The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1904-07-20
Mr.. ". O. CHAMBLESS KILLED BY A NEGRO
Young Man Was Trying to Stop Three Negroes from
Using Profanity in Wife's Presence When Gene NIX
Shot Him. $500 Reward Offered for Murderer.

Mr.. W. O. Chambless was killed
near the store of Chambless Bros. at
Graves, of which he was manager, Sat
uaday night by negro named Gene
Nix.
The shooting occurred at about $3.50,
and the weapon used was 80 CALDER
pistol, the ball entering the abdomen,
and Mr.. Chambless died in five min
utes after receiving the fatal wound.
Three negroes, Gene Nix, Will Nix
and Freeman Hall, who live near
Graves, we're on their way home from
Dawson "a an intoxicated condition and
stopped 10 the village. While in the
store of the Graves Trading Company
a quarrel was started between Gene
Nix and Freeman Hall over 10 cents
which Hall claimed Nix had taken
from him. The two negroes became
so boisterous that they were driven
from the store by Mr.. James Hamil-
ION, who clerks for the firm, and they
went in front of the store of Chambless
Bros, where thew again began cursing
each other. Mrs. Chambless was in
the store at the time awaiting to &C.
company her husband home when he
had finished his days business, and
Mr.. Chambless asked the negroes to
cease their profanity and leave the
store, a request he repeated several
times. the negroes insisting on con-
linuing their difficulty in and about
the store. Finally Gene Nix went to
the Central railroad, few yards dis
tant, and dared Freeman Hall to come
where he was, having previously
secured pistol from his brother, Will
Nix. Hall refused to 60. and Gene
Nix continued cursing him in loud
and boisterous manner. Mr.. Cham
bless. having tired of the Negroes pro-
family, went to where he was standing
and again insisted on him stopping it.,
when the negro shot him. The negro
and his brother fed and a posse was
Immediately organized to apprehend
them, the posse being composed OF
nearly every man in the neigh bOrhood.
Blood hounds were secured and the
search was continued throughout the
night. Will Nix was captured at his
home early Sunday morning, and 1t
took all the persuasion that Sherltf
Christie. who arrived on the scene a
short while after the capture, and some
of The cooler heads could bring to bear
upon the crowd to prevent them from
making short work of the negro, who
at the time was thought to have been
the one who fired the fatal shot that
ended the life of one Of Terrell coun-
tr's most popular young men.
Coroner Lewis was notified OF the
tragedy Saturday night, aud went TO
Graves Sunday morning to inquire IN
to it. A jury composed of DR.. }. q.
Dean, foreman, Jonathan Bridges,
John Ed Thomas, j. S. LOwrey, Clar-
ence Buchanan and G. B. Mcneil was
secured. After hearing the evidence
of Messrs. Jas. Hamilton, w. h. Orr
and c.. Mathis ana the negro Freeman
Hall, the Jury returned verdict
charging Gene Nix with murder and
Will Nix as accessory before the fact,
and warrants we're issued for them
Monday morning. Will NIX Is now
confined in the Terrell county jail,
awaiting the action OF the grand jury.
$500 REWARD FOR MURDERER.
Gene Nix is still at large, and Mr.. j.
a. Cham bless, father of the murdered
man, has offered a reward of 500 for
his capture. Nix's description Is as fol-
lows: Color. yellow; weight, about l39
or 40 pounds; age, 30 or 30 wears;
about ST feet in height; one upper
front tooth gone. and wears No. shoes
with heels slightly turned over.
Co, ernor Terrell was communicated
with by telephone Monday night and
asked to offer reward for the capture
of Nix The governor replied that be
would offer a reward of 5000 for the
aegro's safe delivery in the Terrell