Bad Crime: Negroes Kill Lady; Vengeance Later

Birmingham, Alabama, September 13.- Word had just reached here from Bellamy, Alabama, near York, which brings the story of one of the most terrible crimes ever perpetrated in Alabama.

Mrs. Tate Gray is dead from a pistol shot through the head; Tate Gray is wounded through the arm and leg; Simon Holly has been lynched by a mob; Richard Gully has been killed by being chopped in the head with an axe, in the hands of Gray.

The two negroes entered the Gray home last night at midnight. The awakened Mrs. Gray, who jumped out of bed to the floor and began screaming. The negro Gully shot her through the head, killing her. Mr. Gray jumped from the bed as soon as heard the struggles and shooting and grasped the Gully negro as the negro made an effort to jump through the window. Gully, seeing Mr. Gray up and fighting, shot Mr. Gray thorough the leg and hand, but Mr. Gray held on the Gully, finally dragging him back and into the hall, where he seized an axe and chopped the negro’s head open. Holly escaped from Mr. Gray.

As soon as the alarm was given and the neighbors learned from Mr. Gray of the terrible crime which had been enacted during the deadly hours of the night, a mob formed and went in search of Holly. He was found and many stolen articles were found in the search, showing the negroes to be burglars.

A confession of his crime was extracted from Holly, so he was hung and his body riddled with bullets.

There is yet much excitement in that section.

(1909, September 15). Bad Crime: Negroes Kill Lady; Vengeance Later. The Troy Messenger, pp.8.