The Semi-weekly leader. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1905-1941, 1908-05-27
A BLOODY TRAGEDY.
WILL HILTON AND HIS SON tom BOTH
KILLED BY BUD NATIONS.
Tom Nations, Buds Father, Fatally
Wounded by Tom Hilton.
A Desperate Fight to the Death Be-
tween NeighbOrs Near Big Springs
Saturday Evening.

News reached Brookhaven about
s O'Clock Saturday night that q
desperate encounter had taken
place that evening about 6 or
lmiles east of this city in the Big
lSprings neighborh0od between
Vim. Hilton and bis son Tom on
| the one side and Thos. Nations
land his son Bud or Benson on the
Iother, and that both Of the Hill
toms haG been killed On the spot
land the elder Nations mortally
lWnunded. A messenger had cume
Iin post haste to get DR.. / L Par
lsnns to attend the wounded man,
The doctor leaving Immediately
for the scene of the tragedy, and
Sheriff Greer, who had been noti-
| fled by phone, soon followed hinl,
accompanied by Deputy Sheriff
Jesse Greer.
The two Hiltons and Tom Ma
Itions had all been in Brookhayen
lduring Saturday afternoon, Ma
tIona leaving for home first, but
there had been no indication of
any trouble brewing between the
men while here, and the news of
the deadly encounter came as a
shock to all who heard it.
Little more than what is outlin-
ed above, could be learned until
very late Saturday night and Sun
day morning, and some of the re-
ports then current were conflict
ing as to how the fatal fight was
precipitated and who provoked it.
In order TO obtain correct
knowledge Of the deplorable affair
from Witnesses on che ground, the
editor of The Leader visited the
scene of the tragedy on Sunday
afternoon in person. What was
learned will be Of interest to our
readers.
The four men engaged ID the
desperate death struggle were:
VIM. Hilton and his son Tom,
aged eighteen; Thomas Nations
land his son Benson, commonly
called Bud, aged twenty three.
Hilton and Nations lived about a
quarter of mile apart, on adj
joining farms, with only cross
fence between.
The provoking cause of the
deadly collision between these
neighbors was a negro named Fred
White, who was employed by
Hilton. Some time last summer
this negro bad made vicious at
tack on young Benson Nations and
beat him up badly. This so in
censed the two Nations. father and
son, that they resolved TO square
accounts with the negro at the
first opportunity, but before-such
opportunity presented itself. the
elder Hilton, who learned OF their
Intentions, and wanted to retain
the negro in his employ, interpos-
ed and the trouble was dropped
| for the time, with the understand :
ing that the negro was never to
lagain be seen On the Nations
premises or to pass through the
narrow lane used as private
neighborhood road which ran in
front of the Nations gate.
Saturday evening when Wm.
Hilton and his son Tom started
Through this lane on their way
home from Braokhaven, with this
negro, Fred White, driving them
| in a tWo-mule wagon, was the first
| time this compact was disregard
ed. There was a story current
that the negro himself protested
against driving through the lane,
but that Wm. Hilton insisted on
Ibis doing so, assuring him that be
would be safe while with him, but
this report could not be verified.
The lane in question is about
20 feet wide. On one side is the
Nations yard and residence, and
on the opposite side the family
garden, the barnyard and corn
lcrih. Hilton lived on the other
lside and east of Nations, but was
not compelled I'd pass through this
lane in going to and from town,
las there was another road, but
T this way is said TO be little nearer
way.
The yard gate to the Nations
home IS about Is or 80 feet from the
front gallery, and the garden gate
las across the lane almost directly
l0pposite the yard gate, and the
lcrib and stables about so or %
yards further down the lane. Il
lis not known for certain whether
Thomas Nations was ID his yard
Tor il the lane at the yard gate
when the negro drove the Hilton
wagon to the gate, but the sight
fof the negro incensed Nations and
lit was learned he began at once
demonstrating with the elder Hill
lEon, charging him with breaking
faith With him. Hilton h0tly re-
scented this, jumped out of bis
wagon and struck Nations q blow