The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1906-12-13
THE RAWLINGS CRIME.
Brief History Of DastardlIy Murder Of
Carter Children, the Last Chapter
OF Which Has Just Been Closed.

,
lings boys for the murder of the little
Carter children, terminates one OF the
most famous criminal cases in the
court annals Of Georgia. In brief the
history of that bloody crime is as
follows:
Old man Rawlings and Carter were
neighbors, living about twelve miles
from Valdosta, Ga. Both had been
preachers a Methodist and
Rawlings a Baptist. They quarreledt
over land line and feud began,
which was long drawn out. Conflicts;
were of frequent occurrence, when
finally Rawlings concocted a plot TO-
dispose of the whole Carter family.
A negro preacher named Frank Tur-
ner was building chimney for Raw.
lings and to him was confded the
task of employing somebody to dis
pose of Carter. Aif Moore was found
at Lenox and was brought to Raw
lings' house and conference between
him and Rawlings occurred. Accord.
ing to the negro's story Rawlings told
him what was wanted and outlined
the bloody scheme to him. It was for
the negro, in company with the three.
Rawlings boys, to go to Carter's house,
that night, kill him and his wife, their
older children, then fire the house and
kill the little children as they came:
out Rawlings gave the negro knife
with which to cut their threats.
The negro was also conducted to q
little house in the field where he was
to remain until night. His meals were,
! furnished him there, together with q:
watermelon. The vessel in which thes
meal was carried, the crocus sack
which held the melon. and even the;
rinds played important parts In the;
trial. all going to verify statements
which the negro made. -
That night the elder Rawlings went
to valdosta, IL miles away, In order
that he might divert suspicion from
himself or be able to prove an alibt.S
The bloody massacre that had been
planned so well was carried out only
in part. That 1t was not entirely
successful was due to the use which
Carter made Of the rife and gun whils
barricaded' in his house.
Just after the Carter family had:
their supper and while the mother
and older daughter were clearing OF:
the supper table the assailants OF the;
family approached from the rear Of
the home. The, little dog was at:
tracted and began to bark. Carrie
and Willie Carter had been looking
after little sick calf during, the
day and they ran to the yard TO see
that nothing was bothering the cafA9
AS the two children neared a crack IN
the fence where they expected TO So
through. the assassins halted under q:
peach tree and fred. The first shot
was at the boy, who fell to the ground.
His sister ran to him, exclaiming, eOh.
| Willie! are you hurt when another
shot was fred. The evidence ii court
indicated that the two shots were fred
at once-one by Milton and one by
Jesse Rawlings. 1t was conceded at the.
trial that Milton shot both OF the
children and that Jesse also shot the
girl. ~
w. L. Carter, who was crippled In
the ankle, in previous fight with old
man Rawlings, had ambled to the door
to call the children back into the house:
and saw both of the shots. He then
closed the door and barricaded his
family on the inside. In few minutes.
the little wounded boy struggled to-
the door and his mother jerked him
in. He fingered during the night and
died early the next morning. He told
his parents that the Rawlings boys
killed him.
The assassins remained about the;
house until far after midnight trying
to get shot at other members OF the
family. After several hours, Accord
ing to the evidence, Jesse Rawlings
got an armful of shucks and threw
them under the front steps for the pur-
pose of firing the house. Carter's
daughter, however, ripped a board
from the inside of the house, making
an opening through which Carter
poked his gun and fired, the load OF
shot barely missing one Of the boys.
That frightened them and some time
later they gave up the job. ALT Moore
left the scene soon after Carter's shot
was fired, declaring that the old man
was going to kill somebody. When he
was arrested at Lenox he told the sto.
ry of the nights doings, his story
tallyiug with the statements that had
been made by Carter and his family
almost to the letter. Even the con-
versation that passed between the
boys on the outside was told by him
,rst as Carter and his family heard It.