The father, Harmon Smothers, is known to me. See: http://worldconnect.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=edmond- smothers&id=I06430 But I have nothing on his children (Clarence).....guess I need to do a little follow-up research. This is the third murder involving Smothers in early 20th century southern Illinois that I am aware of (the other two murders had Smothers as victims). Bill Smothers Delaware >Date: Mon, 9 Dec 2002 17:41:34 -0700 >From: "Charles Quindry" <cquindry@accessus.net> >Source: ILFRANKL-L@rootsweb.com >Subject: Gordon Bennett article & obit > >GORDON BENNETT DIES OF GUN WOUNDS>Shot Four Times Early Sunday by Clarence >Smothers and Roy McClintock-1922 Benton, Illinois >*** >Smothers Now in Benton Jail >**** >Officers Fail to Locate McCLintock Who Dissappeared >Immediately Following Shooting > >Gordon Bennett died at 3:48 this morning at the hospital as a result of four >gunshot wounds he received early Sunday morning at the hands of Clarence >Smothers and Roy McClintock. > >He lingered so long and was seemingly improving so much, his relatives and >friends had built up hopes for his recovery. > >Smothers, who shot him in the back, and who is possibly the one most >responsible for his death, was brought up from West Frankfort at noon today >and placed in jail. He is suffering from a wound from a shot from Bennett's >gun and several broken ribs received when his car turned over near No 18 >mine when he was trying to make his escape. > >Roy McClintock who also shot Bennett made good his escape the night of the >affair and has not yet been apprehended. > >Gordon Bennett was born on the Bennett farm in Crawford's Prairie, March 16, >1892 his age, therefore, being thirty years, two months and twenty-four >days. His parents are George W and Frances Bennett both surviving. He is >also survived by four brothers and two sisters, namely, Commadore, Raybern, >Jewell, Ransom, Aileen and Imogene. > >Early in life he engaged in teaching then he became restless and decided to >see the world with as a result that when he returned with first-hand >information _______ (page torn). > >On May 20, 1918 he was wedded to Miss Jewell Secrest of Mt Vernon who passed >away June 2, the following year. >Nine days after his marriage, May 29, 1919, he entrained with a contingent >of soldiers for Atlanta Ga, being placed in charge of the train when it left >Benton. He was attached to Co F, 5th replacement and at Camp Grant, Ill. >Funeral services will probably take place at the Bennett home at the corner >of Washington and Commerical streets Saturday afternoon, Rev John A >McClintock officiating, deceased often expressing the desire that when he >died he wanted Rev McClintock to preach his funeral inasmuch as he was the >one who married him. >Interment will take place at the Masonic and Odd Fellows cemetery. > >TWO WOUNDED IN GUN BATTLE EARLY SUNDAY >The home of "Mother" Lee on South McLeansboro road near the Hart-Williams >mine was the scene of some real gun play about 1 o'clock Sunday morning, >some twenty shots being fired, according to the best information available. >When the smoke of battle had cleared away, Gordon Bennett was found to be in >a very serious condition having been shot four times twice from the back and >twice from the front, all of the bullet holes indicating that Bennett was in >the act of turning as each shot was fired. >Many rumors are current as to the cause of the affairs but it is most >generally believed that several youths from Frankfort Heights and in the >vicinity of Mine No 18 went to the Lee house with the intention of having >trouble. These included Bill Rotramel, Clarence Smothers, Roy McClintock, >Bill Wall, Enrich Burk, Jewel Hungate and another names >Foster. >It is said that McClintock opened the affair by saying something to one of >the girl's which was displeasing to Bennett. McClintock is alleged to have >then drew his gun and Bennett did likewise and ordered McClintock to hand >him the gun. At that moment Smothers, who was at the rear of Bennett, drew >his gun and fired, and as Bennett turned to >face Smothers, McClintock drew his gun and fired at Bennett. One of the men >used a 45 Colts and the other a 22 Smith Wessen. Bennett fired his gun >twice. >The gang then left the house Smothers jumping into his Ford and headed >toward Mine 18 and as he neared that place is said to have run into a ditch, >upset his car and received six broken ribs. Upon being examined by >physicians it was found that he had been shot twice, one bullet grazing his >stomach and the other had entered an arm. The physicians >say it will be some time before he is able to be brought to jail here and he >is now being guarded by Tobe Hungate. >In making his getaway from the Lee house, McClintock jumped into the car of >"Peck" Hill, a local jitney driver, and ordered Hill at the point of a gun >to drive as fast as he could also in the direction of Mine 18. The manner >of escape of the others is unknown. >Bennett was brought to Dr Moore's hospital where Drs Sidney Moore, Edgar >Austin and H A Vise operated upon him. >It is found that Bennett was shot once through the right leg, twice through >the back and once through the side, one of the bullets penetrating the lungs >and his intentines were cut in seven places. >He is in a very serious condition and his relatives and friends have little >hopes of his recovery. >Bennett is a son of Mr and Mrs George W Bennett of this city. He is 30 years >of age and was practically raised on the Bennett farm in the vicinity of >Parrish. >The other members of the gang are also said to have been raised in the >vicinity of Parrish. >**Smothers is eighteen years of age and is a son of Harmon Smothers** who >resides just over the line in Cave township. >Some are inclined to believe that the shooting of Bennett was the aftermath >of trouble in which Bennett and the others had been involved in since the >days when they attended school together. >(Benton newspaper) > > >________________________________________________________ _________ >Add photos to your e-mail with MSN 8. Get 2 months FREE*. >http://join.msn.com/?page=features/featuredemail > > >============================== >To join Ancestry.com and access our 1.2 billion online genealogy records, go to: >http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=571&sourceid=1237 > > >