Murder Highway on Highway Is Mystery; Newman October 18 – A case that in some of its aspects is strikingly similar to the famous Lamson case at San Jose was before a coroner's jury at Gustine yesterday afternoon. The jury was impaneled to inquire into the death of Lamar Talkington, generally known as "Bob," former Newman barber, whose body was brought into Gustine Monday night by his wife in their coach. The story told by the would wife was one of a tragic error– a mistaken crime, committed because of wrong identification. She said the couple were on their way from their present home at Watsonville, to Modesto on a business trip. At a point between the Santa Nella station and the Romero bridge, they were stopped by a roadster which forced them to the side of the road. Armed men demanded $1000 cash, and shot Talkington on his denial of having any money. Then, finding that he really had no money, they declared he was the wrong man and one said, "Better bump her off too," whereupon the wife was shot in the arm and left for dead, having fainted from the shock.

Drove to a Gustine; However, the wife revived, probably in a few minutes, and finding her husband in a dying condition, drove to Gustine for help. Dr. Gustafson made an examination and found Talkington dead. His wife was not severely hurt, the bullet having entered her arm. Talkington was hit three times, one bullet entering near his eye, a second near the heart arid a third cutting one ear. The body was sent to the Davis Funeral Chapel and the injured woman to the Newman Hospital, and the officers of Gustine and Merced county, with Newman peace officers co-operating, sent out a widespread alarm in an attempt to locate the assassins. An inquest was held yesterday in the Gustine Justice Court rooms, of which the principal feature was the examination of Mrs. Bertha Talkington, widow of the murdered man.. Mrs. Talkington is not charged in connection with the case, but is held as a material witness, and it soon became evident that the peace officers are not entirely convinced that her story of the shooting was the correct one. Mrs. Talkington s Statement; After a brief statement by Dr. A. W. Gustafson of the cause of death, Mrs. Tarkington was put on the stand. The assistant district attorney, L. B. Harrell of Merced, warned her that her testimony could be used against her and that she could not be required to make any statement, but she declined to take advantage of the suggestion. Harrell took her over the ground of shooting in the most minute detail, from the time they started from Watsonville, about 6 p. m. on Monday, till she reached Gustine, at a few minutes before 9 o clock. She told of the trip by way of Gilroy: of stopping at a service station to talk a few minutes; of driving over the Pacheco grade, Miss Talkington at the wheel; of backing off one section of the newly built grade which they had entered by mistake; of passing San Luis station and of stopping just this side for Talkington to take the wheel. Talkington had been in the back seat of the coach; as he took the wheel, his wife took the right back seat, leaving the left front seat folded down. At the Santa Nella station, she saw two cars, one a box body or work car. A little farther three or four miles, she said, but also said it was south of the Romero bridge, being positive they had not crossed it-- they were overtaken by the bandit car. She saw its lights as it came up, then heard the man shout, "Stop I ll shoot!" She said the car was a small, roadster, carrying two men. whom she described as medium size, one in a black suit, the other in light clothes, both wearing light caps, and having their faces covered with white handkerchiefs or cloths. Talkington stopped the car, she said, and the bandit car stopped beside it, within two feet or so. The men got out and demanded "that thousand dollars." Talkington told them he had no in money, and as he was ordered to put up his hands he raised his arms, she said. But she thought the bandit took the motion for an offensive one and instantly fired three or four shots, in close succession. HarrelI tried to get a definite idea of the rapidity of fire, and after several questions she finally spaced the shots, a second or two apart but could not say whether there were three or four. She said the Talkington car was partly off the pavement, she thought, not entirely. Questioned repeatedly about the order of events. Mrs. Talkington stuck close to her story. She seemed willing and anxious to tell all she knew, did not try to avoid any questions. Although she was often unable to give a time or distance definitely, she would always, on the attorney's insistence, make an approximation. She was quite cool and self- possessed, often stopping to consider an answer as if anxious to get it just right. In all she made a very good witness, and several were heard to comment, "Either that's a straight story or she is a fine actress." Witness Showed Gun; The attorney exhibited a 22-caliber, long-barreled automatic and asked Mrs. Talkington if that looked like the gun, which she had described as long and black, but could not say whether it was a revolver or not. She looked over the automatic carefully and said it resembled the gun. Asked again if it was au automatic like the one shown. she again refused to commit herself, saying she did not know the difference. The attorney explained the difference, but she said she had not noticed the presence or absence of a cylinder.