Revolting Crime in Sumter County: Negro Burglars Murder a White Woman – Both Killed

Demopolis, Ala. – A most horrible and revolting crime was committed by two negroes at Bellamy, Sumter County. Robert Gully and Simon Holly were the two fiends.

About 12 o’clock, Mr. and Mrs. R. T. Gray were quietly awakened and saw a negro in the room. She called her husband, who was sleeping soundly. The negro, Robert Gully, told her to keep quiet or her would kill her. She again called her husband and the negro shot her brains out, killing her instantly. By this time her husband awakened and the negro opened fire upon him, striking him twice, in the hand and in the leg. Gray jumped and grabbed the negro, who, in the scuffle, succeeded in getting out of the house, Gray struggling all the time with the brute. Fortunately, Gray’s hand stuck an axe in the yard and with it he fought the brute until he killed him.

By this time the people of the village were aroused and on the spot. The negro, Simon Holly, Had been seen by someone running from the scene and a chase was made for him. He was found in the woods filled with lead.

The dead negroes had in their pockets money purses they had stolen from different people. They had been robbing people right and left, but had succeeded in evading detection. They were employed by the Allison Lumber Company.

Mr. and Mrs. Gray were young people and had been married only a few months. He was a trusted employee of the Allison Lumber Company. He and his wife came from Chilton County and were from good families and were well esteemed by the people of Bellamy. The scene of the horrible affair is about twenty-two miles from this city.