Wilson Daily Times, 24 November 1911.
That first sentence is difficult to untangle, but my take-away is that Texas Faison of Wilson was believed to have killed his wife (who lived in Richmond, Virginia, but regularly moved between there and Wilson?) in Richmond.
On 24 April 1903, the Wilson County coroner held an inquest over the body of John Gay, concluding that he had been shot by Morris Tucker.
Lillie Tucker testified that she was lying on the bed when Morris Tucker “picked up the lamp put it on the mantel piece and commenced shooting” after asking Gay if he did not believe he would shoot him. After being hit twice, Gay tried to throw a brick at Tucker, but he was too weak.
Banks Blow testified that John Gay, Louis Stratton, and Turner Thorne were “turning skin,” or gambling at Nellie’s when he arrived. John White, Morris Tucker, and Lillie Tucker were also present. Morris interrupted the game by taking the cards, and Gay protested. Dennis Brooks entered as Blow began to leave. Morris picked up the lamp, pulled out a gun, and threatened to kill Gay. Banks went out into the bar room to tend to the pool table. Ten minutes later, he heard a gunshot. Morris came into the barroom with a gun, which James Branch took from him. Morris said he had shot Gay, who had been bothering him for six months. He then left.
Nellie Lee testified that the incident happened at her house. She entered at the back door and witnessed Morris shoot at Gay six times. Everyone ran out of the room. “Sunday before last,” Lee and Lillie Tucker had seen Morris Tucker and John Gay gambling in the woods and heard Morris threaten, “I’m going to kill you if you don’t stop snatching my money.”
Lillie Tucker further testified that she had warned Nellie Lee not to allow the “boys” to gamble. After Morris won a hand, John Gay picked up the cards and said “This deck was stripped.” Morris replied that if they did not use that deck, “there would not be another damned card played that night.”
James Branch testified that he saw Morris Tucker at Dennis Brooks’ barroom about an hour and a half before the shooting and then immediately after. He had taken the gun from from Tucker, who picked up some pool balls and left, crossing the railroad. Louis Stratton later came in to retrieve the gun.
Dennis Brooks testified that Paul Dixon tried to pawn Morris Tucker’s watch. Brooks went to Nellie Lee’s house to find out if Tucker had sent him the watch. He found Tucker and Gay in a bedroom arguing over cards. Brooks told them to stop the foolishness.
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Coroner’s Records, Miscellaneous Records, Wilson County Records, North Carolina State Archives.
Inquisition over body of Tom Barnes
North Carolina, Wilson County}
The examination of Hilliard Hill, Frank Lipscomb, Bill Barnes and Geo. Barnes taken before the under-signed, Coroner of said county, this the 23rd day of Nov., 1910, in the Grand Jury room, after having viewed the body, upon the body of Tom Barnes, to-wit:
Hilliard Hill, being duly sworn, says: The trouble started at a corn shucking at Jno. Webbs. All had been drinking pretty heavy. I was about drunk. I was talking to Mr. Geo. Barnes and Jim Donnelly was standing around. Tom Barnes walked up and said “What in the hell are you all talking about?” Some one pushed him off and told him to go on. In a few minutes we heard a fuss about forty yards away like some one fussing about to fight. We went to where the fuss was and found Tom Barnes lying down and Jim Donnelly standing over him trying to stamp him, but we stopped him. Tom and Jim went on off, and Tom was cursing. We went back towards house and pretty soon heard pistol fire, and we went where they were and Jim said “Dam it. I had to kill him” or “Dam it, I am about to kill him.” Jim went back towards Mr. Webb’s house. He Tom died in a few moments after he was shot. Tom and Jim were at the corn shucking when I got there. I don’t know whether they had been fussing previously or not. After Tom was shout I saw a pistol in Jim’s hand. Did not see a knife nor pistol before shooting. Jim and Tom were both drinking. Nov. 23rd, 1910 /s/ Hilliard Hill
Frank Lipscomb, being duly sworn says: Tom Barnes and Jim Donnelly got into a dispute about “holloaing” at the corn shucking. Pretty soon we saw some one fighting. We went down there and Tom was down on his face and Jim was trying to get to him again. Jim had a pistol in his hand. I tried to get it away from him, but didn’t get it. I, Bill, Tom Barnes and Hilliard Hill went towards road and Jim was walking along by the side of Tom with pistol by the side of his (Tom’s) head. Jim was cursing Tom. When we got to the road Jim said to Tom “I am a great a mind to kill you any how.” Tom said “If you kill me you will have to do it.” Then Jim said “Don’t you say much to me, if you do I will kill you any how.” Then he stuck the pistol to the side of his Tom Barnes head and shot him. Tom was standing in the road before he was shot with his hands to his side, was not trying to him or cut him. Didn’t see a knife nor pistol in Tom’s hand. Jim Donnelly killed Tom Barnes — I saw him. After Tom fell I started towards Mr. Webb’s and Jim said to me “Don’t you go another but further that way” (and he drew him pistol on me) “if you do I will kill you.” Nov. 23rd, 1910 Frank (X) Lipscomb
Bill Barnes, being duly sworn, says: Tom Barnes is my son. I was on Mr. Webbs portch giving out the “holloa.” Saw two men run down towards stable, and I ran out that way too. Just as I ran out the side gate heard a pistol fire back of stables. When I got down there Tom was down and Jim was trying to stamp him, but didn’t do it — Hilliard Hill pulled him off. Jim had a pistol in his hand and told me not to come on him, waving his pistol towards me. Tom was not shot then. I, Hilliard, Frank, Tom, and Jim started towards road, but I didn’t go to the road. I was about 100 yds. away and heard a pistol shot and saw the light. I went to Tom and he died in about ten minutes. I saw Him going towards Mr. Webbs with his pistol in his hand, and wouldn’t let Hilliard Hill go up to him. Never heard of any fuss between them before. All were pretty full. Nov. 23rd, 1910 /s/ Bill Barnes
Geo. B. Barnes, being duly sworn says: When the “holloaing” was going on Jim Donnelly came to me on the porch and said “I have got to kill Tom to-night.” I tried to get him not to do it, but he said “I am bound to do it.” Didn’t say why he was going to kill him. Pretty soon I heard a pistol fire. For about fifteen minutes heard a second shot and saw light. Nov. 23rd, 1910 /s/ George Barnes
Verdict
We the undersigned Coroner’s jury, find that the deceased, Tom Barnes, came to his death from a pistol wound, said pistol being in the hand of Jim Donnelly, and that the act was premeditated and willful. /s/ J.D. Williams, R.B. Evans, [illegible], W.L. Lucas, J.F. Batts, D.T. Turner, Jurors
Henry B. Best, M.D., Coroner of Wilson Co., Nov. 23rd, 1910.
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In the 1880 census of Lower Town Creek township, Edgecombe County, N.C.: farmer Sol Hill, 28; wife Hannah, 24; and sons Hilliard, 6, and William, 2.
On 13 December 1892, Hilliard Hill, 21, of Wilson, son of Solomon Hill and Hannah Hill, married Ada Howell, 16, of Wilson, daughter of Caroline Hall, at the bride’s home in Wilson township. H.S. Edwards applied for the license, and the ceremony took place in the presence of M.L. Phillips, Charlie Neal, and Bettie Sanders.
In the 1900 census of Wilson township, Wilson County: teamster Hilliard Hill, 24; wife Ada, 18; and daughter Hanah, 1.
In the 1910 census of Wilson township, Wilson County: planing mill laborer Hilliard Hill, 35; wife Ada, 29; and children Hannah, 11, John, 7, Mildred, 3, and Edwin, 1.
In the 1870 census of Taylors township, Wilson County: carpenter Stephen Lipscomb, 49; wife Mariah, 29; and children Anna, 13, Tilitha, 12, Betha, 12, Frank, 10, Archibald, 8, Penny, 6, and Daniel, 1 month.
In the 1900 census of Wilson township, Wilson County: farmer Frank Lipscomb, 42; wife Roda, 43; and children John, 18, Lizza, 17, Jona, 14, Mariah, 9, and Sarah, 5.
In the 1910 census of Wilson township, Wilson County: farm laborer Frank Lipscomb, 53; wife Rhoda, 54, laundress; daughter Maria, 20; and grandsons James, 3, and Willie Lipscomb, 3 months, and Rosavell Barnes, 7.
On 10 May 1913, Frank Lipscomb, 55, married Sue Cooper, 28, in Wilson township, Wilson County.
Frank Lipscomb died 5 October 1941 at Mercy Hospital, Wilson. Per his death certificate, he was 80 years old; resided at Wilson County Home; was a widower; was a farmer; and was born in Wilson County to Stephen and Mariah Lipscomb. Johnnie Coley was informant.
Coroner’s Inquests (1910), Miscellaneous Records, Wilson County Records, North Carolina State Archives.
Wilson Daily Times, 16 March 1935.
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In the 1910 census of Wilson township, Wilson County: farmer H. Gray Ruffin, 28; wife Maria, 35; and children Hubbard, 13, William, 12, Delphia, 11, Lizzie, 9, Mary, 8, Pattie, 7, Franklin, 6, London, 4, and Bessie, [illegible] months.
In the 1920 census of Gardners township, Wilson County: on Wilson Road, farmer Gray Ruffin, age unknown; wife Maria, 45; and children G. Herbert, 22, H. William, 21, Delpha, 20, Lizzie, 18, Mary, 16, Pattie, 15, B. Frank, 14, London, 13, Bessie, 11, Dora, 10, and W. George, 9.
In the 1930 census of Toisnot township, Wilson County: Gray Ruffin, 58, widower, and children Elizabeth, 29, Pattie, 26, London, 23, Bessie, 20, Dora, 19, and George, 18.
In 1940, London Ruffin registered for the World War II draft in Wilson County. Per his registration card, he was born 22 February 1910 in Wilson County; lived on Route 4, Wilson; his contact was father Gray Ruffin; and he worked for N.W. Webb.
In the 1920 census of Gardners township, Wilson County: farmer Sam Artis, 56; wife Mary, 45; and children Mary Sims, 23, and Bessie, 18, William, 17, Harriet and Lonnie, 15, Clara, 12, James, 10, Sudie, 8, and Minnie, 5.
In the 1930 census of Gardners township, Wilson County: farmer Sam Artis, 66; wife Mary, 55; children William, 25, James, 22, Sudie, 17, and Sammie, 9,
On 31 January 1931, Willie James Tune, 21, of Wilson, son of John and Mary Tune, married Sudie Artis, 19, daughter of Sam and Mary Artis, in Wilson. Baptist minister F.F. Battle performed the ceremony in the presence of Laura McPhail, Mary L. Hines, and Winnie Mercer.
London Ruffin and Susie Artis’ son Wallace Artis was born 30 June 1932.
Sudie M. Tune died 8 December 1934 at Mercy Hospital, Wilson. Per her death certificate, she was 20 years; was born in Wilson County to Samuel and Mary Artis; was married to Flenawl Tune; was engaged in farming; and was buried in Wilson [probably in Vick Cemetery.]
Durham Sun, 1 March 1933.
Robert Jones was finally arrested in Raleigh in early October. Within days, he was on trial, but facing a reduced charge of manslaughter. Jones had recanted a confession that he had shot Wilson native Mildred Powell in “a Hayti rooming house” over a liquor dispute. His defense then claimed he and Virginia White had been tussling over a gun that accidentally discharged and fatally struck Powell. While Jones was on the lam, White died of tuberculosis and the investigating detective was murdered, severely cramping the state’s case against Jones. Nonetheless, he was convicted and sentenced to 30 years in prison.
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Mildred Powell died 28 February 1933 in Durham, Durham County, North Carolina. Per her death certificate, she was 26 years old; was born in Wilson County to John Powell and Sarah Hagan; lived at 518 Elm Street; worked in a factory; and died of “gun shot wound (pistol) of chest; homicide.” Virginia White was informant, and Powell’s body was returned to Wilson for burial.
Pittsburgh Courier, 8 February 1941.
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Perhaps, in the 1940 census of Rocky Mount township, Edgecombe County, North Carolina: Herbert Bynum, 26, bottling company laborer, in the household of Mary Battle.
In 1940, Herbert Bynum registered for the World War II draft in Elm City, Wilson County. Per his registration card, he was born 7 June 1913 in Wilson County; lived in Sharpsburg, Wilson County; his contact was friend Claude Albritton; and he was unemployed.
On 1 September 1940, Herbert Bynum, 27, of Edgecombe County, son of Joe and Emma Bynum, married Mary Lee Ellis, 17, of Wilson County, daughter of Robert and Ida Ellis, at Herbert Bynum’s home in Number 14 township, Edgecombe County. Missionary Baptist minister J.W. Fuller performed the ceremony in the presence of Dempsey Batts and Sam Wright of Sharpsburg and Robert Ellis of Elm City.
Herbert Bynum died 9 February 1962 in Chapel Hill, Orange County, North Carolina. Per his death certificate, he was born 6 June 1913 to Joe Bynum and Mary McMillon; his usual residence was Sharpsburg, Nash County; he had never been married [sic]; and he was buried in Poplar Springs Cemetery, Sharpsburg.
[Note: a different Herbert Bynum, born about 1910, is found in Orange County records. He died in 1980.]
In the 1910 census of Toisnot township, Wilson County: Edmond Farmer, 49; wife Elvia, 26; and children Tena, 16, Minnie, 14, Della, 12, Luke, 11, James, 8, Adam, 6, Lowd, 4, and Isabella, 3 months.
In the 1920 census of Toisnot township, Wilson County: Ed Farmer, 57; wife Elva, 38; and children Lossie, 20, Minnie, 19, Mary Della, 18, Luke, 17, Adam, 15, Lode, 14, Isabla, 12, Lizzie, 10, Thad, 8, Ed B., 5, Annie, 3, and Ed Jr., 8 months.
In the 1940 census of Toisnot township, Wilson County: farm laborer Adam Farmer, 33; wife Dorothy, 24; children Vanzella, 2, and Frank Alton, 9 months; and mother-in-law Etta Ruffins, 70, widow.
In 1940, Adam Farmer registered for the World War II draft in Wilson County. Per his registration card, he was born 15 May 1916 in Edgecombe County, N.C.; lived at Route 2, Elm City; his contact was mother Elva Campbell Farmer, Scotland Neck, Halifax County, N.C.; and he worked for Raleigh Granite Company, Sims, N.C.
Adam Farmer died 27 January 1941 in Toisnot township, Wilson County, of “gunshot wound of chest.” Per his death certificate, he was born 13 May 1905 in Wilson County to Ed Farmer and Elvie Campbell; was married to Dicey Ward Farmer; resided in Sharpsburg, Wilson County; worked as a laborer; and was buried in Williams Cemetery. Load Farmer was informant.
News & Observer, 17 August 1948.
James Alston died 14 August 1948 in Oldfields township, Wilson County. Per his death certificate, he was born 14 September 1928 in Wilson County to Herman Alston of Nash County and Mildred Jones of Wilson County; worked in farming; and died of homicide, specifically, “left thoracic pulmonary hemorrhage due to blast from shotgun shell to the left chest and arm.”
Deans claimed he shot into the dark without seeing his victim. He was convicted of manslaughter less than a month later and sentenced to four to six years in prison.
Wilson Daily Times, 29 March 1948.
Within two weeks, the renowned Pittsburgh Courier picked up the story, and news of Otis Newsome‘s murder went national.
The Pittsburgh Courier, 10 April 1948.
The Kansas City Plain Dealer ran the story on April 16 — lifted verbatim from the Courier, but without attribution.
The Plain Dealer (Kansas City, Kans.), 16 April 1948.
On 10 May 1948, a jury deliberated two hours before acquitting Ulric C. Strickland of Newsome’s murder.
Otis Newsome’s case was one of three Wilson County homicides recently explored by Northeastern University’s Civil Rights and Restorative Justice Project.
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In the 1930 census of Saratoga township, Wilson County: farmer James J. Newsome, 36; wife Dolly, 26; and children William, 16, Ed L., 14, Odis, 8, and Dan, 5; and lodger Ben Clifton, 26.
Odies Newsome registered for the World War II draft in Wilson County. Per his registration card, he was born 22 February 1921 in Greene County, N.C.; lived at 110 South Reid Street, Wilson; his contact was James Newsome; and he was unemployed.
Otis Newsome died 27 March 1948 at Mercy Hospital, Wilson. Per his death certificate, he was born 22 February 1921 in Greene County, N.C., to James Newsome and Dollie Ward; was married to Cleo Newsome; and was buried in Community Cemetery [Saint Delight Cemetery], Greene County. His cause of death: “Intra abdominal hemorrhage (aortic) damage resulting in death due to 38 cal. special revolver shot wound of right abdomen causing of severance of abdominal aorta.”
Howard Fitts applied for a military headstone for Newsome. The application contains an erroneous death date for Newsome, which was carved into his grave marker.
Wilson Daily Times, 7 March 1950.
Wilson Daily Times, 9 March 1950.
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In the 1910 census of Wilson township, Wilson County: street laborer George Bryant, 42; wife Jane, 32; and children George, 14, Walter, 11, Floyd, 7, Luther, 4, Rosa Vell, 2, and Nathaniel, 3 months.
In the 1920 census of Black Creek township, Wilson County: farmer George Briant, 52; wife Jane, 42; and children Floyd, 17, Luther, 15, Sister, 11, Nathaniel, 9, and Willie, 6.
In the 1930 census of Jackson township, Nash County, N.C.: farmer George Bryant, 61; wife Jane, 51; and children Luther, 24, Nathaniel, 18, and Eugene, 8.
In the 1940 census of Glisson township, Duplin County, N.C.: farm laborer Nathan Bryant, 30, and wife Eula Mae, 25.
Nathaniel Bryant registered for the World War II draft in Duplin County, N.C., in 1940. Per his registration card, he was born 4 February 1910 in Wilson County; his contact was wife Eula Mae Bryant, Mount Olive, Duplin County, N.C.; and he worked for farmer Lizzie Herring.
Eula Mae Bryant died 3 March 1950 at her home at 1002 Wainwright Avenue, Wilson. Per her death certificate, she was born 3 December 1913 in Duplin County, N.C., to Rose(?) Everett and Virginia Branch; was married; and worked in farming. The cause of her death: “hemorrhage (massive) due to 5 1/2 inch knife wound to lower left abdomen.”
Nathaniel Bryant died 7 March 1950 in Wilson. Per his death certificate, he was born 7 February 1910 in Wilson to George Bryant and Janie Lucas; was a widower; lived at 1002 Wainwright Avenue; worked as a laborer for the City of Wilson; and was buried in Granite Point Cemetery.
Wilson Daily Times, 25 February 1949.
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