Newspaper Account of the Death of
Bibb County, Georgia Resident
JOHN BRASWELL
Submitted by jallen46@cox.net

From The Macon Telegraph as published on Wednesday Sept. 20, 1893

MURDERED AND THEN ROBBED
Farmer Braswell on His Way Home From Macon Meets With a Horrible Death.
FOUR NEGROES ARRESTED
Filled His Head and Neck With Buckshot and Slugs, and Then cut his Throat From Ear to Ear.

Murder and robbery were committed on the Columbus road late on Monday night, seven miles from Macon, at what is known as Seven Mile Branch.

The victim was Mr. John J. Braswell who was on his way to his home in Cold __[?]__ district, eleven miles from the city, where his wife and children were peacefully sleeping with no thought of the horrible fate that had befallen the husband and father.

Mr. Braswell came into the city Monday morning and sold two bales of cotton at Willingham’s warehouse for which he received a receipt and also a check for the amount of the cotton.

From the warehouse Mr. Braswell went to the bank and got the check cashed and then he went to several stores and bought about $10 worth of provisions.

When he had finished his business in the city Mr. Braswell started home about dark, with the provisions in his wagon. Out on Columbus road about two and a half miles from the city he met several acquaintances and stopped to talk with them. This made him unusually late, but as he knew the road thoroughly and had no fear of harm he thought nothing of it.

Along the silent road he drove until he reached the creek known as Seven Mile Branch. Immediately on the side of the road at the branch is a pool from which it is the custom of the farmers who pass that way to stop and let their stock drink. On either side of the road at this point is a rail fence which would afford ample screen for any one who might wish to conceal themselves from view of people passing in the road, and at the same time be in position to see every passer, even on a dark night.

THE MURDER When Mr. Braswell arrived at the branch the supposition is that he stopped to permit his mule to drink. Whether the murder or murders were concealed here or whether they had met him in the road is not known, but the indications are that while his mule was drinking from the pool someone at very close range behind him fired a lead of slugs and buckshot from a musket into the back of his head, and between his shoulders.

This belief is based on the fact that the wounds showed for themselves and scorched gun wadding was found on the ground near the branch.

Fifteen or twenty yards from where the gun wadding was found was a large pool of blood in the middle of the road and quarter of a mile further on and in front of Shiloh Church the receipt for the cotton Mr. Braswell had sold were found in the road and at this point leading off into the woods the tracks of three men were found. One of them was barefooted.

Here were also evidence to show that the provisions had been taken from the wagon.

AT THE HOUSE It was 11:30 on Monday night when Mrs. Braswell heard a wagon roll into the __[?]__ at her house. She had been awaiting the return of her husband from town and while shoe wondered what made him so late she felt relieved when she heard the wagon and patiently waited for the footsteps.

After waiting for some time and not hearing even the noise made by taking the mule from the wagon, Mrs. Braswell suspected something wrong and calling to her...[?]

The boy went out and seeing his father sitting in the body of the wagon thought he was asleep. He called to him but as he received no answer approached the wagon and there in the darkness he saw his father with his throat cut from ear to ear and literally covered with blood.

The boy gave the alarm and soon the entire family was aroused. Some hurried to neighboring farms and spread the news until finally the whole neighborhood was aroused.

THEY ORGANIZE As soon as those who were notified went to the Braswell home and learned of the foul murder they organized for the purpose of finding the murderer or murderers.

Mr. Ab Braswell, brother of the dead was hastened to Coroner Hodnett’s house, which is two miles out on the Columbus Road, and after notifying him returned home to assist the searching party that had been formed.

It was not long after daylight when Coroner Hodnett arrived at the home of the dead man.

Seated in the body of the wagon was Mr. Braswell, cold in death and almost swimming in his own life blood. The gash in his throat was wide enough to insert a man’s arm into it and was gaping wide open. The back of his head was filled with buckshot and slugs and also showed evidence of having been crushed in with some heavy instrument.

One of the slugs that entered the back of the head came out of the forehead.

The wagon body was besmeared all over with blood and presented a sickening appearance.

CORONER’S VERDICT As soon as a jury could be obtained an inquest was held and a verdict of murder at the hands of some one unknown to the jury rendered.

After the inquest was over Coroner Hodnett and the posse which had already been scouring the woods for the murderers received information that led them to go to a field where four negroes were working and place them under arrest.

When the negroes were arrested they all protested innocence but acknowledged having been out all the night before hunting possums. At the house of one of them a bloody knife of large size was found.

This was taken by Coroner Hodnett as evidence and the four negroes who are named Matthews, __[?]__ and two Troutmans were placed in jail. Two others are suspected of having had something to do with the murder and they will probably be caught today.


Bibb County, Georgia AHGP Home

Georgia History Home


Genealogy Links for Georgia Researchers
Uncover Your Peachy Past!


Copyright © 2004 S. Lincecum & Submitters