The Covington leader. (Covington, Tenn.) 18??-current, 1921-08-04

Fires From Mule He Was Riding
Pour Negro Suspects Taken
From Freight Train Here Wednes-
day and Held For Identification.
G. G. Shoaf, aged 20, was shot and
seriously wounded last Saturday
morning about / o'clock by a negro
chicken thief. Shoaf is manager Of
the. Lambeth plantation, four miles
south Of Ashport, on the Mississippi
river.
The night before the shooting oc-
cured, chicken thieves had visited
the Lambeth plantation and raided
the roosts Of several tenant farmers.
The following night Shoaf was told
by some Of his tenants that thieves
were in the neighborhood, and i'm
mediately upon being notified, Shoaf,
accompanied BY his kinsman and as
sistant plantatio manager, Bill
Shoaf, went in pursuit Of the thieves,
following them to a point southwest
Of Shoals home, where they con-
tinued the trail to a wire fence that
led to an uneultivated sandbar COW
cred by a wilderness Of cane and
wild vegetation. The two lShoafs
posted themselves a short distance
from the road alongside the wire
fence, which stretched to the rivers
edge, G. C. Shoaf concealing himself
in corn field on one side, while Bill
Shoaf remained on the opposite side
in cotton field. They were certain
the thieves would make their exit
from the sandbar down the fence bv
them to the public road.
They were not disappointed in
their expectancy. In a few minutes
two negro men, mounted on mules,
came up the fence row toward them.
AS they approached G. G. Shoaf came
out from the corn field and called
to the negroes: "Hold up, there,
boys!" Hardly had the last words
been uttered when one of the blacks
leveled his revolver with accurate
aim and fired at c. G. Shoaf, the bull
let entering his right breast, ranging
downward and lodging near the
spinal column. Taken by surprise
and momentarilv blinded bv the fire
arm flash in front of him, Shoaf
drew his pistol and discharged 1t
six times in the direction Of his as
sailant, one bullet taking effect in
the shoulder Of one Of the mules,
bringing him from under the rider.
In the meantime Bill Shoaf, on
The opposite side of the fence, armed
with a pump gun, was not idle. He
instantly lifted his gun to his shout
Ter and fired twice at the mounted
thieves, one load Of which struck
he mule that G. G. Shoaf hit. On
he discharge of the second she'll the
run failed to eject the empty one
'or another load. He stated that
lad his gun been in good working
rider he would have killed one or Z
10th Of the NEGROES after they had |
eaped from their mounts.
The shooting affray took place in
in instant. Except for the words {
poken by G. G. Shoaf to the thieves, /
lothing was said In all some 10 7
hots were fired-six by Shoaf. two |
" his kinsman and two by the !
hieves. After leaping from the
Mules, the negroes took to their feet
md dashed to safety through the t
all corn to the river jungles.
Immediately after the shooting
he wounded man was taken to his
ome and physicians from Ripley
rere summoned He was given all +
ledical attention possible under the Is
and owing to the seri- B
usness of the wound he was con- v
eyed to a Memphis hospital for :
reatment. The trip was made in q
asst gasoline motor launch down +
he river. He was accompanied by ;
is wife and physicians.
Reports have it that these same i
nieves have been operating in the i
icinity Of Ashport and Gold Dust Y
0r several months and the investi- G
alton on the sandbar verified the
opposition. In the middle of the h
andbar they had constructed s.
ever chicken coop, where they e
Oused the booty after each success =
Il raid. The coop was equipped "
it'll water and feed troughs and cum
ingly camouflaged in the cane. 1t
rumored in that vicinity that the !.
lieves, working in conjunction with =
yer bootleggers, exchanged their = =
ooty for lionor. This theory ap- ~ ~
ears, after investigation, to be sub :,
y
Sheriff J. T. Coughlan and depu-
es, Of Lauderdale county, after re- M
living the report of the shooting, ~
lshed to the scene. A thorough Of
arch of the vicinity was made for of
e guilty parties, and it is the %
Union of many that an arrest will ri
made soon. Facts are not neces- IT,
ny leading to the Identification Of
e negroes, as Shoaf and his as e.
stant kinsman know them and have y; ~
ready identified them to the Lau- ~
rdale county officers. They also =
low them BY the mules they were Of
ling and by the fact that on going Bs
their homes the negroes were tel
und missing. 1t is believed that hi
ey are concealed in the iungles of IS
E Mississippi river bottoms and chi
Il be apprehended in a reasonable pc
he.
The wounded man is a son of ESQ. me
hn Shoaf, Of the Leigh's Chapel frt
He is well known here inf
d in this county, having been ira
lred on his fathers farm near this at
Y. His condition is considered tht
" serious. the
As we go to press the condition hel