Pike County Georgia News - Z. T. Trice Murder 1891 ********************************************************************************************** USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://www.usgwarchives.net Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm ********************************************************************************************** File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Lynn Cunningham lcunnin1@bellsouth.net Table of Contents page: http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/pike.htm Georgia Table of Contents: http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/gafiles.htm Pike County, Journal Zebulon, GA., Friday, July 17, 1891 The Trice Murder The killing of Z.T. Trice on the 29th ultimo, is beyond doubt the most brutal and atrocious murder that has ever been committed in Pike county, and, indeed, I may even say without exaggeration that it is almost, if not entirely, a parallel case with that of Tom Woolfolk. When the deceased left home on Wednesday evening at 2 o'clock, little did he think that he would never see again the face of his wife and children. And that same evening when he left Barnesville, and was making his way home, with his good friend Nasworthy in his buggy by his side, little did he think that he would be arrested on his way and murdered by his own brother. But alas! alas! the foul, the cowardly and damning deed has been committed, and the deceased knew nothing of the plan that had been concocted for his murder until it was too late. When the kind friends of the deceased took his lifeless body and carried it home and laid it down before his own wife and children, then and there a scene presented itself that beggars all description. And Oh! God, forbid that such a scene ever be witnessed again. And now, knowing that the citizens of Pike county, and people in other counties, are anxious to obtain and know the truth in regard to said murder case, and knowing further more, that I knew the deceased and his brother who slew him better than any body else and also that I know more about the cause of that awful tragedy and the stubborn facts connected therewith than any other person, I feel that it is my duty to give the public the true facts as they exist in the case. Now. Z.T. Trice, the deceased, and C.T. Trice were engaged in a lawsuit about some land, the latter being in possession of said land, and was cutting and hauling the timber off and selling it. Z.T. Trice had him served with a bill of injunction forbidding the hauling off and selling from said land any more timber, and the work was stopped until recently when it was again resumed, and as Z.T. Trice was making arrangements to have it stopped again, the defendant in this case became undescribably angry, and so on last Wednesday morning before he left home he put a pistol in his packet against the remonstrances of his wife, who it appears was dreading a fatal combat. And when a bad man decides to take the life of his fellow being, and places himself under the influence of the infernal spirit, he never suffers any obstacles or entreaties to debar him from the damnable act. Now I want to say right here that Zach Trice was a man of a quick temper, but was as harmless as a child as far as hurting anybody was concerned. And several times he has been known to draw his knife when he thought he was in danger of being crowded, but was never known to attempt to make a mark on any man. He was a very pure hearted man, and would make a sacrifice anytime to accommodate his neighbor. He always divulged his plans and designs and kept nothing a secret. The law was his great fort. But his brother who slew him was right to the reverse to himself, and would be the last man to engage in a single combat unless he knew that he had all the advantage. And he never would have invited his brother out of his buggy to fight if he had not been armed with a pistol concealed. I have written nothing but the truth. - Justicee [sp] (Transcribed 10/19/02 Lynn Cunningham) Note: At Ebenezer Methodist Church Cemetery Lamar (formerly Pike) County: Trice, Z.T., b. 1 Oct 1847, d. 29 July 1891 Zachariah Trice was married to Elizabeth Bush 1875, in Pike County. 1880 Census Place: Barnesville, Pike, Georgia Source: FHL Film 1254161 National Archives Film T9-0161 Page 126B Zacheriah T. TRICE, Self, M, M, W, 31, GA, Occ: Farmer, Fa: GA, Mo: GA Lizzie TRICE, Wife, F, M, W, 19, GA, Occ: Keeping House, Fa: GA, Mo: GA James H. TRICE, Son, M, S, W, 3, GA, Occ: At Home, Fa: GA, Mo: GA Luther T. TRICE, Son, M, S, W, 1, GA, Occ: At Home, Fa: GA, Mo: GA