The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1908-09-16
Bodies We're Found in a Ditch
by the Roadside.
PISTOL NEAR ON THE GROUND


Had Killed the Other and Then
Shot Himself. But Later Develop
ments Strongly Pointed to the
Theory of Murder and Robbery.
The bodies of Henry and Herbert
Bus, sons of John Bus, promi-
nent and well-tO-do farmer living in
Randolph county, twelve miles south
west of Dawson, were found dead
at an early hour Friday morning
in a ditch by the roadside near
Milliron's mill with pistol lying on
the ground near them.
The first theory advanced was to
the effect that the young men had
had a difficulty, and that one took
the life of the other and then killed
himself. After Coroner Blackshear
of Randolph county and other officers
arrived at the scene of the tragedy,
however, and an investigation was
made the pistol was identified as be-
longing to a negro by the name of
Bob Johnson. Johnson was arrest
ed, and when taken before the cOrO-
ner'S jury stated that the pistol had
formerly belonged to him, but that
he had traded it off to George
Thomas, another negro. 1t is stated
that box with the number on it
corresponding to that on the pistol
was found at Thomas home. A war
rant was issued for Thomas, but it
developed that he left the country
early that morning. Johnson was
discharged by the coroners jury.
hyr Of CO.
Single was also arrested, but no
evidence developed against him, and
he was discharged.
The cOrOner's jury brought in a
verdict charging Thomas with the
murder The sheriff and posse, with
dogs, secured the woods for him,
but he has not been apprehended;
in fact, he has not been seen since
the crime.
The Theory of Murder.
The theory of murder and robbery
advanced seems to be the plausible
one, as the young men had ped
died beef in the neighborhood
and had also been to Shellman
during the day and disposed of
cotton, deposited 5000 in bank
and had some money with them
After their death but little money
was found, although they were
known to have had money on
their persons when they stopped
at Buck Edwards country store,
between Shellman and where they
were killed, Thursday night on
their way home. The guilty parties
evidently saw them with the money
and murdered them in order to Sc
cure 1t. A number of negroes,
among them George Thomas, were
in the store at the time the young
men were displaying their money.
Editor Mashburn Of the Shellman
Sun was among the first to arrive
at the scene of the double murder,
and his account of the tragedy and
subsequent developments, being OBJ
tanned on the ground, is doubtless.
the most accurate that has been
written, and is printed below:
Where the Tragedy Occurred.
"Millirons' Mill is probably six
miles soWth of Shellman. 1t is halt
a mile from Friendship church and
about two miles east of Edwards
store. The killing occurred at the
foot of the hill, about fifty yards
north of the mill. Perhaps one mile
further on is the Bius home. Here
Henry and Herbert Bus and a sister,
Miss Bessie, resided in house to
themselves, while the father, Mr..
John Bus, and the others of the fam
lily lived at the old home place near
by.
How They Were Shot.
"Those first to reach the scene
lifted the dead bodies out of the
ditch where they fell and placed
them on a large sheet in the shade
of the bushes. The elder brother,
Henry, had been shot twice one bull
let entering centerly through his
heart and the other striking a little
lower down to the left, both coming
out through his back. Herbert was
shot once, the bullet entering the
top of his head, just a little back
from his forehead, and ranged down
ward, piercing his brain and lodging
somewhere lower down. All the
shots were at close range and APP
peared to have been made with a
80 caliber pistol. A negro who was
on his way to work in the turpentine