Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1923-07-30
fBy The Associated Press. J

WACO, Texas, July 30-Execution
of Roy Mitchell. negro. scheduled to be
held here today, masked the closing
chapter of series Of murders declared
to be the most brutal in the history of
McLennan county by local Officers.
Mitchell was to meet the death penalty
for the murder of Mrs. Ethel Dene-
camp on the night Of January 10. this
year. but he had been convicted of five
other murders. besides being charged
by indictment with two others. In six
sensational murders, the negro was
given the death penalty.
In addition to the murder indict-
ments. Mitchell was billed in three crim-
inal assault cases, two attempted Grim.
inal assault and two assaults to muir
der.
All Of the crimes with which Mitch
ell was alleged to have been connected
were committed in and near Waco
within a period Of one year Mitchell
was not arrested or suspected OF par
ticipation in the crimes for nearly "a
year after the first mystery murder.
The crimes were committed in the
outskirt sof the city or on county roads.
all in the darkness Of night. In all but
two cases the victims were attacked
while automobile riding.
Utmost mystery surrounded each Of
the series Of murders. County and city
officials combined their efforts TO reach
solution of these mysteries. State
rangers were dispatched to Waco and
for several weeks investigated the cases.
A gold tooth possessed by Mitchell
ml..
which the officers had to work.
Absence of motive for the crimes
made the task Of ferreting out the re-
sponsible parties difficult. according 10
officers. Opinion was divided as TO
whether "A negro or a white man com
mitted the deeds. The theory of rob-
berry vanished when officers learned
that probably not more than $50 was OBJ
tanned in all Of the murders.
Mitchell was arrested by Sheriff
Leslie Stegall and Deputy Phil Hobbs
on January % Of this year. on Waco
street. Information had come to Off
GERS that Mitchell had made remarks
regarding the murder of w. T.. Holt and
Mrs. Ethel Denecamp, the last of the
long series of killings. While the negro
was being held in custody, officers
went TO his house and searched il. The
search resulted in the finding of
pistol claimed to have belonged to Holt
and other evidence which tended to con-
meet the negro with at least four
crimes. Following discovery Of this evi-
dence. Mitchell was spirited away 10
Hill county for fears OF mob violence.
lie declined to do any talking. going on
a hunger strike. Force feeding was used.
Later Mitchell was returned to Waco
and in the presence Of Sheriff Stegall
made statements concerning four of the
murders, describing everything in
minutest detail. Later he admitted
guilt in the other crimes charged
against him. At his trials none of the
juries deliberated more &an 90 min
utes, each assessing death.
Mrs. Ethel Dennecamp. for whose
death Mitchell paid the penalty. was
killed on January 10 on the Spring
field road w. +. Holt. her escort was
also killed at that time. According to
Mitchel's statement he killed Holt
first. dragged his body through plow-
ed field and then killing Mrs. Dcnne-
camp hid her body in a clump Of bushes.
Other murders for which Mitchell
was convicted were: w. Y. Driskell.
Waco cotton man. on May z. 1922; Har-
old Bolton. shot six miles from Waco on
May 25. 1929: Grady Skipworth. Nov.
20, 1929, and Mrs. W. II. Barker. nj
Concord. near Waco on the night OF
Feb. Ii, 1922.
A woman companion Of Bottoms idsn-
titled Jesse Thomas. negro. as respon-
sible for the young mans death. I'm
mediately after he was identified. he
was shot dead. taken by a mob and
burned in the Waco public square and
his charred body dragged through ths
streets.