Americus times-recorder., 1923-02-21
POLICE LIEUT. ENANI
HAS ENCOUNTER WITH
BLACK NEAR CENETER
Had Been To Arrest Negroes For
Disorderly Conduct And Man
Resisted Arrest
lis MURDERER ALSO KILLED
Dave Cross Snatches Weapon
From Police Officer, Who
Carried Another Pistol


Funeral services for Homer 2.
lee. who was killed late Tuesday
afternoon, will be held from the
family residence, 5o7 West Chureh
street conducted by DR.. Carl W
Minor, pastor of the First Baptist
church, assisted by DR.. John M. Out
Ter, pastor of the First Methoaise
church. Interment will be in Oak
Grove cemetery.
Pallbearers will be G. B. Pouneey,
Olin johnson, H. l.. Mize, ). IL
Poole, J. N. Worthy and f. L. Cars
well.
Surviving are his widow, Mrs. Sue
Lee, four daughters, Mrs. a. ?.
!illman, Miss Janette Lee and Mes
Marguerite Lee, of Americus, and
Mrs. f. E. Tillman, of Atlanta; four
sons, Leon Lee, of Charlotte, n. G.;
Frank Lee, Chambliss Lee, FINS Lee
and Allen, of Americus; his mother,
Mrs. Marie Weekly, Of Americas,
and one sister, Mrs. Burt Jones, OF
LeCrosse.
Homer A. Lee, .ieutenant of police
of Americus, and Dave Cross, a ne
gro, were both shot to death hers
Tuesday afternoon in pistol duel
fought shortly after 5 O'clock in tho
negro cemetery Just off AshbG
street. The officer was sho5 twiec,
one bullet penetrating his breast
and causing death within a few
minutes, while the engro was shot
only once, the bullet entering jast
below the left breast.
The weapon used by Cross be.
longed to Lee and was wrested from
the officer when he attempted to put
nippers on Cross, whom he was ar
resting on charge of disorderly
conduct. A second pistol carried
by Lee enabled him to kill his man,
however, notwithstanding its small
er caliber. When persons attracted
by the firing reached the scene, Lee
was lying prone upon us face, his
pistol nearby, while the body of the
negro was lying in an open field
fifty to one hundred yards distant
Lees pistol lay only short dist
ance from the negro's body. With
Cross, when he was accosted by the
Officer was Polly Brookins, a negro
woman with a police record. The
pair were coming out of wooded
spot along an unfrequented path
leading from the tracks of the Gem
trail of Georgia railroad, into the
negro cemetery. According to the
woman Lee asked the pair where
they had been and was told '.We
were just coming out of the woods
Lee then told the negroes he was
not satisfied with their statement
and believed he would give them
copy of charges. Cross Immediately
got angry and said he wouldn't take
any subpoena from any white Off
ecrs. The woman accepted the copy
rendered her while Cross threw the
fragments in Lees face. The Off
Ger then attempted to arrest the me-
gro, reaching into his pocket for his
nippers. AS he did this, Gross, a
powerful negro, grappled with him
and got possession of the officers
pistol, a large caiber weapon. Back
ing off he began firing while Lee
CROPPED for his second pistol which
he carried in accordance with a
compulsory regulation of the Amer
icus police department.
When the. firing began the Brook
ms woman fled and continued run
ming until she reached police bar
racks, almost a mile distant. where
she reported the affair.
Lee had been an officer here for
many years, being connected with
the Sumter county convict gang be.
lore becoming police. officer, and
was highly esteemed here. He was
oo years of age. Cross, the negro
i'Who killed him, was of low order
, OF mentality and of very rowerful
build. He was worked as dav la
oorer and was last employed by a.
". Rawlins, contractor on the Fitst
Methodist church building here.
insurance to the amount of sd 000
was carried by the city OF Ameri.
Gus as protection to its nolice Off
GERS, and $1,000 was held .sdivId.
ually by the deceased, it is said.