The Dawson journal., 1883-04-05

listening with the greatest interest
to blood curdling story which was
being told by prominent citizen of
Worth county. The man with the
story paused ~ the reporter entered,
nodded recognition aud proceeded:
"When they killel the old man
and mutilated his body the boy beg
ged piteously for his lie One of
the men said No, when you kill a
louse YOU should xiii the nits too,'
and the boy went along with his
father. The trials are now going
on
"Hold on, said the scrib e, 81 don't
exactly catch the drift of the story,
begin at the beginning and let us
have it all.
"That is Just exactly where / was
beginding,' returned the South
Georgian. He reached for piece of
Col. Bob Hardeman's tobacco and
continued.
SIN 1861, George Kerce, a reputed
bal man, was living in Worth county,
having removed from South Carroll
ma, where it was said he was bad
man. He was often indicted, accused
OF cattle stealing aud other crime.
About the time mentioned, when
only one company Of Captain Wm.
A. IIarriss ha left the county for
Virginia, al ], by the by, Captain
Harris had every son old enough Of
the Old man Kerce, With him--to wit,
five; the oil man was accused of
stealing all the leather fiom a tanvat
belonging to persons in his ueighhor-
hood. A warrant was issued for
hun, aud he either refused to be ar
rested or they apprehended it. The
sheriff, Mr. Lewis G. Simmons, sum
moned posse, and he then gave up
and appeared on the court ground F.;
his little son John, some 13 years
old, with bin, each riding a fine
mule. The trial justice, Mr., H D.
Tabor, being sick sent word that the
prisoner must be brought to his
house, some four or Eve miles off.
The sheriff and posse, with the
prisoner, started, little John sticking
to his father and going along. AZ
ter going short distance, the posse
turned from the broad and near road
to the left hand in the direction of
large creek called Big Abram. The
old man, no,doub suspicious of foul
play, made break TO get away. He
was caught. Then it was that one
and another of the posse put in ex-
cuseS to go back several were ex-
cused and several refused to be ex-
cused. Mr.. Jarman Wade was one
who begged TO be let off and was
refused. He turned states evidence
and related the tragedy in all its
horrors to Hon. VIM. E. Smith, one
OF the prosecuting attorney. He was
killed for at that night. When the
posse got into the swamp of the
creek near large and deep lake
they killed George and Jchn Kerce,
and from the evidence, mutilated the
old man and boy horribly. Strings
were tied around their clothes and
then filed with sand, pebbles, etc,
and the bodies sunk in the lake. In
the course of months the strings
rotted and the sand passed out and
they 1oated to the top of the water
OF the lake. A gentleman hunting
discovered them, and being friend
to the posse who were accused and
who Wade had informed on, the
gentleman told them of their float
ing, where upon two of the posse
hired two negroes and at night, ky
torch hight, they got poles and got
the bodies out and buried them close
by Vt. 1t got reported about in the
country and Mrs. Kerce, with Judge
Stroller, one Of her attorneys, went
to the army in Virginia. Col. Harris
regiment then belonged to A. P.
Hills light corps She sought for a
fnriong for for her son Albert Gen
eral Hill, on hearing her story grant
ed a long furlough to him, and he on
arriving nome soon in his searches
found the graves of his father and
brother. An inquest was summon
e'L the bodies taken from the grave
ana washed, were easily recognized
oy every one present. The lime
water OF the lake had preserved them
wonderfully, only where the throat
nad been cut was there some decay.
All the parties were arrested that
could be found aud placed in Albany
jan They employed General Ed
warren. Judge Sam Hill, Judge d.
a. Vason and Col. VIM. A. Harris.
"A motion was made before Judge
hlchard II. Clark for bail, which was
refused, As soon as court met in
March and the State announed ready.
0e defendants announced ready.
ana after exhaustirg the county, two
impartial jurors were obtained.
counsel not agreeing on the county
10 De removed to. the Judge by order
removed 1t to Dooly county. After
a long time of putting it off, by agree
menl of prosecutrix, an order wa,
granted by presiding Judge allowing
1t settled and mol pros entered by
solicitor general Another Judge
came on the bench, paid no attention
TO the order of settlement anc
rennstated it, and fourof the parties
We're rearrested and put under bond
10 answer. The remainder having
dled or been killed i'm tha vor anc