The Kansas City Times
Kansas City, Jackson, MO
05 Nov 1949
ARGUMENT OVER RESTAURANT BILL PRECEDES DEATH
Police hold cook for investigation in the slaying of Frank D. Cameron, uncle of slow-paying customer
A man was killed about 9 o'clock last night in an argument over a restaurant bill.
The victim was an uncle of a credit customer with whom the proprietor had been arguing first. Held for investigation was the proprietor's brother, a tree-trimmer who was acting night cook.
The shooting of Frank Cameron, 35, occurred in front of the restaurant at 625 E. Twelfth street, less than one and one-half blocks from police headquarters. The proprietor's brother, Ervin Meek, 23, of 1214 Cherry street, was being questioned early today by detectives and Henry H. Fox, jr., prosecutor.
MAKES AN ORAL STATEMENT
Cameron's nephew, Eugene J. McCarty, 23, of 612 1/2 East Twelfth, made an oral statement accusing Ervin Meek of the slaying. He and Ervin Meek's brother, Elmer Meek, the proprietor, were the original participants of the argument, he told the prosecutor.
McCarty owed a $33 bill, he said, and had sent his wife, Mrs. Loretta McCarty, to pay $5 on account.
Mrs. McCarty returned home and told him that Elmer Meek, dissatisfied at the small payment, had slapped her. He related that he went to the restaurant and told Elmer Meek to slap him if he wanted to slap someone.
McCarty said Elmer Meek left the restaurant with a blackjack and that Cameron arrived and took part in the argument. The uncle had eaten at the place and had left his unloaded pistol there, he said.
OBTAINED A PISTOL
Cameron went into the restaurant, obtained the pistol and returned to the sidewalk, McCarty continued. The weapon was in his belt and at no time did his uncle hold it in his hand, McCarty added.
"Ervin apparently came out the backdoor and walked through a vacant lot in front of the place," McCarty said. "He pointed a pistol at my uncle and said, 'If you don't move away from here I'll pull the trigger.'"
There was a brief exchange of words and then the shot, McCarty said.
Mrs. McCarty said Cameron, whose home was in the Eastgate hotel, 522 East Eleventh street, was in the McCarty apartment when she told her husband of having been insulted and slapped. He intended to see that the fight between McCarty and Elmer Meek was a fair one and intervened only when Elmer Meek produced the blackjack, she said.
WATCHED AS HE ATE
There were only a few persons in the restaurant. A customer, Earl M. Nelson, 56, of 1319 Holmes street, gave this account of how the dispute grew as he ate a hamburger and bowl of soup:
Mrs. McCarty and Elmer Meek argued over the bill and he slapped her. McCarty arrived and he and Elmer Meek fought in the street until Elmer obtained the blackjack. Cameron appeared, separated them and then asked Elmer for the pistol, which was in a rear room where the Elmer Meeks' live. He took the pistol, went out front and talked with McCarty.
"Elmer told Ervin to go out the back door," Nelson said. Ervin picked up a small revolver from beneath the counter and went out back. A few minutes later Ervin Meek came back in the front and I asked him:
"'Did you shoot him?'"
"'Yeah, Ervin said.'"
STATEMENT FROM GIRL, 10
A signed statement was made also by Elmer Meek's stepdaughter, Donna Jeannette Hensley, 10, a fourth-grade pupil at the Cathedral Catholic school. Her mother, who usually is night cook, was visiting in Bethany, Mo., and Ervin Meek was substituting.
"Ervin said 'I'm going to kill him,' she said, "and my stepfather showed Ervin where he kept the gun under the counter near the cash register. Ervin took the gun and went out the back door."
Police said the weapon which killed Cameron was a .32-caliber dueling pistol. The Cameron pistol was unloaded when McCarty gave it to police.
McCarty and his uncle have been working as bricklayers at the state hospital at St. Joseph, driving to and from work. Cameron is survived by his father, Charles Cameron, of Joplin, Mo., and by two daughters. He and his wife were divorced. The body was taken to the Lapetina funeral home.
Elmer Meek also was held for questioning.
Kansas City, Jackson, MO
05 Nov 1949
ARGUMENT OVER RESTAURANT BILL PRECEDES DEATH
Police hold cook for investigation in the slaying of Frank D. Cameron, uncle of slow-paying customer
A man was killed about 9 o'clock last night in an argument over a restaurant bill.
The victim was an uncle of a credit customer with whom the proprietor had been arguing first. Held for investigation was the proprietor's brother, a tree-trimmer who was acting night cook.
The shooting of Frank Cameron, 35, occurred in front of the restaurant at 625 E. Twelfth street, less than one and one-half blocks from police headquarters. The proprietor's brother, Ervin Meek, 23, of 1214 Cherry street, was being questioned early today by detectives and Henry H. Fox, jr., prosecutor.
MAKES AN ORAL STATEMENT
Cameron's nephew, Eugene J. McCarty, 23, of 612 1/2 East Twelfth, made an oral statement accusing Ervin Meek of the slaying. He and Ervin Meek's brother, Elmer Meek, the proprietor, were the original participants of the argument, he told the prosecutor.
McCarty owed a $33 bill, he said, and had sent his wife, Mrs. Loretta McCarty, to pay $5 on account.
Mrs. McCarty returned home and told him that Elmer Meek, dissatisfied at the small payment, had slapped her. He related that he went to the restaurant and told Elmer Meek to slap him if he wanted to slap someone.
McCarty said Elmer Meek left the restaurant with a blackjack and that Cameron arrived and took part in the argument. The uncle had eaten at the place and had left his unloaded pistol there, he said.
OBTAINED A PISTOL
Cameron went into the restaurant, obtained the pistol and returned to the sidewalk, McCarty continued. The weapon was in his belt and at no time did his uncle hold it in his hand, McCarty added.
"Ervin apparently came out the backdoor and walked through a vacant lot in front of the place," McCarty said. "He pointed a pistol at my uncle and said, 'If you don't move away from here I'll pull the trigger.'"
There was a brief exchange of words and then the shot, McCarty said.
Mrs. McCarty said Cameron, whose home was in the Eastgate hotel, 522 East Eleventh street, was in the McCarty apartment when she told her husband of having been insulted and slapped. He intended to see that the fight between McCarty and Elmer Meek was a fair one and intervened only when Elmer Meek produced the blackjack, she said.
WATCHED AS HE ATE
There were only a few persons in the restaurant. A customer, Earl M. Nelson, 56, of 1319 Holmes street, gave this account of how the dispute grew as he ate a hamburger and bowl of soup:
Mrs. McCarty and Elmer Meek argued over the bill and he slapped her. McCarty arrived and he and Elmer Meek fought in the street until Elmer obtained the blackjack. Cameron appeared, separated them and then asked Elmer for the pistol, which was in a rear room where the Elmer Meeks' live. He took the pistol, went out front and talked with McCarty.
"Elmer told Ervin to go out the back door," Nelson said. Ervin picked up a small revolver from beneath the counter and went out back. A few minutes later Ervin Meek came back in the front and I asked him:
"'Did you shoot him?'"
"'Yeah, Ervin said.'"
STATEMENT FROM GIRL, 10
A signed statement was made also by Elmer Meek's stepdaughter, Donna Jeannette Hensley, 10, a fourth-grade pupil at the Cathedral Catholic school. Her mother, who usually is night cook, was visiting in Bethany, Mo., and Ervin Meek was substituting.
"Ervin said 'I'm going to kill him,' she said, "and my stepfather showed Ervin where he kept the gun under the counter near the cash register. Ervin took the gun and went out the back door."
Police said the weapon which killed Cameron was a .32-caliber dueling pistol. The Cameron pistol was unloaded when McCarty gave it to police.
McCarty and his uncle have been working as bricklayers at the state hospital at St. Joseph, driving to and from work. Cameron is survived by his father, Charles Cameron, of Joplin, Mo., and by two daughters. He and his wife were divorced. The body was taken to the Lapetina funeral home.
Elmer Meek also was held for questioning.
The Kansas City Times
Kansas City, Jackson, MO
05 Nov 1949
ARGUMENT OVER RESTAURANT BILL PRECEDES DEATH
Police hold cook for investigation in the slaying of Frank D. Cameron, uncle of slow-paying customer
A man was killed about 9 o'clock last night in an argument over a restaurant bill.
The victim was an uncle of a credit customer with whom the proprietor had been arguing first. Held for investigation was the proprietor's brother, a tree-trimmer who was acting night cook.
The shooting of Frank Cameron, 35, occurred in front of the restaurant at 625 E. Twelfth street, less than one and one-half blocks from police headquarters. The proprietor's brother, Ervin Meek, 23, of 1214 Cherry street, was being questioned early today by detectives and Henry H. Fox, jr., prosecutor.
MAKES AN ORAL STATEMENT
Cameron's nephew, Eugene J. McCarty, 23, of 612 1/2 East Twelfth, made an oral statement accusing Ervin Meek of the slaying. He and Ervin Meek's brother, Elmer Meek, the proprietor, were the original participants of the argument, he told the prosecutor.
McCarty owed a $33 bill, he said, and had sent his wife, Mrs. Loretta McCarty, to pay $5 on account.
Mrs. McCarty returned home and told him that Elmer Meek, dissatisfied at the small payment, had slapped her. He related that he went to the restaurant and told Elmer Meek to slap him if he wanted to slap someone.
McCarty said Elmer Meek left the restaurant with a blackjack and that Cameron arrived and took part in the argument. The uncle had eaten at the place and had left his unloaded pistol there, he said.
OBTAINED A PISTOL
Cameron went into the restaurant, obtained the pistol and returned to the sidewalk, McCarty continued. The weapon was in his belt and at no time did his uncle hold it in his hand, McCarty added.
"Ervin apparently came out the backdoor and walked through a vacant lot in front of the place," McCarty said. "He pointed a pistol at my uncle and said, 'If you don't move away from here I'll pull the trigger.'"
There was a brief exchange of words and then the shot, McCarty said.
Mrs. McCarty said Cameron, whose home was in the Eastgate hotel, 522 East Eleventh street, was in the McCarty apartment when she told her husband of having been insulted and slapped. He intended to see that the fight between McCarty and Elmer Meek was a fair one and intervened only when Elmer Meek produced the blackjack, she said.
WATCHED AS HE ATE
There were only a few persons in the restaurant. A customer, Earl M. Nelson, 56, of 1319 Holmes street, gave this account of how the dispute grew as he ate a hamburger and bowl of soup:
Mrs. McCarty and Elmer Meek argued over the bill and he slapped her. McCarty arrived and he and Elmer Meek fought in the street until Elmer obtained the blackjack. Cameron appeared, separated them and then asked Elmer for the pistol, which was in a rear room where the Elmer Meeks' live. He took the pistol, went out front and talked with McCarty.
"Elmer told Ervin to go out the back door," Nelson said. Ervin picked up a small revolver from beneath the counter and went out back. A few minutes later Ervin Meek came back in the front and I asked him:
"'Did you shoot him?'"
"'Yeah, Ervin said.'"
STATEMENT FROM GIRL, 10
A signed statement was made also by Elmer Meek's stepdaughter, Donna Jeannette Hensley, 10, a fourth-grade pupil at the Cathedral Catholic school. Her mother, who usually is night cook, was visiting in Bethany, Mo., and Ervin Meek was substituting.
"Ervin said 'I'm going to kill him,' she said, "and my stepfather showed Ervin where he kept the gun under the counter near the cash register. Ervin took the gun and went out the back door."
Police said the weapon which killed Cameron was a .32-caliber dueling pistol. The Cameron pistol was unloaded when McCarty gave it to police.
McCarty and his uncle have been working as bricklayers at the state hospital at St. Joseph, driving to and from work. Cameron is survived by his father, Charles Cameron, of Joplin, Mo., and by two daughters. He and his wife were divorced. The body was taken to the Lapetina funeral home.
Elmer Meek also was held for questioning.
Kansas City, Jackson, MO
05 Nov 1949
ARGUMENT OVER RESTAURANT BILL PRECEDES DEATH
Police hold cook for investigation in the slaying of Frank D. Cameron, uncle of slow-paying customer
A man was killed about 9 o'clock last night in an argument over a restaurant bill.
The victim was an uncle of a credit customer with whom the proprietor had been arguing first. Held for investigation was the proprietor's brother, a tree-trimmer who was acting night cook.
The shooting of Frank Cameron, 35, occurred in front of the restaurant at 625 E. Twelfth street, less than one and one-half blocks from police headquarters. The proprietor's brother, Ervin Meek, 23, of 1214 Cherry street, was being questioned early today by detectives and Henry H. Fox, jr., prosecutor.
MAKES AN ORAL STATEMENT
Cameron's nephew, Eugene J. McCarty, 23, of 612 1/2 East Twelfth, made an oral statement accusing Ervin Meek of the slaying. He and Ervin Meek's brother, Elmer Meek, the proprietor, were the original participants of the argument, he told the prosecutor.
McCarty owed a $33 bill, he said, and had sent his wife, Mrs. Loretta McCarty, to pay $5 on account.
Mrs. McCarty returned home and told him that Elmer Meek, dissatisfied at the small payment, had slapped her. He related that he went to the restaurant and told Elmer Meek to slap him if he wanted to slap someone.
McCarty said Elmer Meek left the restaurant with a blackjack and that Cameron arrived and took part in the argument. The uncle had eaten at the place and had left his unloaded pistol there, he said.
OBTAINED A PISTOL
Cameron went into the restaurant, obtained the pistol and returned to the sidewalk, McCarty continued. The weapon was in his belt and at no time did his uncle hold it in his hand, McCarty added.
"Ervin apparently came out the backdoor and walked through a vacant lot in front of the place," McCarty said. "He pointed a pistol at my uncle and said, 'If you don't move away from here I'll pull the trigger.'"
There was a brief exchange of words and then the shot, McCarty said.
Mrs. McCarty said Cameron, whose home was in the Eastgate hotel, 522 East Eleventh street, was in the McCarty apartment when she told her husband of having been insulted and slapped. He intended to see that the fight between McCarty and Elmer Meek was a fair one and intervened only when Elmer Meek produced the blackjack, she said.
WATCHED AS HE ATE
There were only a few persons in the restaurant. A customer, Earl M. Nelson, 56, of 1319 Holmes street, gave this account of how the dispute grew as he ate a hamburger and bowl of soup:
Mrs. McCarty and Elmer Meek argued over the bill and he slapped her. McCarty arrived and he and Elmer Meek fought in the street until Elmer obtained the blackjack. Cameron appeared, separated them and then asked Elmer for the pistol, which was in a rear room where the Elmer Meeks' live. He took the pistol, went out front and talked with McCarty.
"Elmer told Ervin to go out the back door," Nelson said. Ervin picked up a small revolver from beneath the counter and went out back. A few minutes later Ervin Meek came back in the front and I asked him:
"'Did you shoot him?'"
"'Yeah, Ervin said.'"
STATEMENT FROM GIRL, 10
A signed statement was made also by Elmer Meek's stepdaughter, Donna Jeannette Hensley, 10, a fourth-grade pupil at the Cathedral Catholic school. Her mother, who usually is night cook, was visiting in Bethany, Mo., and Ervin Meek was substituting.
"Ervin said 'I'm going to kill him,' she said, "and my stepfather showed Ervin where he kept the gun under the counter near the cash register. Ervin took the gun and went out the back door."
Police said the weapon which killed Cameron was a .32-caliber dueling pistol. The Cameron pistol was unloaded when McCarty gave it to police.
McCarty and his uncle have been working as bricklayers at the state hospital at St. Joseph, driving to and from work. Cameron is survived by his father, Charles Cameron, of Joplin, Mo., and by two daughters. He and his wife were divorced. The body was taken to the Lapetina funeral home.
Elmer Meek also was held for questioning.
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