Actually, I know of three other murders from early 20th century Illinois: ================================ 1) Obits & Tidbits, Franklin County, Il. 1905-1909, compiled by Carla Pulliam. O/T 1905-1909; Carla Pulliam; pge 40; article dated Jan 18, 1907: Hosea SMOTHERS, son of Eli SMOTHERS, shot and killed James THREEWITT, son of W. S. THREEWITT after an argument ensued over some stock belonging to THREEWITT breaking into the premises of SMOTHERS. Both men were aged about 21 years and were second cousins. SMOTHERS is in jail awaiting a preliminary hearing. Bill Smothers NOTE-1: Hosea SMOTHERS was later sentenced to 25 years in the penitentiary, but he apparently served only a few years before being released. By 1920-21 Hosea is out of prison and married. Bill Smothers NOTE-2: James THREEWITT was the son of Winfield Scott THREEWITT, son of John and Mary SMOTHERS BAILEY THREEWITT. ================================ 2) Andrew J. Smothers shot and killed by Flannery Williamson, 1913, Marion Co., IL. Flannery was attempting to steal the title to Andrew Smothers farm; he was sent to prison, paroled after 22 years, then murdered another man in MO, and was executed for the 2nd murder (in MO). ================================ 3) From The Benton Newspaper, Franklin Co., IL, (1920): Greenberry Smothers is killed by Sherman Hart. Smothers, age 65, is dead and Hart, age 35, is badly wounded. There was a shootout between the two men in a cornfield over a cow in the corn. Occured 1 mile west of Thompsonvill, IL. on 4 Oct 1920. Greenberry in 1920 censes was 67 years old and Sarah 65 years old. ================================ Bill Smothers >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 > > >