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Clarence Starling

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Clarence Starling

Birth
La Crosse, Alachua County, Florida, USA
Death
2 Feb 1953 (aged 41)
Hampton, Bradford County, Florida, USA
Burial
La Crosse, Alachua County, Florida, USA Add to Map
Memorial ID
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Bradford County Telegraph
Friday,February 6, 1953

Coroner's Jury Inquires Into pistol Slaying Sunday of Clarence Starling

A six man coroner's jury was scheduled to meet yesterday afternoon(Thursday) at the County Courthouse to determine how Clarence Starling,41,a sawmill worker, was killed at his former wife's juke joint at Hampton Rd. and U.S. 301, six miles south of Starke last Sunday night.

County Judge T.A. Yawn will preside over the inquest, which will determine whether or not the shooting was a criminal act.

Sheriff P.D. Reddish took the jury to view the body and scene of the shooting earlier this week.

The jury is composed of L.L. Conner, foreman, Earl Edwards, Earl Miles, Nat Williams, Bob Demorest and Edward Phillips.

Ray Cox,25,of Hampton, a Jacksonville shipyard worker and Mrs. Thelma (Peggy) Starling, 47, have been held in county jail in connection with the shooting.

Cox fired Mrs. Starling's .22 cal. pistol five times at Starling as he broke in Mrs. Starling's back door at the filling station-beer joint near midnight Sunday.

Mrs. Starling said she knew then her husband and had been in the place because she discovered two whiskey bottles.

Cox then went outside and sat in a car waiting for a bus to take him to his job in Jacksonville when Clarence Starling came to the front door for his coat.

Starling was rushed to Alachua General Hospital and died at 4:02 a.m. of four stomach wounds and one wrist wound inflicted by the gunshots.

Mrs. Starling, her daughter, Mrs. Dorothy Kesler and Cox had returned to Mrs. Starling's place, known as Peggy's Corner, about 9 p.m. according to Mrs. Starling's signed statement with the sheriff's officials.

Mrs. Starling said she knew then her husband had been in the place because she discovered two whiskey bottles.

Cox then went outside and sat in a car waiting for a bus to take him to his job in Jacksonville when Clarence Starling came to the front door for his coat.

Mrs. Starling gave it to him, but would not let him in. He went around to the back door where he tried to force his way in.

Mrs. Starling and her daughter were scared, she said, so they called Cox to come in and help them.

Cox came in the front door just as Starling broke his way in through the back door. Mrs. Starling handed her .22 cal. pistol to Cox and told him to stop him.

Five shots rang out in the pitch black kitchen room, as Starling fell to the floor crying, "I will get even with you, you'll be sorry."

Ten witnesses including Sheriff Reddish and Deputy Sheriff Cecil Sewell were slated to be called before the inquest.


Bradford County Telegraph
Friday,February 13, 1953

Two Will Face Grand Jury On Death Charge

Ray Cox,20 and Mrs. Thelma (Peggy) Starling,52 have been bound over to the Circuit Court grand jury to a six-man Bradford County Coroner's jury who determined Thursday, Feb. 5, that Clarence Starling, 41, met his death through a criminal act.

Cox is charge with murder and Mrs. Starling was feloniously present at the time Starling was killed on Feb. 1, the all male coroner's jury found. Both Cox and Mrs. Starling have been released from county jail under $1500. bonds. They will face the grand jury when the spring term of circuit court convenes here April 27.

During last week's four-hour long inquest into the slaying of Mrs. Starling's husband, 11 witness were questioned by the State's Attorney T.E. Duncan. County Judge T.A. Yawn presided as coroner. The jury considered the testimony an hour and a half before returning its verdict that the sawmill worker met his death through a criminal act.

Starling was shot five times near midnight on Feb. 1 as he broke in the rear door of Peggy's Corner, a tavern operated by Mrs. Starling, his wife, six miles south of Starke at Hampton Junction. He died in Alachua General Hospital at 4:02 a.m., Feb. 2.

Mrs. Starling owned the .22 caliber death weapon, which she and Cox claimed in their testimony at the inquest, was used in self defense.

As told at the inquest, the story of the shooting goes like this:

Mrs. Starling and her daughter, Mrs. Dorothy Kesler, an employee of the University of Florida, were riding with Earl Cox, Alvin Hicks and Ray Cox during part of the Sunday afternoon the shooting occurred. They gave Ray a ride to Peggy's Corner, arriving there about 9 p.m.

Cox went there to catch a bus to Jacksonville where he was employed in the shipyards. He sat in a car to wait for the bus, it was said.

Mrs. Starling and her daughter went to bed and were awakened about 11 o'clock by Clarence Starling, who wanted to get in. After giving him his coat, Mrs. Starling became frightened, she said, when he still wanted entrance. Mrs. Kesler, the summoned Cox from the car where he was sleeping, and he came into the house.

Mrs. Starling gave Cox her gun. When Starling came into the house, Cox fired, and Starling fell mortally wounded. Mrs. Kesler and Cox summoned an ambulance and notified the sheriff's office.






Brothers

Lee Starling 1911-1945

Dewitt Parrish Starling 1922 - 1947
Bradford County Telegraph
Friday,February 6, 1953

Coroner's Jury Inquires Into pistol Slaying Sunday of Clarence Starling

A six man coroner's jury was scheduled to meet yesterday afternoon(Thursday) at the County Courthouse to determine how Clarence Starling,41,a sawmill worker, was killed at his former wife's juke joint at Hampton Rd. and U.S. 301, six miles south of Starke last Sunday night.

County Judge T.A. Yawn will preside over the inquest, which will determine whether or not the shooting was a criminal act.

Sheriff P.D. Reddish took the jury to view the body and scene of the shooting earlier this week.

The jury is composed of L.L. Conner, foreman, Earl Edwards, Earl Miles, Nat Williams, Bob Demorest and Edward Phillips.

Ray Cox,25,of Hampton, a Jacksonville shipyard worker and Mrs. Thelma (Peggy) Starling, 47, have been held in county jail in connection with the shooting.

Cox fired Mrs. Starling's .22 cal. pistol five times at Starling as he broke in Mrs. Starling's back door at the filling station-beer joint near midnight Sunday.

Mrs. Starling said she knew then her husband and had been in the place because she discovered two whiskey bottles.

Cox then went outside and sat in a car waiting for a bus to take him to his job in Jacksonville when Clarence Starling came to the front door for his coat.

Starling was rushed to Alachua General Hospital and died at 4:02 a.m. of four stomach wounds and one wrist wound inflicted by the gunshots.

Mrs. Starling, her daughter, Mrs. Dorothy Kesler and Cox had returned to Mrs. Starling's place, known as Peggy's Corner, about 9 p.m. according to Mrs. Starling's signed statement with the sheriff's officials.

Mrs. Starling said she knew then her husband had been in the place because she discovered two whiskey bottles.

Cox then went outside and sat in a car waiting for a bus to take him to his job in Jacksonville when Clarence Starling came to the front door for his coat.

Mrs. Starling gave it to him, but would not let him in. He went around to the back door where he tried to force his way in.

Mrs. Starling and her daughter were scared, she said, so they called Cox to come in and help them.

Cox came in the front door just as Starling broke his way in through the back door. Mrs. Starling handed her .22 cal. pistol to Cox and told him to stop him.

Five shots rang out in the pitch black kitchen room, as Starling fell to the floor crying, "I will get even with you, you'll be sorry."

Ten witnesses including Sheriff Reddish and Deputy Sheriff Cecil Sewell were slated to be called before the inquest.


Bradford County Telegraph
Friday,February 13, 1953

Two Will Face Grand Jury On Death Charge

Ray Cox,20 and Mrs. Thelma (Peggy) Starling,52 have been bound over to the Circuit Court grand jury to a six-man Bradford County Coroner's jury who determined Thursday, Feb. 5, that Clarence Starling, 41, met his death through a criminal act.

Cox is charge with murder and Mrs. Starling was feloniously present at the time Starling was killed on Feb. 1, the all male coroner's jury found. Both Cox and Mrs. Starling have been released from county jail under $1500. bonds. They will face the grand jury when the spring term of circuit court convenes here April 27.

During last week's four-hour long inquest into the slaying of Mrs. Starling's husband, 11 witness were questioned by the State's Attorney T.E. Duncan. County Judge T.A. Yawn presided as coroner. The jury considered the testimony an hour and a half before returning its verdict that the sawmill worker met his death through a criminal act.

Starling was shot five times near midnight on Feb. 1 as he broke in the rear door of Peggy's Corner, a tavern operated by Mrs. Starling, his wife, six miles south of Starke at Hampton Junction. He died in Alachua General Hospital at 4:02 a.m., Feb. 2.

Mrs. Starling owned the .22 caliber death weapon, which she and Cox claimed in their testimony at the inquest, was used in self defense.

As told at the inquest, the story of the shooting goes like this:

Mrs. Starling and her daughter, Mrs. Dorothy Kesler, an employee of the University of Florida, were riding with Earl Cox, Alvin Hicks and Ray Cox during part of the Sunday afternoon the shooting occurred. They gave Ray a ride to Peggy's Corner, arriving there about 9 p.m.

Cox went there to catch a bus to Jacksonville where he was employed in the shipyards. He sat in a car to wait for the bus, it was said.

Mrs. Starling and her daughter went to bed and were awakened about 11 o'clock by Clarence Starling, who wanted to get in. After giving him his coat, Mrs. Starling became frightened, she said, when he still wanted entrance. Mrs. Kesler, the summoned Cox from the car where he was sleeping, and he came into the house.

Mrs. Starling gave Cox her gun. When Starling came into the house, Cox fired, and Starling fell mortally wounded. Mrs. Kesler and Cox summoned an ambulance and notified the sheriff's office.






Brothers

Lee Starling 1911-1945

Dewitt Parrish Starling 1922 - 1947


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