Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-02-14
LAWLESS BOOZE"
LEADS To- MURDER
At M|DDLETOWN
Grant Prattis, Negro. While In
toxicated, Fatally Shoots
bud" Butler, Colored
MUCH LIQUOR SOLD THERE

sn.@..y correspondence of Every Evening
Middletown, Feb. 14.-Grant Prattis.
notorious Negro. shot and almost IN
rtantly killed Bud" Butler. with whom
ha had spent the evening drinking n
homemade 'hooch." Saturday night.
The shooting took place at the National
Hotel which since the advent or pro-
hibition has been a soft drink place
largely patronized by the Negro popu-
lace.
Prattis. who is one of the most no
torious characters in this community
and has been in innumerable scrapes with
the police here, had spent the evening
drinking with Butler and they were ap-
parantIy the best of friends. They sep
arated shortly before 10 o'clock, Butler
staying in the bar room. and Prattis
Kuing outside. Suddenly. Pratus rc-
appeared. and without a word of warn
Ing pulled a 8s-calibre pistol and say
ing: who in the hell said was afraid
to shoot a nigger." pulled the trigger.
Butler was struck in the upper part of
tho leg. the bullet taking an upward
course and reaching some vital spot,
caused his death. He was taken to the
once of Dr. Edward NJ. Vaughan, on
Main street, where he died in few
minutes after being placed on the op-
Grating table.
Negroes who had seen the shooting
Immediately informed officer Ruppel,
who has been serving the town Satur-
day nights az policeman since the res
ignation OF Chief of Police Hillyard. in
October last. Ruppel Immediately
pressed an automobile into requisition.
and went after Prattis, who by that
time had made his escape. Ross Ham
burg, a former officer of the town. ac-
compained Ruppel. and near the New
Century Club they overlook Pratis.
who submitted TO arrest without protest
and wAs locked up in the town lookup.
There Ruppel stood guard over him all
night and until after the hearing sun
day morning. At the hearing Magis-
trate Stevens held Prattis without bail
for trial a, the March term of court,
and the prisoner was taken TO the work.
house by State Detective Mccoy.
To the presence of booze" in the
community and the lack of proper Of
hcers for the town and neighborhood
the cause Of the murder is attributed.
Pratts admitted the shooting at the
hearing. but said he hardly remem-
bsred II. as he had been drinking.
when questioned as 70 where he pro-
stevens. Tho place he mentioned has
been reported several times, but as
there is no town officer here and no
county constable, and the prohibition
enforcement officers pay little attention
10 this community. no action was taken
against the place. which is Negro
''3oint" about one mile north Of town.
For the past four weeks there has been
An unusual amount OF booze" sold with
In the town. and the effect OF the sales
has been apparent in the town each
midnight. But no effort has been made
TO look into the business, and the final
result is the murder Saturday night.
At q meeting OF Town Council, last
week. II was decided TO hire police
man, and several applications have been
received. but no one has vet been hired.
In the meantime. the town is getting
more disorderiy. especially on Saturday
nights. when large crowds Of Negroes
are attracted here by the fact that they
can obtain booze" while here.