Southampton County Virginia USGenWeb Archives News.....Murder-Suicide, 1939 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/va/vafiles.htm ************************************************ WILLIAM RICHARD JOHNSON, CALLIE LEE WORRELL JOHNSON AND SHIRLEY WINIFRED JOHNSON TENANT FARMER KILLS WIFE AND CHILD, THEN SELF William Richard Johnson of the Branchville Neighborhood Shoots Wife and Baby Daughter Before Slaying Self Monday Afternoon HAD FACED TRIAL FOR THREATENING SPOUSE William Richard Johnson, 28-year-old tenant farmer of the Branchville community, took his life early Monday afternoon, after having first killed his wife, Mrs. Callie Lee Worrell Johnson, 27, and their daughter, Shirley Winifred Johnson, who would have been three years old this month. An old type pump shotgun was used, the tragedy occurring shortly after 1 o'clock. Mrs. Johnson was shot twice, once in the side and another time in the throat. The little girl was shot through the heart, the fourth shot, that ended Johnson's life, going through his head. The shots were heard by several Negroes, Allison Kendricks, heard four shots fired. He told Sheriff T.B. Bell, Commonwealth's Attorney Junius W. Pulley, Deputy Sheriff William Bell and Reuben Smith, who sublet part of the farm to Johnson, that as he was going to Smith's home to do some work he had to pass the Johnson home. Kendricks said he heard one shot and after walking about 150 yards heard a second. A third followed, he said after he had walked another 150 yards, coming up to the house to see what the trouble was, and a fourth immediately after the third. On seeing the prostate bodies Kendricks informed Otis Davis, having just left the home of the latter and his father, E.C. Davis of the neighborhood. Otis Davis hurried to Branchville and telephoned Sheriff Bell. When the authorities arrived at about 3:30 they found the three bodies in the back yard of the home, all having apparently died almost instantly. Mr. Pulley, acting as coroner, rendered a verdict of murder and suicide. Johnson was lying some 14 feet from the back porch, and five feet from the child, three empty cartridges being found near him. By the child, who lay a foot or so from the porch was another empty cartridge. Johnson and his wife were lying on their backs the child on her side. A fifth cartridge was found which could not be explained. Mr. Pulley said that there was no evidence of disturbance in the house. Dinner dishes had been washed and the remnants of the meal covered by a cloth over the dining room table. He thought that Johnson had wounded his wife in the house and that she had fallen on her back as she ran for her life into the yard. The shot in the side, obviously the first one striking her, was fired at some distance, whereas the wound in the throat was made at close range. It was surmised that Johnson fired the second shot standing over his wife after she had fallen in the back yard. A white man employed at a near-by saw mill had talked to Johnson just before the tragedy. Three employees of the mill lodged in the Johnson home. Just after the mill employee had returned to the mill, finding Johnson in an ugly temper, he heard four shots. Authorities were at a loss to find a motive for the slayings. Hudnall Lewis Johnson, first grade pupil in the Boykins grammar school, was the only one of the family to escape death. As he returned on the school bus he was taken off and carried to the home of his maternal grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Emmett F. Worrell, who live near the Johnson home. Johnson had a reputation with his neighbors for being quarrelsome, and in August 1938, had been brought before Trial Justice Chas. W. Davis on a charge of threatening his wife and children. The case was dismissed for lack of corroborating testimony, but the hearing developed the following: Last year, prior to the hearing, Johnson had taken the two children away from the home during his wife's absence. When she returned Johnson told her he had given the children rat poison. As a matter of fact the children were safe at a neighbor's where he had left them, but the incident was remembered after Monday's tragedy. SERVICES FOR JOHNSON Funeral services for Johnson were held in Beechwood Cemetery, Boykins, Tuesday afternoon at 4 o'clock by the Rev. F.B. Handley of Boykins Baptist Church. Pallbearers were J.L. Pope, J.A. Ferguson, B.C. Gray, Emmett Pope, R.E. Ricks and Reuben Smith. Mrs. H.M. Purviance, Mrs. E.W. Bryant and Miss Frances White furnished music. Johnson was the son of Samuel H. and Nannie Carter Johnson, and was born March 18, 1911. Besides his parents and his son he is survived by the following brothers and sisters; Mrs. John L. Pope, Branchville, Samuel H. Johnson, Jr., Roanoke Rapids, N.C., Mrs. Dellie R. Vick, Mrs. James Ferguson and Miss Mary Helen Johnson, all of Newsoms; surviving half-brothers and sisters are Mrs. Stanley H. Story and John H. Story, both or Roanoke Rapids, and Mrs. Bernice C. Gray of Newsoms. DOUBLE RITES FOR MOTHER AND CHILD Double funeral services for Mrs. Johnson and daughter, Shirley Winifred, were held at Newsoms Baptist Church Tuesday afternoon at 2:30 o'clock by the Rev. A.W. Coates of Drewryville, assisted by Rev. Mr. Handley. Music was rendered by Mrs. Purviance and pallbearers were, for Mrs. Johnson: Reuben Smith, J.G. Francis, A.E. Hudson, Paul Thomas Johnson, Eure Beale and Edward Ricks. Pallbearers for the child were Joseph Ricks, Howard Worrell, Woodrow Ferguson, Harold Hudson and Joseph C. Spence. Mrs. Johnson, the daughter of Emmett F. and Mary Ricks Worrell, was born December 30, 1911. Besides her parents and son, Hudnall Lewis, she is survived by a brother, Howard Worrell, of Branchville, and three sisters, Mrs. Joe Ferguson of Branchville, Mrs. Kirby Hudson of Roanoke Rapids and Mrs. Casper Comer of Franklin. William "Willie" Richard JOHNSON, of the Branchville area, tenant farmer, b. 18 Mar 1911, Southampton Co., murder/suicide 9 Oct 1939, at home, interred in Beechwood Cemetery*, Boykins, 10 Oct 1939 Callie Lee (WORRELL; Mrs. William R.) JOHNSON, of the Branchville area, b. 30 Dec 1911, Southampton Co., murdered 9 Oct 1939, at home, interred in Hollywood Cemetery (unmarked**), Newsoms, 10 Oct 1939 Shirley Winifred JOHNSON, daughter of William R. & Callie L. (WORRELL) JOHNSON, of the Branchville area, b. 24 Feb 1936, Southampton Co., murdered 9 Oct 1939, at home, interred in Hollywood Cemetery (unmarked**), Newsoms, 10 Oct 1939 "The Tidewater News" (Franklin, VA), Oct. 13, 1939, p. 1 *Willie is buried with his parents. Southampton County Historical Society {SCHS} Cemetery Project, Beechwood list (BE-AX1I-4): http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/southampton/cemeteries/beechwd.txt **Callie & Shirley are buried (unmarked) with Callie's parents. SCHS Cemetery Project, Hollywood list (N-43 & -76): http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/southampton/cemeteries/hollywd.txt Shirley's Death Certificate, #23227, spells her middle name "Winfred." Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Mrs. Bruce Saunders (bs4403@verizon.net), and re-formatted by File Manager. file at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/southampton/news/19391013tn.txt