Posted on: Bradford County Biographies Reply Here: http://cgi.rootsweb.com/~genbbs/genbbs.cgi/USA/Fl/BradfordBios/19 Surname: Peele, Bennett, Thompson, Wiggins, Starling, Duncan, Williams, Andreu, Johnson, Visaggi, Adkins, Douglas, Maines ------------------------- BRADFORD COUNTY TELEGRAPH - 23 AUGUST 1943 - SHOOTING SPREE FATAL TO ONE; WOMAN HELD - Ancil THOMPSON, 32 year old Lawtey carpenter, is dead, and Joe D. PEELE, also of Lawtey, is being held in the County Jail charged with first-degree murder in connection with his shooting at Lawtey Saturday night. Richard BENNETT, JR., son of Mr. and Mrs. R. D. BENNETT, of Lawtey, was also shot through the cheek, nose and right arm; and Ossie Bell WIGGINS, of Lawtey received one or two bullets through the hip at the same time, and presumably by the same person. A bullet also grazed Ed STARLING'S stomach, but he was not injured. Mr. PEELE was also jailed here along with his wife; but was released Tuesday and a first-degree murder charge was filed against Mrs. PEELE, following a thorough investigation Monday by State Attorney T. E. DUNCAN and Assistant State Attorney Joe Hill WILLIAMS. The 32-calibre pistol that Mrs. PEELE is alleged to have used was found, along with eight empty 32 cartridges, Sheriff A. O. ANDREU stated this week. Neither a 38 caliber pistol that Mr. PEELE was supposed to have had, nor any empty 38 cartridges were found. He helped fire a shotgun into the ground to prevent anybody's using it to kill somebody with, the sheriff stated. Just exactly how the shooting started is not clear--at least, those who know the most talk the least about the actual cause of the fray. However, a lengthy interview with Richard BENNETT, who received perhaps the worst wounds of any who "lived to tell the tale", reveals that the real argument seems to have started about 4 o'clock Saturday afternoon. "Ossie Bell WIGGINS talked though to Elsie VISAGGI" (his sweetheart who worked as a waitress in the PEELES' cafe). Richard BENNETT said in the Telegraph office Monday afternoon, Then Miss VISAGGI and Richard BENNETT'S father were also in the office. But he said after a few words, it all passed over. However, after the cafe closed about __:45 o'clock Saturday night, trouble started in earnest, though it is not clear just what caused it. Miss VISAGGI rented an apartment from the PEELES upstairs at the rear of the store, and she and Richard BENNETT and the other waitress, Jean JOHANSON, and the PEELES' 12 year old son, Roger, were all up there where Miss VISAGGI was cooking supper. They were to have supper, take Miss JOHANSON home, and then BENNETT and Miss VISAGGI were to come to Starke to a movie. A large crowd was milling around in front of the cafe, and some were "throwing things" upstairs, BENNETT said, and "fooling around my car." He came down with his shot-gun "to protect his car", he said. Ed STARLING and others tried to take it away from him. They finished their supper and took the girl home and when they came back it seem that the fire-works began. It is said that Mrs. PEELE had exhausted her efforts in trying to disperse the Saturday night beer-soaked crowd, and failing to do so, shot eight or more bullets at random into the crowd, killing one and wounding three others. She will likely be tried in the November term of Circuit Court. BRADFROD COUNTY TELEGRAPH - 10 SEPTEMBER 1943 - BOND GRANTED FOR MRS. JOE D. PEELE - Lawtey store-keeper who shot and killed Ancil THOMPSON, wounded Richard BENNETT, JR., and Ossie Bell WIGGINS, and "grazed" Ed STARLING with a bullet from her .32 caliber pistol in front of her store Saturday night, August 14, was released from the County Jail Tuesday on $7,500 bail. As a result of the special hearing conducted in the office of Circuit Judge A. Z. ADKINS on Monday, August 16, under the direction of State Attorney T. E. DUNCAN and Assistant State Attorney Joe Hill WILLIAMS, Judge ADKINS, upon further investigation, released Mrs. PEELE from custody. She was released under a writ of habeas corpus petitioned for by her attorneys, Zach DOUGLAS, of Gainsville, and Hal Y. MAINES, of Lake Butler. In his order, signed September 6, Judge ADKINS said: "The Court having heard the testimony in said cause and argument of Council for the State and petitioner, and being advised in the premises, is of the opinion that the proof is not evident, and the presumption great that the petitioner, Edna PEELE, is guilty of murder in the first degree; therefore she is entitled to bail. It is therefore ordered, adjudged and decreed by the Court that upon Edna PEELE, the petitioner, giving bond as required by law in the sum of $7,500, to be approved by the Clerk of this Court, condition for her appearance at the next special or regular term of this Court to abide the order and decree of this Court, that she then be released from custody by the Sheriff of the County. BRADFORD COUNTY TELEGRAPH - 12 NOVEMBER 1943 - FIRST DEGREE MURDER TRIAL SET FOR DECEMBER 6 - The Circuit Court Grand Jury, in session here Monday, brought in a ___rue bill of first degree murder in the case of Mrs. Edna PEELE, of Lawtey, who on August 14 killed Ancil THOMPSON and wounded Richard BENNETT, JR., Ossie Bell WIGGINS and Ed STARLING in front of her place of business in Lawtey. When arraigned before Judge A. Z. ADKINS. She pleaded not guilty, and her trial was set for 10 A.M. Monday, December 6.