Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1907-07-27
A DASTARDLY CRIME,
Mayes Hunter Shot Down While Acting
As Peaeemaker.

This community was shocked on Sun
day morning last on receiving the news
telephone that Mayes Hunter, son OF
Mr.. j. P. Hunter, had been shot and
killed by a negro on the Gardner plan
tation near Fairfield, Ala. Mr.. Hunter
ard a number of relatives and friends
left Immediately for the scene of the
crime. The remains of the murdered
young man was brought to Macon,
reaching here about II O'Clock Sunday
night, and was inferred in the Odd Eel
lows cemetery at 8 O'Clock on Monday
morning, the funeral services being
held at the Baptist church, Rev. H. M.
King officiating.
Since his father returned home about
a month ago, Mayes has had charge of
the consrsct work of grading on the
extension of the A. T. & N. road, on
which he had been working with his
father for several months. He had
been living in the Gardner old home,
and on Sunday morning last about $50
O'Clock he was startled by two pistol
shots and the cries of an old negro
named Luke Little, who lived in the
quarters about 200 yards from the
house. The old negro was seen run
ming across the pasture toward the
house crying for Mr.. Mayes to come
quick, that negro was at his home and
was going to kill his family. The negro
had come into Luke's yard and without
provocation fired two shots at his grand
son, who ran into house, and was fol-
lowed by the drunken negro, whose
name is Albert Mccall.
In answer to the old negro's cry for
help Mayes went out of the back door
and walked rapidly across the field to
the scene of the disturbance. The ne
gro was in the yard waving pistol
and crying that he would kill every ne
gro on the place. Mayes approached I'M
til he was in thirty steps of the drunken
negro and tried to pacify him. After
talking to him quietly for few minutes
the negro apparently claimed down and
told Mayes to come and get his pistol,
that it had already got him into too
much trouble. The negro then APP
preached with the pistol held out as if
to hand it to Mayes, and when he got
close enough to touch him he quickly
raised the pistol, placed it to Mayes'
heart and fired Jesse Mauldin, a we'll
known young man living near Macon,
had spent the night with Mayes and
was standing by his side when the fatal
shot was fired. He caught him as he
sank to the ground, but death was al
most and did not speak after being shot.
Mr.. Lee Windham was passing the
place at the time on his way to church,
and stopped his horse when he heard
the shots. He saw the old negro rum
ming to the white folks" for help, saw
the murdered boy 60 across the field to
the rescue, and stop and try to pacify
the negro, who apparently Gained down
and then suddenly shoot his victim
down when he knew he had all the ad-
vantage.
The murderer had the reputation
among those of his own race of being
quarrelsome and dangerous. He APP
piled to Mr.. Hunter last April for work
and the negro's half brother whispered
to Mr.. Hunter not to hire MIN, that he
was bad niger and would make trou-
BILE.
After committing the cowardly crime
the negro ran to the Bigbee river
swamp, which was not distant. and
which is so densely covered with under
growth that it is impossible to see ter
yards ahead, Jim Stewart, son of Mr..
W. H. Stewart of this place, was com.
ing from Aiceville to the scene of the
shooting and saw the negro cross the
road going in the direction of his moth.
er's house. A large crowd soon col.
lected and went in pursuit, but thu
swamp afforded such excellent cover al
hope was dispelled of capturing hin
until he had left of his own accord. A
good description has been furnished al
railroad officials and county officers anC
it is believed in few days he will b,
caught.
MIR. Hunter has requested that ne
mob violence be r escorted to; he want
the law to take its course.
The negro was seen several days ag
on Mr. Ed Hibbler's place. He toll
negro on the place of having com
mitted the crime and stated he wante'
to cross the river at some point belov
and make his way to Scooba. The ne
gro was directed to a crossing on MI
c. S. Fields place. Mr.. Hibbler wa
informed and reported the fact of tn
negro having been seen on his place t
the authorities in Macon, who phone
Mr., Field to be on the lookout. A ne
: gro was captured but did not fit tn
description given and was released.
The murderer is a mulatto about
e or 19syears old, is five feet, six or eigf
t inches in heighth and weighs about Il
pounds. He has curly hair, thin lip,
and small mouth. He wore light hs
r and is bright and intelligent lookin
: boy. When last seen he was arme
e with two reyolvers, as and Al Colts.
= The governor of Alabama gave motto
that reward of SIS would be paid f
hic arrout