Laurens County GaArchives News.....Watson, J.H. murder -Bob Singleton 1886
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Inez Brett IBrett1042@aol.com August 31, 2004, 12:18 pm

Dublin Post 
From The Dublin Post, July 21, 1886, page 3
 
                                                      Killed With A Hoe
On the morning of the 19th instant on the plantation of Judge John T Duncan, 
about a mile from town, while engaged in hoeing out some cotton a quarrel arose 
between John H Watson white,  and Bob Singleton colored, which resulted in a 
blow sufficient to kill the latter.  A coroner's inquest was held in the 
afternoon and the follwoing is the substance of the evidence.  All the 
witrnesses swearing substantially the same:  A discussion arose between the 
parties in question as to which was of the most value the horse or the cow.  
During the discussion a side remark was made to Watson which he failed to hear 
on account of the talking of Bob Singleton, who was told by the former to cease 
talking.  This arrousing Singleton's anger he declared his freedom of speech.  
A few more words and Watson cursed him for a d--m fool.  Bob replied that he 
(Watson) had been cursing him all the year and that it had to be stopped,  
whereupon he was threatened with a thrashing.  Singleton, still at his work, 
told him that if he put his hands on him he would  "cut his d-m heart out." 
These were about the last words used between Watson and the deceased, the 
remark being answered  with a death blow with a hoe, breaking the skull of 
Singleton four inches in length..  Messrs. A J Hilburn, Drewry Hobbs, Andrew A 
Fuqua, Samuel Charters, Zachariah Kennedy, and Jarred T Orr, with Mr Hilburn 
foreman were empanelled as a jury to make inquisition into the matter.  After 
hearing the testimony rendered a verdict that the deceased Bob Singleton came 
to his death by a wound received from a hoe in the hands of John H Watson, and 
that the said offense against the laws, good order, peace, and dignity of the 
state was involuntary manslaughter. Watson left immediately after delivering 
the blow and has evaded arrest so far.  He is a young man and leaves behind a 
wife and two small children who are dependant on him for a support

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