Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1931-09-27
NEGRO SHOOTS
TWICE, FLEES
TO FALFURRIAS
Killed Him Becauss
He Cursed Me-
Youth Says

"A DeNlluered lo-year-old PICK
aninny IS In the Cameron county
jail this morning and officers have
his signed confession that he Shot
and killed Jesse Dabney Thompson.
33-year-old San Benito farmer.
Sheriff w. T.. Brown OF Cameron
county led IN four-cuunty search
for a "barefooted negro boy which
resulted In his capture near Fal-
furrias nine hours after the fatal
shooting.
Man Shot Twice.
The boy Is Harold Whitaker alias
Jimmy Miller, or Oklahoma City
who had been working on the
Thompson dairy. Thompson was
shot twice as ne was milking at .
a. m Saturday morning. Mrs Edith
Brooks, mother or Mrs Thompson
heard the shots and rushed out.
She saw Thompson dying on the
ground and the negro nearby. The
boy said. Ell 20 and get n Doctor
Jimmy. you killed Jesse and you
STAY riRh. here" MRS. Brooks said,
but the boy turned and fled. W
In his confession the pickaninny
said ne shot Thompson because hs
cursed him and threatened 10 kill
him because he did not DIG post
holes correctly.
"A four-county man hunt was or
gained Immediately.
Sheriff w. r. Brown and Chief
n~~~4~ - - nnfmnmw~ rnFf nwnumm-
Vile for the scene or the killing i'm
mediately. They b~acktracked the
boy to the house and found his
shoes and the pistol.
Boarded Train
Harrington officers reported that
a negro boy had boarded a freight
train there early I'm the morning.
Sheriff Brown Immediately called
the dispatcher at Kingsville and
gave a description OF the barefoot
ed negro boy.
Ten minutes later the train
came into KingsviIle and the dis
patcher learned from the crew that
they had put the boy off at Ly-
ford. The officers picked up the
trail mt Lyford. learning that the
boy had ridden a car out toward
Falfurrias. Officers along the road
we're notified Immediately 70 be on
the lookout. Chief Deputy Delaney
had gone ahead TO Falfurrias while
the sheriff and Deputy Lawson Ang-
lin followed the hot trail I'm IN high
powered traffic car.
Rangers under Capt. Albert Mace
took the boy in CUSTODY as he rove
into the Oak. Grove filling station
on a cotton truck near Falfurrias
about $50 %. m. Ranger John sad
Ter and John Wren and Custom
Officer John Miller made the ar
rest.
In Jail Here.
The boy was taken into FalfurriaS
where ne made n voluntary state
ment. according TO officers. In 10
he tells Of wandering over the state
after leaving his home In Okla
homa City. ne told OF picking cot
ton In this section and OF going tn
work for Thompson
The boy was brought 10 the Cam
eron county jail early Saturday
night.
Practically all officers In South
Texas were involved I'm the man
hunt.
The opening portion OF tho
pickaninny's statement was devoted
to his wanderings ove the state
via box ears after leaving his home
at Oklahoma City In June.
"A portion of the statement reads:
In Raymondvilie
Il went TO Raym0ndville from
Alvin. I picked cotton for IA man
named Williams. From there X
went 70 Lyford and picked cotton
for a man named Dalton and about
five miles from there I picked cot
ton for a man named Lawrence. r
then went down 10 San Benil0.
Going down the track X saw the
man I shot. Nj. Thomas or ThOmp-
son. ! worked for him until today,
Saturday morning. / stole a gun
off the back table last night on
the back porch X hid the gun
under a pillow last night and went
and got II In the night and moved
Il again over by the gate.
This is the gun IL Is a 30 auto
matte. I know 10 is the gun by the
rust here I did not know how tO
shoot ID. but 4 pulled this thing
down and tried again and 10 shot.
! was shooting at Jess Thomas or
Thompson I shot him two times.