Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 1885-1909, 1903-09-17
Shot BY POACHER.
FATHER OF SENATOR SIM
MONS RUTHLESSLY MUIR
DERED.
Indications of Lingering Death:
His Feeble Cries For
Help Unheeded.

Polocksville, N. c., Sept. IA
Hon. F. q. Simmons, father of
United States Senator F. M. Sim
mons and owner and proprietor Of a
large landed estate five miles from
this place, was murdered in a dense
wooded game preserve on his place
Saturday morning. The crime is
one of the most dastardly and brutal
in the history of Jones county. The
scene of the murder is about half
mile from the Simmons homestead,
in thick wood extending down to
the south bank of Trent river. The
body was found Sunday morning
about eight o'clock lying face down
ward and partially on the right side.
The left hand was clasped to his
breast and his forehead was resting
on his right arm. A load of No. 4
shot had entered his left breast.
A negro named Alfred Daniels,
alias Moses Hardin, has been arrest
ed and is in jail at Trenton awaiting
the finding of the coroner's jury,
which is in session this afternoon at
the Simmons home. The officers are
after another negro, Dump King,
who is suspected of completely in the
murder or attempt to conceal the
body. 1t is thought here that King
will be captured in few hours.
Mr.. F. @. Simmons was II years
old last March. Since the death of
his wife, nearly three years ago, he
has lived practically alone on his
fine old seuntry estate, having with
him only hired housekeeper. Liv-
ing on the plantation are number
Of tenants and farm hands. Mr.. Sim
mons was proud of his game reser-
walton, which is said to be one of
the finest in this section of the State.
He kept his land posted and all over
the place he had signs put up giving
notice to that effect. There was one
of these signs painted on a large
board within a few rods of where
the fatal scene was enacted.
Friday morning shooting was
heard in the same body of woods
and Mr.. Simmons went out to inves-
tigate it. He saw the party hurry
ing away as he approached. but he
could not get near enough to tell,
who it was. On Saturday morning
there was more shooting, and Mr..
Simmons again went to investigate.
Some of the tenants heard gun
shot and later heard voice calling,
but paid slight attention to it. They
were not sure that it was a cry of
distress. Mr.. Simmons had intend
ed to come to Pollocksville and sell
some cotton that day, and when he
did not return home to dinner it was
not at once considered cause for
much alarm. Later In the after
noon, however, a searching party
made tour of the woods he had en-
4
tered that morning. No trace of him
was found, and il was sarmised he
had possibly boarded the Trent river
boat for NewbHn.
About forty men instituted an
other search Sunday morning. and
starting near the Quaker bridge,
formed line and started down the
river. About eight O'Clock the body
was found not more than hundred
yards from the river lying near a
cedar tree in the position already de-
scribed.
An examination showed that 1s
No. 4 shot had struck him; most of
them centering about the left breast.
Mr.. Simmons gun was found living
about twenty-five feet from his body
and there was evidence that he had
erawled most of this distance. Some
Of those in the searching party think
e.lived several hours after being
hot The saves on the ground
wore dist I'd in way Indicating
that he had moved to keep in the