The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-07-30
 JOIN HUNT AT PHOENIX Additional Men Hurried Into North Carolina
 County VICTIMS FOUND
 IN AUTOMOBILE Both Officers Had Un- fired Guns In Their ) Pockets POLICE DOG KILLED;
 LEFT IN THE CAR Leon George Was Widely Known For Exploits in Law
 Enforcement
POLICE DOG KILLED;
 LEFT IN THE CAR
(By the Associated Press)

WILMINGTON, N. C., July 29. A posse dispatched from here to Phoenix, Brunswick county, to- night upon receipt of reports of battle between prohibition officers and bootleggers, found the bodies of Deputy United States Marshal Lilly and City Prohibition Agent Leon George il their automobile four miles from the town.
 Both bodies were pierced with bullets fired at close range and Georges police dog also was found dead in the car. The posse, consist- ing of 50 police and county off ficers, went armed with riot guns to meet any exigency.
 Weapons Unused
 The weapons of both officers were in their pockets and had not been fired.
 First news of the affair came in the form of a telephone message from Phoenix to the effect that a negro had reported hearing 25 or 30 shots fired and had seen the bodies of wounded officers at a distance.
 At II o'clock tonight an addi- tional 100 men had been hurried into Brunswick county to join in the searth for the slayers.
 George was 52 years old and had been member of the police de- partment for 25 years. For the past three years he had been as- signed actively to prohibition en- forcement work, his efforts in this direction having been widely ex- plotted in motion picture news reels. He was unmarried. Lilly was about 45 years old and is sur- vived by wife and several chiI- dren.
 The two officers left Wilmington aS 2 80 o'clock this afternoon, Lilly telling friends that he was going to serve a paper in connection with a prohibition case in Brunswick.
 Nothing was heard from them after their departure from the city until the brief telephone message at :15 tonight saying that it was reported they were killed.
 Details Meagre
 Up to midnight reports from tho scene of the tragedy had been meagre. a rural telephone lines between Phenix and Wilmington, distance of 15 miles. being the sole means of communication. None of those taking part in the search have returned to the city.
 The activity of George and Lilly in breaking up distilleries during the last few months leads local police officers to believe that the pair were ambushed by persons who had reasons to fear, their coming. George, in addition to his duties with the local police force. was a special deputy.
 Late tonight the local police received a brief report tha the top of George's head was virtually blown away, in- dicatinS that the shots were fired at close range and without warning. The advices added that Coroner Harrellson, of Brunswick county, accompanied by Sheriff Jackson, of New Hanover coun- ty, was en route from his home at Winnabow to Phenix, a distance of twenty miles.
 The officers were travelling in Lilly's automobile.
 When the bodies were found at 10 o'clock tonight they apparently had been dead several hours. The road on which they were travelling is an infre- quently used trail through swamps.
 Lilly three months ago shot and killed Jimmy Hill, negro, alleged boot legger, in a gun battle near the scene of today's tragedy, coroner's jury later exonerating him from the killing on the grounds of self defense.