across pages.
Clippings
1 of 2
OCR Quality
Full Text
Negro Die In
Gun Battle
Midland, Texas - A veteran
police officer and a Negro wanted
for murder shot each other
to death early today. The Negro
used a pistol; the policeman
a submachine gun.
Police Lt. Gordon Smith, 38,
and Oklahoma ex-convict Johnny
Lee Douglas, 24, fell dead
on opposite sides of a six-foot
sheet iron fence in a back yard
in the Negro section of Midland.
Witnesses said Smith stood on
a barrel to look over the fence
and saw Douglas running.
Douglas turned and shot Smith,
who, as he was dying, opened
fire on Douglas with a submachine
gun.
"There was one shot, then a
burst of machinegun fire, then
(Continued on Page Eight)
Policeman
(Continued from Page One)
another single shot and another short burst of machinegun," one witness said.
Douglas was wanted in connection with the strangling of Gladys Marie Crockett, Negro.
Deputy Sheriff Melvin Simmons attempted to arrest Douglas about 1 a.m. but he grabbed Simmons' gun, beat him over the head and fled. Simmons was not seriously hurt.
What sub-type of article is it?
What keywords are associated?
What entities or persons were involved?
Where did it happen?
Domestic News Details
Primary Location
Midland, Texas
Event Date
Early Today
Key Persons
Outcome
gordon smith and johnny lee douglas both died from gunshot wounds; melvin simmons beaten over the head but not seriously hurt.
Event Details
Police Lt. Gordon Smith spotted wanted suspect Johnny Lee Douglas running in a backyard in Midland's Negro section, stood on a barrel to look over a fence, was shot by Douglas with a pistol, and as he died fired a submachine gun at Douglas, killing him. Douglas was wanted for the strangling of Gladys Marie Crockett and had earlier assaulted Deputy Sheriff Melvin Simmons during an arrest attempt around 1 a.m.