The Savannah morning news., 1903-06-04
THE WILSON TRAGEDY
IN MONTGOMERY COUNTY.
Details of How the Two Men Met
Their Death.

Their Death.
Mount Vernon, Ca, June 3.-There
are no new developments in the Will
son tragedy. The verdict of the cor
oners jury was, that the Wilson's came
to their death by gunshot wounds in
the hands of unknown parties.
The killing took place in the lower
edge of this county. and the facts of
the trouble are about as follows, from
the best information that can be had:
Silas Wilson moved on John Dees'
place from Tattna1l county, during the
first part of this year, for the purpose
of making a crop. After few months
the two had some words because Will
son was accused by Dees of cruelty
treating one of his mules, and a war
rant was sworn out for Wilson's ar
rest, and placed in the sheriffs hands,
who at once arrested him and put him
in Jail. In a short while Wilson gave
bond and was released.
In the meantime DeeS had a diSpos-
sessory warrant issued to evict Wilson
from his premises. This warrant was
also executed, and Wilson's household
effects were put out of the house. DeeS
started some hands to working the
farm previously cultivated by Wilson,
and he objected to this, telling the
hands that if he couldn't work the crop
that no one else should be allowed to
do it. Dees and his son started to do
the work themselves. when Wilson in
terposed the same objection. A row
at once followed, when the two Dees
and Wilson exchanged some shots at
long range, none of the parties being
hurt.
Again warrants were sworn out by
each side. and both Dees and his son,
and Wilson went on the scout, evading
the officers and swearing vengeance for
each other. The officers made searches
but none of the parties could be found.
| The neighbors gathered in and worked
out Dees' farm, while he was thus out
of the way, seemingly to avoid further
trouble.
Wilson had during this time moved
to his brothers home. four miles be-
low Dees, but continued to make
threats that If he could not be allow
ed to make the crop that he had
started, no one else should About
this time Dees' friends and neighbors
held meeting and wrote the sheriff
q letter. This letter was signed by
twenty men in Dees' settlement, tell
ing the sheriff that they demanded of
him that he come and arrest Silas
Wilson, and to come at once; if he
didn't they would be forced to take
the matter in their own hands.
The sheriff, not thinking there was
any immediate danger, told the bear
er of this letter that he would go
down in a few days and see if he could
find Wilson.
This was the last heard of the feud
until last Sunday night, about 8
o'clock, when Silas and William Will
son were coming in home. At the lat
ters house about twenty shots were
fired in rapid succession. Not a man
was seen before or after the shooting.
Not a voice was heard by the wives
of the two men, save that of the death
groans of their dying husbands.
NeighborS hearing the shooting and
the cries of the woman directly after
hurried to the scene and on arriving
at the spot found the bodies of the
two men lying close together, riddled
patched for and arrived next day
about IL O'Clock. He at once en-
panelled a jury, and began an lnves-
tigation. All efforts to arrive at who
did the killing was blank. The per-
petrators of the crime had so COM
pletely carried out their scheme that
not even the tracks of the parties
/ could be traced.
Neither of the Wilson's was armed
more than William Wilson had 81.
calibre pistol in his inside vest pock-
ct. Silas didn't even have a pocket
! knife.
| The citizens of the county are very
much hurt that such a crime has been
committed here. These men had bt en-
residents of this country but a short
! while. Both were troopers. Silas
! Wilson leaves a wife and five small
children. William has only been mar
ried about six months. Silas had the
reputation of being a turbulent man,
while William was considered Il quiet
citizen.
The good citizens of the county are
going to do all in their power to find
the guilty parties, and see that they
be brought to account.