Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1912-05-10

jail without bail. Mr.. Cunning
ham deputizing two cOnstables,
Messrs. ]. C. McCaa and McCol-
lum to bring him to Macon.
The following account af the at
tempted murder and its conse-
quences is taken from the Colum-
bus Dispatch:
Mrs. Dee and her son had been in
the plantation store late on Saturday
night, selling goods and advancing sup
plies to the Negroes. Emancipation Of
the Eight of May celebration, the de-
mand..fo goods was exceptionally heavy
and for this reason they were in the
store late. It was nearly midnight when
they finally closed the store, and then
they discovered that the key was MISS
ing. They looked everywhere for it,
finally, failing to find the key, MIR. Dee
secured an auger and bored a hole
through the door, fastening it with a
chain and paddock. Mrs. Dee was hold
ing lighted lamp and was looking for
the key all the time this was going on.
After the store was locked, they started
towards the house, Mrs. Dee carrying
the lamp and her son following her
with his books, which he carried to the
house. A shot rang out in the night,
and Mr.. Dee instantly told his mother
that he had been shot. Another shot
followed, and Mrs. Dee felt the sting of
shot in her face, and on her back and
side. Both Mr.. Dee and his mother ran
for the house and secured their guns,
but the would-be-assassin was gone.
Both were shot with No. 6 bird shot,
Mr.. Dee being shot in the back, right
shoulder and head. while his neither
Jared worse, one shot putting out her
right eye, another penetrating the ell
bow and making a painful wound and
her back and side also were perforated.
The wounds were skin wounds and while
painful, were not serious.
Immediately after the dastardly at
tempt the alarm was given. neighbors
and friends were called in, and efforts
started towards detecting the criminal.
Mrs. Dee, Just as daylight came, was
put in hack and started for this city,
arriving here at noon. her husband, who
had gone to the plantation, missing her
enroate. Mr. Dee. Junior, remained II
the house and led the crowd Of odicerS
and friends who had gathered searching
for the assassin.
A number Of negroes we're arrested.
but no clue was developed until late
Sunday afternoon the home of George
Somerville, who lived about mile from
the home, was visited. Somerville was
negro who had been raised by Mr.
Dee, and he had engaged to 60 work for
Mr.. Dee again, agreeing to begin on
May the first. His failure to come up
for work after securing advances, caua-
ed Mr.. Dee to regard him with some
suspicion, and accordingly his house
was visited. Here the posse found the
negro in bed, and after searching his
house and his trunk they were conven-
ced that they had captured the right
man. The gun which the assassin had
used would only fire from one barrel,
and after the first shot the other loaded
shell was found on the ground where he
stood. This shell had blue spot mar
ked on the wad with an indelible pencil.
Many other shells were found in Somer-
ville's trunk, similarly marked, and
when it was found that the gun would
only shoot from one barrel, Somerville
was promptly arrested. After being
charged with the crime. he confessed
all Of its narrowing details. and that
mis- object in shooting Mrs. Dee and her
son was robbery, and it is believed that
had he succeeded in killing them that he
would have robbed the store and burned
their bodies in the building.
Somervllle was carried to the scene
of his crime and given a preliminary
trial before Justice Cunningham. He
admitted his guilt, and tried to impli-
cate three or four other negroes, who
were arrested. Diligent investigation
upon the part If the officers failed to
connect these negroes with the crime,
however, and they were liberated. AS
result of the preliminary trial before
Justice Cunningham. Somerville was
bound over to await the action of the
grand jury, and was started on his way
to Macon. A mob Of hundred men in
tercepted the officers within a mile of
the scene of the crime, and Somerville
was speedily hung to neighboring tree.
The mob was orderly and determined in
their work, and the dead negro's body
was hanging there Monday morning as
a gruesome warning to members of his
race and all criminal violators of the
law.