Grady County GaArchives Obituaries.....Walker, Raymond December 17, 1920
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Janet Sumner http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00011.html#0002510 March 2, 2005, 9:01 am

The Cairo Messenger, Friday, December 24, 1920
One Killed, Another Seriously Injured In Shooting Affray Friday

As a result of a shooting affray last Friday evening about ten o'clock, at the 
home of Lezar Carter, a white farmer, residing four miles northeast of town, 
Raymond Walker is dead and James Majors is in a local sanitarium in a 
precarious condition, both having been shot by Albert Walden, who is lodged in 
the county jail.  A little too much "shine" is said to have been the cause of 
the difficulty.

Walker was shot through the breast, the bullet passing through his lung, while 
Majors was shot through the liver and kidney, the ball lodging in his back, 
just beneath the skin.

Walden, Walker and Majors, along with other young people, were attending a 
dance being given at the home of Mr. Carter and the shooting is said to have 
started over an argument over the music that was being rendered.  This is the 
version given of the affair by Majors to a reporter of The Messenger.  He 
stated that Walden, who accompanied him in his buggy to the dance, went to the 
young man who was playing either an accordion or a violin and wanted to know 
why he had ceased playing.  A few words passed between the two, Walden using 
some profanity, when Walker went over to the accused and tried to quiet him.  
Walden immediately pulled his gun, a .38 caliber "bull dog" pistol and shot 
Walker as he turned around, the bullet entering his back, coming out through 
the left breast.  The ball went through the center of the lung, just at the 
left of the heart.  Another bullet grazed the skin clear across Walker's 
breast.  Majors stated that he was sitting on the side of a bed with a young 
lady and had just got up to go and help quiet Walden when he was shot, the 
bullet going through his kidney and liver.  He is of the opinion that the ball 
that hit him was the one that went through Walker, but Dr. Walker, who is 
attending Majors, does not think so.  Dr. Walker is of the opinion that it was 
an entirely different shot.

After being shot, both Walker and Majors fell to the floor and were picked up 
and brought to Dr. Walker's Sanitarium.  Walden immediately left the scene and 
went to his home, ten miles from where the shooting occurred, being six miles 
south of town.  Sheriff Perkins was notified and with his deputies immediately 
began a search for Walden, finding him at his home at three o'clock Saturday 
morning.  He was brought to town and placed in jail.

Walker lived until four o'clock Monday afternoon, pneumonia having developed 
from the wound in his lung.  He was laid to rest at Bold Springs Tuesday 
afternoon.

Walden, when visited by a report of The Messenger in the county jail Tuesday 
morning, seemed in good spirits and did not mind relating his side of the 
story.  He stated that a friend came to him just before the shooting and told 
him that some of the boys were going to "crowd him" and give him some trouble.  
A few moments after being warned by his friend, Dewey Griffin, several men came 
in and began to "crowd him."  He stated that he warned them not to come on him, 
telling them two or three times, but they continued to advance and thinking 
that they intended to do him some bodily harm, he pulled his pistol and opened 
fire.  He further stated that he never knew Walker, and did not know at the 
time that he had hit Majors, who he claimed was his friend.  As soon as he 
opened fire, the crowd began to get out of the way, thus opening a route for 
him to get out, which he did, going directly to his home walking and running 
the entire distance.  He stated further that he did not hold any ill will 
towards either Walker or Majors and was sorry that he had to do what he did.  
In answer to a question as to whether he was drinking, he stated that he had 
taken only one small drink, and knew what he was doing when he opened fire. 

Walden is only about 22 years of age and being very small in stature.  Walker, 
who was killed, was about 30 years of age and leaves a wife and baby, who are 
said to be in very poor circumstances.  James Majors is the son of W. M. 
Majors, who resides two miles east of town and is about 20 years of age.

Majors, while improved, is in a critical condition and is not out of danger.  
It will be several days before the attending physician can definitely determine 
whether Majors will survive.

It will be remembered that Albert Walden's father about 15 years ago 
disappeared from his home and several weeks later was found in a pond near his 
home, where he was drowned.  



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