Patrick County Virginia USGenWeb Archives News.....PATRICK MEN HELD FOR ATROCIOUS MURDER OF TWELVE YEAR GIRL November 20, 1924
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Ron Martin cindyandron@bellsouth.net June 3, 2022, 10:49 pm

The Danville Bee November 20, 1924
PATRICK MEN HELD FOR ATROCIOUS MURDER OF TWELVE YEAR GIRL
November 20, 1924
The Danville Bee

MARTINSVILLE, VA. NOV 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 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 brought Wagoner here yesterday.
  Deputy Sheriff George M. Turner of Martinsville, this morning related the 
story as he gathered it from the 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 officers' story.  Wagoner and his companion who was waiting for 
him in the wood 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 Sheriff Turner "had the posse found the men."  Deputy Sheriff Turner 
said 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 simultaneous 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.  


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