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Mt. Vernon IL Register (Weekly) - June 13, 1894 Old Settlers Meeting reported these deaths among their membership. Died since June 7, 1892.
William T. ADAMS, May 18, 1894
Mt. Vernon IL Register (Weekly) - September 5, 1894 The third annual reunion of the WEBB family of Southern Illinois, was held in the grove at WEBB Prairie Church, in Franklin County, yesterday. A number of speakers were present and delivered short addresses among whom were Senator G. W. HILL of Murphysboro; D. R. WEBB, F. N. MOONEYHAM and M. N. WEBB of Benton, Isaac HILL of Morgan County, was chairman and D. R. WEBB was secretary of the occasion. The oldest member present was Mrs. Nancy Page, 77 years of age, followed by Mr. A. T. WEBB, aged 57. There were twenty-nine persons present more than 54 years old. The picnic was a very enjoyable one to all, and the amount of food consumed is said to have been quite astonishing. The number of people present are variously estimated at from 1,500 to 2,000. Mr. W. R. WEBB and family, James HILL and family and W. A. PHILLIPS and family of this city, making a party of nineteen, drove down yesterday morning in the Mayflower bus and returned last night.
Mt. Vernon IL Register (Weekly) - October 3, 1894 James SCOTT and Littleton HULETT Shoot and Club Each Other to the Death. The Bloodiest Affair that Ever Occurred in This County. Two Widows, and a Dozen Children Left as Orphans. The banks of the creek just south of this city near the iron bridge, which are frequently occupied by campers, movers and gypsies, were last night the scene of one of the bloodiest tragedies ever enacted in this county, resulting in the death of both parties engaged, James SCOTT and Little HULETT, for the past year Methodist Circuit rider on the Walnut Hill circuit, and each strangers to each other. James SCOTT had been in this city during a great part of the day. Of late he has been greatly annoyed by campers going into his corn field and appropriating feed for their animals. His home is about one-half mile beyond the bridge on the Lynchburg Road, and his corn field extends to the banks of the creek and is immediately in the rear of the spot where Mr. HULETT and his family had struck camp for the night. The exact spot being about 200 yards beyond the iron bridge and a few yards to the left of the road going south. The correct particulars have been very difficult to obtain owing to the fact that the two principals are both dead, and died without ever regaining consciousness. Mrs. HULETT, who was brought to the residence of Nelson SATTERFIELD late last night, was interviewed this morning by the REGISTER with the following result. My husband's name was Littleton HULETT. During last year he was the Methodist Circuit rider on the Walnut Hill Circuit, and we lived on our own farm of 40 acres about four miles south of Centralia. We had been married six years the 8th day of this month. He had a son, named Ollie HULETT, by a former wife, and a little daughter named Maud, aged three years by me. Mr. HULETT having made up his mind to go to Gallatin, Tenn., where his brothers and relatives reside, did not go to the conference this year. On yesterday morning, having shipped most of our household goods by rail, we hitched up the two-horse wagon, loaded it with such goods as we should need to make an overland journey and put the boy, Ollie, in charge of it and he drove the team. Mr. HULETT, myself and my little girl traveled in a a buggy and kept right along with the team. Last evening we arrived at the creek just below your city and there was such a nice camping ground that we concluded to put up for the night. We had just finished our supper at about six o'clock and I was just in the act of pouring some hot water on the dishes when the man SCOTT drove up in a two-horse buggy, dropping his lines, got out and came up to Mr. HULETT. It was now dark and the blaze of the fire made it darker in the distance. Mr. SCOTT asked my husband, "Have you anything to trade?" Mr. HULETT replied, "No sir, I haven't anything to trade." SCOTT retorted, "You are in derned poor business. Do you know you are on my land?" Mr. HULETT replied he didn't know it. SCOTT said, "You are and youv'e got to get off." SCOTT then walked out to the road, turned his horses and drove in to where we were, dropped his lines and came towards Mt. HULETT in a quarrelsome manner, with his hand on his hip pocket saying, "If you want a hand-to-hand fight just come out here and you can get it." Mr. HULETT told him he "was not a fighting man and didn't want any trouble." He told him "Youv'e been drinking and you would better get in your buggy and go on home." SCOTT replied, "I am on my own land and I am not afraid of anybody. Mr. HULETT then said, "Well, sir, if this is your land, I see others have been camping here, and as we have got everything arranged for the night, we will be very much obliged to you to let us stay here." SCOTT again said, "If you want a fight you can get it." By this time the two men had gotten a few yards away in the dark and I could not see very well; I was badly scared and was doing my best to protect my little girl. The next thing I heard was a shot from a revolver. I never heard but one shot, although there must have been two, because there are two wounds in Mr. HULETT's body. I rushed up to him. As I did so both men fell close together. I caught hold of Mr. HULETT and asked him if he was hurt. He simply groaned a few times and I knew he was dead. I screamed at the top of my voice and ran up to Mr. Levi LEECH's home near by and gave the alarm. On my return quite a crowd had gathered, Mr. G. W. ROBERTSON and wife were passing in a buggy being the first on the scene and having heard the shots. My husband was a peaceable man, never had any serious trouble, and had no revolver. I did not see him strike Mr. SCOTT, although I expect he did use the club. I feel sure the ax was not used on Mr. SCOTT. Just as soon as the shot was fired SCOTT's horses turned around and started up the road towards his home by themselves. There was no one with Mr. SCOTT that I saw. I came to town late last night, just after my husband's body had been started to Emmerson and Co.'s undertaking establishment and we overtook it on the road, and staid at Mr. W. N. SATTERFIELD's over night. Have wired Mr. HULETT's relatives at Gallatin, Tenn., and don't know what to do until I hear from them. We own the farm near Centralia. My father, Mr. W. H. RUPERT, at Centralia, is here. Came last night in answer to a telegram. The REGISTER man could not get the boy Ollie HULETT to say much. He stated, however, that Mr. SCOTT kicked his father and then shot him; that his father then struck SCOTT over the head with the club and SCOTT shot again and both men went down together near the foot of a tree where they lay until Drs. GREEN and CROUCH and quite a number of people had come. Levi LEECH was among the first to arrive after the alarm had been given. He found SCOTT lying on the ground his body doubled up in a half circle, his head lying against a tree, and blood flowing freely from his head, nostrils and mouth, and totally unconscious. Almost touching his feet were the feet of Mr. HULETT who was lying a little further north and almost parallel with SCOTT. HULETT was dead. The REGISTER man visited the scene of the deadly battle ground this morning. At the foot of the tree where SCOTT laid is a pool of blood and near the foot of the tree are evidence of an ax having been used, but as there are ax marks on the opposite side of the tree, these my all have been previous to this disturbance. The most heart rendering scene was witnessed when the reporter visited SCOTT's home a little further up the road. There in the frost room lay the remains of husband and father and son who twenty two hours previous had come home in good health and spirits now wrapped in death's cold embrace. A view of the face showed that SCOTT had received a terrible beating . The top of his skull was said to have been split, the back of his skull fractured, his front teeth were loosened and several holes appeared in his right cheek as though made by knots in a club, while his upper jaw is broken in two places and his under jaw in one. He had been brought home about nine o'clock last night and had never regained consciousness. His wife heard the shots distinctly, followed by the screams, and at once repaired to the scene when her husband's team put in an appearance without him. SCOTT died a few minutes before six this morning. He leaves a widow, a sister of Al THICKSTON, and nine children ranging in years as follows: Elijah 20, Jimmie 16, Millie 15, Joe 12, Orlie 9, Maud 6, Harry 4, Bessie 3, Nora 4 months. SCOTT lived on a farm belonging to Mrs. Susan VARNELL. He was a great trader in stock and was usually an industrious, hard working fellow, but was given to drink at times, and Mrs. HULETT thinks was under the influence of liquor at the time of this sad occurrence. The body of HULETT was seen at the undertakers. It has two gun shot wounds. One, evidently the first shot, is three and one-half inches below the clavicle and six inches to the left of the sternum in the hollow part of the left shoulder. The ball from this wound is thought to have coursed around to the center of the back. The other wound; and the one which no doubt produced instant death by severing some of the arteries, is 5 inches below the top and center of the sternum. While HULETT had been a preacher, his life had not been a peaceful and quiet one. In March last he and his present widow were separated on account of incompatibility of temper, and Mr. RUPERT, his father-in-law, had him arrested once or twice. In June last Presiding Elder THRALL, of the Centralia district, caused him to be suspended from the ministry, and the Centralia papers not long ago connected him with some irregular transactions in that city. Coroner SATTERFIELD summoned a jury composed of Dr. W. O. MAUTON, B. F. HARMAN, M. M. GOODALE, Gerome SANDERS, S. G. H. TAYLOR and W. D. TABB and held an autopsy and inquest this afternoon, but up to the time of going to press no verdict has been returned and testimony not being all in.
Mt. Vernon IL Register (Weekly) - October 17, 1894
Mt. Vernon IL Register (Weekly) - December 12, 1894
Mt. Vernon IL Register (Weekly) - |
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