Patrick County Virginia USGenWeb Archives News.....Patrick Men Are Held For Atrocious Murder of Twelve Year Old Girl November 20, 1924
************************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/va/vafiles.htm
************************************************

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Ron Martin cindyandron@bellsouth.net July 27, 2024, 3:22 am

The Bee, Danville, Virginia November 20, 1924
  MARTINSVILLE, VA November 20--One of the most revolting crimes in the history 
of Patrick County came to light here late yesterday afternoon with the arrival 
here of Patrick County authorities with John Wagoner, white youth charged with 
the murder of a 12-year-old girl near Dodson, in a remote section of that county 
to be lodged in the local jail for safekeeping until the high state of feeling 
in the neighborhood of the crime subsides somewhat.   Only meager details of the 
attack and murder of the girl were brought by the Patrick officers.   Wagoner 
has confessed the crime but refuses to go into any details.  Another youth who 
was with Wagoner at the time of the shooting is being held in jail at Stuart, 
according to Constable Dick Giles and Sheriff Mays who bought Wagoner here 
yesterday.  

  Deputy Sheriff George M. Turner of Martinsville this morning related the story 
as he gathered it from two Patrick County officers.  The story as told was that:

  On Sunday afternoon the little girl, whose name only is given as Whalen 12 
years old of the Dodson section had gone to a neighbor’s house for some apples.   
She had borrowed her father’s horse.  On the way back home between 4 and 5 
o’clock just as dusk was covering the land, the attack and murder occurred.  
Wagoner and his companion were drinking, it was said.   They saw the girl riding 
some distance in front of them.   The two men are said to have plotted a 
criminal attack on the girl and it was decided that Wagoner was to accost her 
first and induce her to go with him.   He rode some distance ahead of the child 
and waited for her.   When the horse carrying the girl reached him, Wagoner, it 
is said grabbed the reins and stopped the animal.   He then, it is said made 
suggestions and caught the girl by the leg.   Screaming, she held tightly to the 
saddle and reins.   This frightened the horse and the animal plunged forward 
with the hysterical girl clinging to the saddle.   It was then that Wagoner 
pulled out a pistol and fired point blank at the girl who was only a few yards 
away, according to the officer’s story.  Wagoner and his companion who was 
waiting for him in the woods nearby then fled.

  Immediately after the shooting a neighbor named Martin, approached from the 
direction in which the girl was going with a wound in her back.  He rushed the 
child to her home where she died two hours later. 
 
  Mr. Martin had witnessed the attack and shooting from a distance.  Just as he 
came into view, he beheld the attack.  He put on all speed in his race to save 
the child from her assailant but was too late.

  News of the attack and murder spread rapidly and according to Deputy Sheriff 
Turner who was quoting Sheriff Mays a mob of over a hundred men and boys armed 
with pistols, shotguns, and rifles were soon scouring the woods for the 
assailant and slayer of the little child.  

  “And that would have been the end of them too,” Sheriff Mays is quoted as 
telling Deputy Sheriff Turner “had the posse found the men.”  Deputy Sheriff 
Turner said that he was told that feeling in Patrick County was running high and 
that it was concluded that Wagoner in Martinsville. 
 
  Wagoner was not arrested until Tuesday afternoon following Sunday, the day of 
the murder.  He had gone to a relative’s house near Bassett.  The relative is 
said to have notified the authorities of Wagoner’s whereabouts and his arrest 
followed.  Almost simultaneously with his arrest, word was received that his 
companion whose name has not been learned had been apprehended and was in jail 
at Stuart.  

  Wagoner who appears to be about 18 years old is said to be a bad character and 
at the time of the deplorable attack and murder of Sunday was being sought on a 
charge of felonious shooting another man about six months ago.  Other than 
admitting that he committed the crime, he maintains a silent attitude.


File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/patrick/newspapers/patrickm152gnw.txt

This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/vafiles/

File size: 4.5 Kb