Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1906-08-28
DYING MAN SAID
HAWKINS DID IT
Prominent Young Farmer Held
as Murderer.
CIRCUMSTANCES OF SHOOTING.
Hawkins Surrendered and Claims He
Can Prove an Alibi-The Community
Highly Wrought Up Over the Afro
cous Crime.

Can Prove an Alibi-The Community
Highly Wrought Up over the Afro
cious Crime.
Gainesville, Ca, Aug. 27.-Fred
Hawkins, a son OF Jerry Hawkins,
prominent and inhuential 1armer of
the Dade district, has been arrested
by Sheriff Grow, of Gainesville, on the
strength Of the post mOrtem statement
OF the murdered man. Henry E. eagle.
Hawkins claims that he can prove an
allbi. The murdered man was cOnsid-
cred a leader in his community and
the residents are highly incensed over
the atrocious crime.
eagle was shot with a double-bar
relied shotgun loaded with buckshot,
the first load entering his stomach
and the last one hitting him in the
thighs. The shotgun he held in his
hands was knocked fron him by the
first shot, which tore away his right
hand.
The circumstances of the shooting
are ABOUT as fOllOWS:
eagle was attracted to his chicken
house about midnight. He got up
and started into the yard, his wife
holding light for him. AS he step
ped into the yard, he declared that
he saw Fred Hawkins standing in a
corner of the yard near his chicken
house. He says that as soon as Haw-
kins got good sight on him, Hawkins
raised his gun and fired at him. Ca
gle dropped to his knees from the
wound, which was inflicted in his
stomach. He stated that when the
first shot was fired Hawkins face was
clearly seen by the flash of the gun A
second shot was then fired, this shot
striking eagle lower down than the
first.
Mrs. eagle ran to her husband, and
as soon as possible neighbors were
summoned. She remained to admin
lister to the fatally wounded man,
while others came to Gainesville for
physicians and Sheriff Crow.
AS soon as the sheriff arrived at
eagles an effort was made to locate
the person who did the shooting.
Tracks were found in the corner of
the yard from which the SLOTS were
fired, and these tracks led off from
the house across the fields, and was
finally lost some distance away. Sher-
if Grow then visited the homes of
Fred Hawkins father and his broth
ers and searched them, but young
Hawkins was not found. He then
went to Lula and telephoned and
wired all over the county for blood
hounds. 1t was while he was engaged
in trying to get dogs that he was no.
titled that Fred Hawkins awaited him
at Reed Hawkins where he proposed
to surrender himself to the sheriff.
Sheriff Crow Immediately went to
Reed Hawkins and placed the accused
man under arrest. Accompanied by
Mr.. Tom Martin the sheriff broughht
young Hawkins to the city and placed
him in Jail. Hawkins refused to dis
cuss the affair, further than to say
that he was not guilty of the crime
of which he was accused
The shooting of eagle, and the dy-
ing statement made by him that Fred
Hawkins was the person who shot
him, has caused a great sensation at
this place and throughout the coun-
ty. eagle was a good citizen, and
was of quiet and genial disposition.
He was highly esteemed and was con-
sidered leader in his community.
Fred Hawkins is son of Uncle"
Jerry Hawkins, and was not known as
bad young man in any rNpect.
1t is said that eagle and Hawkins
had a disagreement about one year
ago, but friends presumed that was
long since forgotten by both of them.
The unfortunate affair is greatly de-
plored