The Morning News

SHOT DOWN IN HIS FIELD.

Carroll County the Scene of a Willful Murder.

Frank Hand, a Boy of 17, Kills Joe Turner, Aged 50. Hand Had Been Told by Turner to Keep Out of His Field. The Slayer Accompanied to the Scene of the Shooting by the Dead Man's Son-in-Law.

Carrollton, Ga., Aug. 6.—A terrible murder occurred in New Mexico district, this county, eighteen miles southwest of here, on the Alabama and Heard county lines, yesterday afternoon at 4 o'clock. Frank Hand, a 17-year-old boy, shot to death Joe Turner, a man 50 years old. The only eye-witness was John Hester, Turner's 20-year-old son-in-law.

Turner was at work in his field and Hand, who had a double-barrel shotgun and pistol, and John Hester, who also had a gun and pistol, went to where Turner was for Hester and Turner to swap guns. This is what Hand and Hester say. Turner, who was a hard working, inoffensive man, did not allow his son-in-law, Hester, to come about him, nor did he allow Hand on his premises. When Turner saw that Hand was in his field, he ordered him out at once, and Hand replied that he would go soon. Turner picked up some rocks, so Hand and Hester say, and started toward Hand, and, when he came up with the rocks he hit Hand on the face and knocked him down.

THE FATAL SHOTS.

As Hand raised up from the ground he shot the old man twice, one bullet lodging just below the heart and the other striking in the breast bone, going into the jaw. Hand says he went home, where he was arrested later and brought here and jailed this morning about three o'clock. To the Morning News correspondent Hand says he killed old man Turner in self defense, and that Turner did not allow him to come on his premises because Hand had said Turner had negro blood in him.

The coroner went down to the scene of the killing late last night to hold an inquest. Hester is under arrest and will be held till the coroner's investigation is over. Turner was well thought of in the community, and many believe that Hand and Hester went there purposely to kill him. Hester has just been released from the chain gang. After the shooting Hand ran home and Hester left. Mrs. Turner, wife of the murdered man, heard the shooting and heard her husband call and she went to the field and just as she came in sight she saw a man run from her husband's body to a swamp that is near by.

Bert Hand, the father of Frank Hand the youthful murderer, acknowledges that he was the man who ran into the thicket, and says he did so because he saw that Turner was nearly dead and he did not want to see the woman find her husband dying. Frank Hand says he told his father to go and see if Turner was dead.

Some mystery shrouds the affair. Additional news about the killing is that the coroner's jury returned a verdict of willful murder. Hester swore that he tried to keep Hand from going into the field where Turner was, but Hand said he would go where he pleased. Hester swore that Turner did nothing to cause Hand to shoot him. Hester is still in custody.