James Watson GASTER

May 21, 1877 - August 23, 1905
Son of Stephen & Hallie Gaster

The Monticellonian
Monticello, Arkansas
02 Jun 1904, Thu • Page 3

A special to the Gazette from Collins, dated the 27th of May, reports the marriage of Mr. James Gaster and Mrs. Hettie Jones, of that place. We offer our congratulations to Mr. Gaster, and wish for him and his Bride long life and much happiness.

The Monticellonian
Monticello, Arkansas
31 Aug 1905, Thu • Page 3

Jas. Caster Killed hy Fred Forrest.
On Wednesday evening of last week, about 8 o'clock, Jas. Gaster, a young man, who lives near this city, was shot and instantly killed by a man named Fred Forrest, four miles North of this city. Forrest had started in to make a crop, on the shares, wilh Mr. Stephen Gaster, the father of the young man killed, and for some cause had quit his crop, and left. Ill feelings existed between the parties, and the Gasters were notified that Forrest had made threats against them, and were talking about them, especially, the young man. On the night of the killing, James Gaster said that he was going to see Forrest and talk the matter over with him. Taking a negro boy with him, they rode to Forrest's house, and when near the gate the negro was left to hold the horses and Gaster went to the gate and called to Forrest and asked him to come out as he wanted to talk with him. Forrest came out, but just what was said or done to provoke the difficulty, is not known, as the negro could not hear what was said and it
was too dark to see. A neighbor living about 150 yards away heard loud talking, but he could not understand what was being said. Immediately
afterwards the shooting began, and the evidence shows that seven shots were fired, two from a shot gun and five from a pistol. Forrest claims that Gaster shot him twice with the pistol before he fired the shot gun, but a Mr. Johnson, who lived nearby and the negro boy who accompanied Gaster, both testified that the shot gun was fired first, and then two pistol
shots, and then a second fire from the big-gun and three more pistol shots in rapid succession. The negro boy claims that his mule jerked loose when the shooting commenced and that he followed it off, and did not return. Johnson went over after the shooting and found Forrest wounded. The sheriff was notified, and he and deputy sheriff Coker, with Dr. Cotham
and two or three others went to the scene of the tragedy. On the road-side, about 100 yards from the gate they found Gaster, dead, with the whole
front portion of the throat shot off, and, arriving at the house they found that two pistol balls had entered the body of Forrest, from behind, one near the small of the back and the other near the shoulder. Forrest claimed that he did not know that Gaster was dead, that he had shot at him, but it
was too dark to see whether the shot had taken effect or not. Justice Farley was notified of the killing and a coroner's jury was impanneled and an inquest held. The jury returned a verdict, justifying Forrest in the killing. The remains of Gaster were brought to this city and prepared for burial, and afterwards carried to the home of his father, where they remained until five o'clock Thursday evening and were then conveyed to the Gaster Cemetery and interred, surrounded by a large concourse of relatives and
sympathizing friends. The young man who met his death in this tragic manner was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Gaster, who live one mile North of this city, and a member of one of our oldest and most highly
honored families. The bereaved parents have t lie sympathies of the entire community.
Forrest, we learn, is getting along well, and his wounds will not prove fatal.

Contributed on 5/22/20 by deltabelle55
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Record #: 1319302

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