Mitchell County  Georgia Obit John Albert Akridge 1906

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Obituary of John Albert Akridge 
as written in "The Camilla Enterprise" dated 9 Nov 1906.  


News reached the city on last Saturday night about 12:00 AM that Mr. John 
Akridge, a prominent young farmer of this community, had been killed by a Negro, ex- 
convict, Jet Hicks.  Mr. Akridge spent Saturday in Camilla and the news of his death 
came as a shock to his many friends.  From what we are able to learn of the killing as 
follows.  It seems that Jet Hicks, the murderer of Mr. Akridge, and who about eight 
weeks ago finished a sentence in the chain gang, had been going tot he farm of Mr. 
Akridge lately, where his (Hicks) wife was employed, causing trouble among the tenants.  
Mr. Akridge had warned Hicks to stay away.  On his return home from Camilla Saturday 
night, Mr. Akridge was informed that Hicks was on his place and, accompanied by one of 
his hands, he drove to the home of Hicks wife.  Leaving his horse and buggy with the 
Negro who was with him, he went to the house and asked if Hicks was in.  He was told 
"No" but not being satisfied with the answer, he asked that the door be opened.  After a 
delay his request was granted and on entering the house, he found it in complete 
darkness.  Just as he struck a match to light the room, the Negro, who was concealed in 
the house, fired a load of shot into his right cheek killing him instantly.  Immediately 
after, the Negro secured a pistol from the body and fled.  The news of the killing spread 
rapidly, and in a short time the woods were being searched for the murderer by a large 
number of enraged citizens, but up until the time of going to press Hicks has not been 
captured.  Coroner Lastinger went out to the scene of the killing Sunday morning, and 
after empaneling a jury, an inquest was held over the body, the verdict of the jury was as 
follows: We, the jury, find that John Akridge came to his death by a gun shot wound 
from the hands of Jet Hicks. A. J. Green, Foreman, W. A. West, H. R. Beasley, M. J. 
Sanders, M. C. Cooper and E. A. Fussell.  Mr. Akridge was a son of Mr. Elihu Akridge, 
and was about 33 years of age.  He was a member of the masons, K. of P. and Odd 
Fellow Lodges.  He leaves a devoted wife and three girl children, besides a large number 
of relatives and friends to mourn his untimely death.  His body was taken in charge by the 
Masons and interred a the Akridge Hill Cemetery on last Sunday afternoon.