Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-04-06
LAWYER MEETS DEATH
Killing of P. S. Hill Third
Tragedy in Land Suits.
YIELDS AFTER STRUGGLE
Receives Threatening Note Bearing
Skull and Crossbones.
VIOLENCE BEGINS IN YEAR 1891
Buys a Revolver, Explaining to
Hardware Dealer His Life
Was in Danger.
YIELDS AFTER STRUGGLE
VIOLENCE BEGINS IN YEAR 1891

McRAE Ga, April 6.-The violent death
here of Pope S. Hill, q Macon lawyer.
attorney for the estate Of Norman w.
Dodge successor to the Hilton-Dodge
Lumber Company, is the third tragedy
in connection with that famous land case.
The body of Mr.. Hill. who had been In
McRae for several days on business for
the Dodge estate. was found at o'clock
yesterday morning in the Office Of the
Dodge Lumber Company.
The coroner's jury yesterday afternoon
returned a verdict that Mr.. Hill came
to his death at the hands Of unknown
persons.
He had been shot in the eye and his
skull was cracked, either by the bullet
which ended his life or by the fall. In
his hand was a revolver which he had
purchased from a hardware merchant
been fired.
Evidence Of Terrific Struggle.
The room bore witness to a terrific
struggle. Two chairs were turned over.
a wire waste basket was crushed. and
lying on the floor near the body was
the heavy bar which was used to fasten
the back door of the office. On the floor
lay an unfinished court motion In the
Dodge case winch Hill ndQ DRAFTED ana
brought to McRae to file.
An anonymous letter found In one Of
Mr.. Hills pockets contained these words:
You have broken up our settlement.
If you don't mind you will be broken
up"
1t is signed with a crudely drawn skull
and crossbones. The authorities are con-
WINGED that the note refers to the Dodge
case, which was on the verge OF settle
ment.
Saturday Mr.. Hill reported that he had
heard threats made against him and had
received threatening letters, and Sunday
afternoon he evidently became alarmed,
for he went to the home Of a local hard
ter sell him pistol. stating that his life
was in danger. Before leaving the hard
ware store Mr.. Hill loaded every cham
Der of the revolver.
Tragedy Marks Progress Of Case.
Tragedy has marked the progress of the
Dodge land suits as far back as 1891.
In that year Capt. John c. Forsyth, the
McRae and Eastman representative OF
the Norman w. Dodge estate. was muir
dered, and his death was followed by
six-week trial before Judge Emory 6peer.
The case was made against Wright Ian
caster and others, and five men were sent
to the federal prison. Some OF these have
since died and others have served out
Not long after the death Of Capt. For
syth Lucius Williams. one Of the claim
ants, was killed. He was regarded as one
Of the sQuatters at the time, and his
death threw Dodge. Laurens. Telfair and
Pulaski counties into fever heat.
Besides these cases there We're many
less serious encounters from which the
participants emerged with gunshot or
knife wounds.
Suits Involve 4OO, 900 Acres
In the four counties Of Pulaski, Dodge.
Telfair and Laurens the Dodge lands
cover about 100000 acres, and ever since
1882 there has been more or less litiga-
ton over the possession Of certain parts
of the land. The matter first got into the
courts when Norman w. Dodge brought
suit against Colby Chase and Crockett
to quiet the title. The case was decided
in favor of Dodge. A few years later
Dodge brought suit against Briggs Hall
trial was closely followed by the murder
OF Capt. Forsyth. He incurred the en-
nifty Of many of the squatters by pro-
ceeding against them to recover the lands
for the estate.
When Mr.. Hill left Macon Sunday
morning he carried with him certain
titles to be presented to the court. It
peared on some Of the land claimed by
Dodge and said that he and not Dodge
was the rightful owner. He asked the
Macon Office to submit their title and 1t
was for the purpose of doing this that
Mr.. Hill started upon his last trip.
Mr.. Hill, who was forty years old, was
a member of the law firm Of Harris &
Harris. A widow and one child survive
him. His friends are employing detec-
tives.