Haralson-Pickens-Heard County GaArchives News.....Lambert, Elijah A. murdered : ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/gafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: C. T. Gravelle http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00023.html#0005680 November 7, 2006, 4:50 pm "The Carroll County Times - Carrollton, Carroll Co., Georgia : NEWSPAPER Issue of Friday, APRIL 26, 1878 MURDER IN HARALSON; Shot Down on the Highway; No Clue to the Perpetrators On the 19th inst., Elijah A. Lambert, after leaving Mr. W.H. Galamore's where he had staid over the night, was shot from the road side by some unknown parties, from which he died before any person reached him. The place selected was quite a favorable one for such an act, being at a branch on the road leading from Draketown to Buchanan and about half a mile from Corinth church. Two or more parties had evidently remained in ambush for several hours awaiting their man, as a quantity of tobacco had been chewed while lying in their covert. Seven balls took effect, some buckshot and some cartridge balls. Lambert was about 27 or 28 years old, about 5 feet 11 inches high, black hair, beard and eyes, hair inclinded to curl, supposed to have had two wives, one in Pickens county and one in Heard county. That there is a system of land thieving going on, the number of bogus claims to land attest, and that E.A. Lambert was a leader in that business, papers and tricks found on his person fully prove, one paper contained a list of the justices of the peace, who acted in the several counties of this state at and during the different years that lands were granted from 1830 up to a few years back, with pen, ink, paper, etc. so that a deed could be drawn at anytime and to any lot of land not settled on. Whether Lambert was killed by some of his own clan or by good meaning people, whom he had injured, the testimony does not clearly show, but one fact is certain, the good people of Haralson are not responsible, as most of them were as much surprised to know that such a man lived, as they were shocked to know that a murder had been committed in their border. The following is a synopsis of the testimony before the Coroner's Jury. By request of the jury, Mr. G.F. Gentry examined the witnesses and Mr. J.P. Hamil acted as stenographer: First witness, G. Kirklin, was plowing near when the shooting occurred, heard shooting and hollering and started with second witness to the hollering, saw the deceased lying by the road, bloody and in much misery, called for help, witness was frightened and ran off, heard five shots and one cap, shooting occured at branch, about half mile N.E. Corinth church on Draketown and Buchanan road. Second witness corroborates first witness. Third witness, W.S. Mosley, in company with W.H. Galamore, Frank Summerville, Charles Davis, Hiram Carter and Mr. Miller went to where shooting occurred; found deceased lying in road; saw where three men had been concealed near the road, bushes were cut down from covert to road, to give parties a clear shot; had seen deceased two or three times in life; saw no weapons of any kind on or about deceased. Fourth witness, W.H. Galamore, was acquainted with deceased from his youth; had staid the night before at witness's house, and witness parted with deceased at fork of road about half mile from where shooting occurred and went on in company with wife and daughter to see Mr. Mosley. Heard the firing and hollering, started to go, wife caught him and said must not go, they will shoot you; went on to Mr. Mosely's in company with parties name; went to where shooting occurred; thence to where deceased was lying dead, about half mile from where he was shot; said deceased had staid in Polk county the night before at J. Jenkins and was on his way home to Heard county, Georgia. A few days ago he had received a note from Mr. James Young of Polk county, wanting to see witness; witness went to see Mr. Young. Young asked witness if he (witness) was acquainted with one E.A. Lambert; witness said he was; Young said that about 12 months ago he had lost by theft a fine mare and that he found said mare in the possession of one Thunderbert in Meriwether county and Thunderbert got the said mare from E.A. Lambert. Young wanted Lambert to assist him to seize the said Lambert, which witness had agreed to do for a certain consideration. Witness was to find out exact time Lambert would be at witnesses house. Told Mr. Young that Lambert would probably be at witness's house on Thursday night, the 18th. Witness had asked Lambert if he had not (naming him) sold a mare to one Thunderbert of Meriwether county; deceased said he did; witness asked Lambert where he got said mare; Lambert said from a man in Polk county and referred to Mr. Young. Witness supposed he had reference to Mr. James Young. Witness had known deceased from boyhood; he was a quarter Indian; supposed him to be about 27 years old. About one mile from witness's house to branch where shooting occurred. Was no person at witness's house that morning, Friday, except witness, family and Mr. Chisolm who works with witness. Witness left home in company with wife, daughter, little son and deceased after breakfast, about 8 o'clock, and was about half hour from that time till heard firing of guns. Signed, W.H. Galamore. Fifth witness, B.F. Summerville. Saw places near road where three men had been concealed and three tracks in toad, one track, a fine boot or shoe, about 12 inches long, one 10 inches and one 10 2/4, supposed to be deceased; corroborates preceding witness. By Drs. Biggers and Phillips of Draketown; two balls were found, one cartridge ball, entering left side, passing through right and left lobe liver; the other, a small buckshot, found in right arm. The jury gave a verdict to the effect that E.A. Lambert came to his death by gun and pistol shot wounds, in the hands of parties unknown to them. The dead body was, by the citizens, decently interred at Piney Woods church. HIs effects, notes, land deeds, day books, pocket knife, etc., face value of which amounts to one or two hundred dollars, was carefully itemized and turned over to Mr. Alford Galamore, county coroner. It is supposed that the deceased had two wives; one in Pickens and one in Heard county, with two children by the one and four by the other. But if that all be true and the man was a bad character, it did not justify the dark deliberate murder, and it is hoped that the tracks of the parties will be uncovered and the guilty parties brought to justice, and it ever done, it will show one of the darkest murders of the times. April 20, 1878. ---- NEWSPAPER Issue of MAY 10, 1878 THE HARALSON MURDER We neglected to state last week that those parties had been arrested, charged with the murder of Lambert in Haralson county. These parties were Horatio and Claude Chisolm and W.H. Gallimore. The commital trial of these parties closed last week in Buchanan where it was held. The result of the trial was that the court committed the parties charged with the killing for trial at the next term of the Superior Court of Haralson county. The prisoners were carried to Cedartown jail where they are now. In the committal trial, the state was represented by Messrs. Ivy Thompson, Walter Brock and Murdock McBride; the defense by Messrs. King and Head. The trial was held before Justice Isaac Weatherby, A.J. Farmer and A.D. McKeachen. --- NEWSPAPER Issue of Friday, JUNE 28, 1878 NEW DEVELOPMENTS IN THE LAMBERT MURDER We understand that Gallamore who was bound over in the Lambert murder case in Haralson county has recently made a confession, in which he has implicated two other parties besides the three bound over. The names of those parties are James Rowe and J.W. Nunn, and both were arrested last week, the former in Rome and the latter in Polk county. Rowe, we believe, lives in Haralson county and Nunn in Polk. Nunn, since his arrest, has also made a confession, which comfirms Gallamore. According to the confession, one of the Chisolm's and Rowe did the shooting. When they first shot Lambert they did not kill him and Chisolm ran after him for the purpose of cutting his throat, but as Lambert was out running him, he shot him again. Rowe and Nunn were carried to Buchanan last week to stand their committal trial. The Chisolms who were confined in the jail at Cedartown have recently been removed to Atlanta as rumors were afloat of a conspiracy to burn up the town in order to secure their rescue. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ga/haralson/newspapers/lamberte1961gnw.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/gafiles/ File size: 8.9 Kb