of Chief Thornton, They were returned to Butts «County for trial
and Carter, Rucker, Kk and Williams were all convicted and sentenced
to die. Ina separate trial, Adkins was convicted and sentenced to
life imprisonment while his wife was acquitted, After their convic=
tion, Carter confessed that he had been a participant in the #tlanta
robbery of a liquor store early on the morning of Oct. 16th in which
a night watchman had been killed and named as his companion Richard
Smith, He said that Smith had actually killed the watchman and
Smith was arrested in connection with that case, subsequently tried,
convictéd and finally electrocuted in 193 following an appeal, The
convictions .of Carter, Rucker and Williams in the Thornton case were
not appealed and they were all electrocuted at the Georgia State Pri-
son on Dec. 9, 1938. Three other condemned men, all black ,were put
to death on the same day.and on the morning of their deaths, they
formed a sextet and spent the morning singing spirituals., As they
went to the death chamber one-by-one, those remaining behind continued
to sing. Carter, the last of the six to die, entered the chamber
with a Bible in his hand and asked that someone who could read be
alléwed to read the Sixteenth Chapter of Matthew, verse 2l. He then
asked that this be placed on his tombstone, All went to their death
calmly and offered no sesista@nce. ‘
ATT.ANTA JOURNAL 10-17-1938; 10-26-1938; 11~15-19 38; 12-9~19 38.6
of Chief Thornton, They were returned to Butts «County for trial
and Carter, Rucker, Wk and Williams were all convicted and sentenced
to die. Ina separate trial, Adkins was convicted and sentenced to
life imprisonment while his wife was acquitted, After their convic=
tion, Carter confessed that he had been a participant in the #tlanta
robbery of a liquor store early on the morning of Oct. 16th in which
a night watchman had been killed and named as his companion Richard
Smith. He said that Smith had actually killed the watchman and
Smith was arrested in connection with that case, subsequently tried,
convictéd and finally electrocuted in 193 following an appeal, The
convictions .of Carter, Rucker and Williams in the Thprnton case were
not appealed and they were all electrocuted at the Georgia State Pri-
son on Dec. 9, 1938, Three other condemned men, all black ,were put
to death on the same day.and on the morning of their deaths, they
formed a sextet and spent the morning singing spirituals. As they
went to the death chamber one-by-one, those remaining behind continued
to sing. Carter, the last of the six to die, entered the chamber
with a Bible in his hand and asked that someone who could read be
allowed to read the Sixteenth Chapter of Matthew, verse 2), He then
asked that this be placed on his tombstone, All went to their death
calmly and offered no sesistgnce, ‘
ATTANTA JOURNAL 10-17-1938; 10-26-1938; 11-15-1938; 12-9-1938.
of Chief Thornton, They were returned to Butts -County for trial
and Carter, Rucker, Wt and Williams were all convicted and sentenced
to die. Ina separate trial, Adkins was convicted and sentenced to
life imprisonment while his wife was acquitted, After their convic~
tion, Carter confessed that he had been a participant in the stlanta
robbery of a liquor store early on the morning of Det. 16th in which
a night watchman had been killed and named as his companion Richard
Smith, He said that Smith had actually killed the watchman and
Smith was arrested in connection with that case, subsequently tried,
convictéd and finally electrocuted in 193 following an appeal, The
convictions of Carter, Rucker and williams in the Thornton case were
not appealed and they were all electrocuted at the Georgia State Pri~
son on Dec. 9, 1938. Three other condemned men, all black ,were put
to death on the same day and on the morning of their deaths, they
formed a sextet and spent the morning singing spirituals. As tl
went to the death chamber one-by-one, those remaining behind cont inued|
to sing. Carter, the last of the six to die, entered the chamber
with a Bible in his hand and asked that someone who could read be
allowed to read the Sixteenth Chapter of Matthew, verse 2, He then
asked that this be placed on his tombstone, All went to their death
calmly and offered no nesistences i
ATTANTA JOURNAL 10-17-1938; 10-26-1938; 11-15-1938; 12-9-1938.
SShsiy thd SFRied be eanustaney
‘tanh nomad Sotto Meee; -a.a0wy 229-290,
CARTER. Raymond, RUCKER, Charlie, and WILLIAMS, John Henry
| ) | 42- F-4 Li
Carter, 2h, Rucker, 18, and Williams, alias Jim Henry Williams, 21,
were members of ZAHREXKMAK a gang that committed a number of burgla-
ries in several rural Georgia Counties. On the evening of Oct.‘2,
1938, they were driven to Jackson, Ga., by another member of the gang,
28-year-old Tucius Adkins,and his wife, Mattie, The Adkins waited in
the car while Carter, Rucker and Williams entered a general merchan~
dise store ostensibly for the purpose of making a purchase, Thw onner
became suspicious when one of the men displayed a knife and hastily
called R&XX##% the 55-year-old Police Chief of Jackson, C. T. Thornton,
The three men fled down and alley and when Thornton arrived, he
followed them in pursuit. He ordered the men to halt and ‘Willisams
drew am «38 caliber pistol and began firing, Thornton returned the
fire before-one of the bullets struck him in the heart and killed
him, The three men ran back to the-car and left Jackson, Around
2 o'clock the next morning, the automobile was stopped an a back road
and all were taken into custody with the exception of Williams who
managed to escape into a field, leaving the murder weapon behind.
Williams was captured ten,hours later and all were taken to Fulton
Towers for safekeeping, A search of the suspects homes uncovered
»
mich merchandige that had been stolen in the recent wave of burglaries
and robberies and all made confessions, naming Williams as the slayer
+
CARTER. Raymond, RUCKER, Charlie, and WILLIAMS. John Henry
Carter, 2, Rucker, 18, and Williams, alias Jim ee oe 2l,
were members of ZAKKXXKMAK a gang that committed a number of burgla-
ries in several rural Georgia Counties, On the evening of Oct.:2,
1938, they were driven to Jackson, Ga., by another member of the gang,
28-year-old Tucius Adkins,and his wife, Mattie. The Adkins waited in
the car while Carter, Rucker and Williams entered a general merchan~
dige store ostensibly for the purpose of making a purchase, Thw owner
became suspicious when one of the men displayed a knife and hastily
called R@XX#K the 55-year-old Police Chief of Jackson, C. T, Thornton,
The three men fled down an alley and when Thornton arrived, he
followed them in pursuit. He ordered the men to halt and Williams
drew an ¢38 caliber pistol and began firing, Thornton returned the
fire before:one of the bullets struck him in the heart and killed
him, The three men ran back to the car and left Jackson, ‘round
2 o'clock the next morning, the automobile was stopped an a back road
and all were taken into custody with the exception of Williams who
managed to escape into a field, leaving the murder weapon behind.
Williams was captured ten.hours later and all were taken to Fulton
Towers for safekeeping. A search of the suspects homes uncovered
mach merchandise that had been stolen in the recent wave of burglaries
and robberies and all made confessions, naming Williams as the slayer
CARTER. Raymond, RUCKER, Charlie, and WILLIAMS. John Henry
Carter, 2h, Rucker, 18, and Williams, alias Jim fee tatioe al,
were members of 4AMRXXKMAK a gang that committed a number of burgla-
ries in several rural Georgia Counties, On the evening of Oct.: 2,
1938, they were driven to Jackson, Ga,, by another member of the gang,
28-year-old Tucius Adkins,and his wife, Mattie, The Adkins waited in
the car while Carter, Rucker and Williams entered a general merchan-
dise store ostensibly for the purpose of making a purchase, The onner|
became suspicious when one of the men displayed a knige and hastily
called R&IXHE the 55-year-old Police Chief of Jackson, C. T, Thornton,
The three men fled down and alley and when Thornton arrived, he
followed them in pursuit, He ordered the men to halt and ‘illiams
ew aR 936 caliber pistol and began firing, Thornton returned the
fire before-one of the bullets struck him in the heart and killed
hin, ‘The three men ran back to the car and left. Jackson. tround
2 o'clock the next morning, the automobile was stopped an a back road
and all were taken into custody with the exception of uate uo
managed to escape into a field, leaving the murder weapon
Villiams was ja ete ten hours later, and all were taken to Fulton
Towers for sa: ing. & search of the suspects homes uncove
mich merchandise that fad been stolen in the recent wave of burglaries
and robberies and all made confessions, naming Williams as the slay
rc, at te nif
EgiNetie tte Soa doris orate!
