We read of the murder of Will Brown here. Below, the conclusion and transcripts of the coroner’s inquest. 

Frank Tart shot Brown near the railroad near Stantonsburg. Witnesses to the crime included five black and three white men. Two years earlier, Otto King, who was found to be an accessory after the fact to Brown’s killing, and his brother Lum King had been involved in a non-fatal shooting that also involved gambling, and Otto King himself was murdered in 1924.

Bob Hall, being duly sworn says I was up the RR on Saturday afternoon near sunset. While up the road I saw Will Brown, Frank Tart, Otto King, Will Edwards, Josh Fleming, gambling playing skin. I saw standing around the gambling crowd. Columbus King & Hagans. I staid there not over 15 minutes. Will Edwards owed me $2.00 and I went for that. As soon as I could get it, I left. While I was there, Will Brown seem to be winning the money. I saw Frank Tart change his pistol from his hip pocket and put it into his side pants pocket. Did not hear pistol shot as I had left before the shooting occurred. /s/ Bob Hall

Peter Ward, being sworn says that Frank Tart and Otto King came to my house Saturday night about 8 o’clock. Staid there until about 9:30 and on leaving told me told me that they were going to Gray Tart. Otto King come to Stantonsburg with me said that he wanted to see Josh Fleming. That Josh had his pistol. I come to Stantonsburg, and Otto come with me. I do not know that he got out of the buggy. [Illegible] Lum told me that Frank Tart shot a man. I told him [illegible] Lum that Frank Tart was at my house. Peter (X) Ward

Josh Fleming, being sworn says that “at or about the time of the killing I was about 150 years from the scene of the homicide at the time. I heard the pistol shot. I saw Columbus King and Otto King come running from the direction of the place of the homicide and from the direction I heard the pistol shot. I asked Otto King who it was shot and Otto King said that Frank Tart had shot a fellow Will, but did not know what Will. Columbus King and Otto King both come to the stable where Frank Tart’s horse was, got the horse and buggy and drove off. I came back to Stantonsburg after the policeman Mr. Stancill. I went back with the crowd to the scene of the homicide. I saw a man shot by the name of Will Brown. /s/ Josh (X) Fleming

Josh Fleming, called to the stand later, says that previous to the shooting was in the woods with Frank Tart, Will Edwards, Otto King, Will Brown gambling. Louis Hagans, Columbus King was there but did not see them gamble. Will Brown was principal winner. I saw Will Brown have as much as twenty-two dollars. Josh (X) Fleming

Richard Stancil, being duly sworn says that Josh Fleming came for me and said that Frank Tart had shot a man down the Rail Road and I hurried as quickly as I could and when I got to the place where the shooting occurred I found no one there but the shot man Will Brown. He was lying near the Rail Road track. He was not dead at the time and I had him carried to the doctors office. /s/ Richard Stancil

Will Edwards being duly sworn says he was with Josh Fleming, Frank Tart, Otto King and William Brown gambling playing skin. Will Brown beat the boys out of the money and he got up and started towards the R.R. He had I know twenty dollars when Brown left the game busted. Mr. Ernest Hartley (white), Bob Hall, Louis Hagans, and Columbus King were on the grounds while the gambling was going on but did not gamble any. I was about 100 yards from the scene of the shooting. Heard the shot. Did not see any pistols. Do not know who shot Will Brown. When I heard the shot I was on R.R. in the woods going  towards home when the shot was fired, but left immediately for home. Will (X) Edwards

Ernest Hartley, being duly sworn says at the time of the shooting I was in the E Road about 30 years from the scene of the shooting. Did not know any one there except Will Brown the shot man. I was out hunting and come up to a crowd. They moved towards the R.R. and stopped and seemed to talking together. I saw one low chunky dark man take hold of Will Brown. About that time heard pistol shot. The pistol was in the hands of a tall yellow negro. Immediately after the pistol fired, saw the black negro bending over Will Brown as if her was searching Will Brown pockets. The crowd dispersed and I left for home. I was near Sunset when it occurred as well as I remember. I work with Mr. Ben Paschall at saw mill so did Will Brown. I think Brown was paid off Saturday afternoon. He had I think $7.00 or $8.00. I think he had some money on his person before being paid off.  /s/ Ernest Hartley

Columbus King, being duly sworn says I was down the Rail Road about 20 yards from the scene of the homicide. Heard the pistol shot. My brother Otto King came running towards me and said, “Let’s us go, Frank Tart has shot a man.” I asked my brother where Frank was — and my brother Otto say, “come on, I know where he is.” Me and my brother got Frank Tart’s horse and buggy and drove off towards Saratoga but when we got as far as Toisnot Swamp, Frank Tart came out of the woods and got on the buggy and put me out. They went on towards home, and I got in with George Edwards and rode home with him. I saw in the crowd when the shooting occurred Josh Fleming, Frank Tart, Otto King. I saw one white man at the scene of the shooting. Think he had on a brown hat.  Columbus (X) King

Dr. H.H. Powell, being duly sworn says that he came in his office about 7:30 Saturday February 14 1914. Found a man who was shot, and the bystanders said his name was Will Brown. He had a bullet wound in forehead. Penetrated the skull from which wound the brain was discharging. He was thus in a dying [illegible.] Died about 8:30. /s/ H.H. Powell

[Punctuation added for clarity. Coroner’s Inquest (1914), Miscellaneous Records, Wilson County Records, North Carolina State Archives.]