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Continued: On 12 Jun 1915, George Moton filed a petition for an interlocutorydecree for divorce from Alberta Moton. On 13 Oct 1915, George wasgranted a divorce from Alberta on the grounds of desertion for oneyear and her intolerable association with vile and disreputablepersons. Alberta was now a resident of the State of IL. Georgemarried Callie Bowden on 30 Oct 1915.
In the 1920 census, George Moton (Morton) was living with wife Callieon Shell Island in
James Bayou Township. George was 29; Callie was 42. George indicatedthat he was a
general foreman doing farm labor. Callie listed her occupation asnone. George and his father (Frank Robert) were listed as born inMissouri; George indicated his mother's place of birth as Tennessee.Callie listed her and her father's places of birth as Missouri and hermother's place of birth as Kentucky. Both George and Callie indicatedthey could read and write. George and Callie were married by John F.Martin, Judge of Probate in Charleston.
Lila told me about the following incident which I researched inCharleston, MO: Newspaper Article, The Enterprise-Courier,Charleston, MO, 8 May 1924. "Negro Dies From Wounds." "GeorgeMorton, shot by Charles Pettigrew at Wolf Island, succumbs inhospital. George Morton, a Colored farmer living on the Joe Moorefarm near Wolf Island, was shot and fatally wounded at 5:30 o'clockFriday afternoon by Charles Pettigrew, also Colored. The shootingfollowed an argument between the two men on some farming matter,reports being to the effect that Morton insisted on Pettigrew workingfor him, while the latter preferred a fishing expedition".
"Morton was shot through the stomach with a .38 Colts Special, thebullet passing out through the back. He was brought to Charleston formedical attention and taken from here to the Cairo hospital, where hedied at 3 o'clock Sunday morning. Pettigrew was arrested at his homeby Sheriff C.D. Jackson and Jess Gillespie, Deputy Sheriff, Saturdayand is now in jail on a charge of murder. He (Pettigrew) claims heshot Morton in self-defense."
I was unable to learn the outcome of this situation through thecurrent coroner in Alexander, County, IL in 1998 as the records hadbeen destroyed. Research of the Circuit Court Records of MS., Co. MO.revealed that Charles Pettigrew was tried on 30 Jul 1924 and foundguilty of murder in the second degree of George Morton. On 1 Aug 1924,Pettigrew was sentenced to ten years in the Missouri StatePenitentiary starting from 3 May 1924, the date of George's murder.
The Missouri State Penitentiary Records identified Charles Pettigrewas a 29 year old farmer, 5' 4-3/4" tall; foot, 10" long; hair blackand kinky; eyes, Mar; complexion medium brown; religion Protestant;education, 4th grade; former imprisonment, #12224, MissouriPenitentiary; wife Etta of Wolf Island, MS Co., MO; weight 135 pounds;convited of murder in MS Co., MO; Sentence: Ten years from 3 May1924; Term of Court: July 1924; released under merit time on 11 Apr1930.
On 7 Oct 1914, Charles Pettigrew was convicted of another murder inthe first degree in MS. Co., MO which was changed to manslaughter inthe fourth degree (the victim was not named). Pettigrew wassentenced to three years at hard labor in the Missouri StatePenitentiary in Jefferson City. Pettigrew was held 27 days;discharged under ?34 law on 2 Feb 1917.
George died at St. Mary's Hospital in Cairo, IL as a result of ahomicide (pistol shot wound in stomach). He is buried in Mounds, IL,cemetery unknown. The undertaker was E. A. Burke of Cairo, IL. JoeMoore, the owner of the farm where the homicide occurred was theinformant. George's age was listed as about 26. There was verylittle information on his death certificate.
Lila Morton Clark recalled that a Dr. Shelby cared for George and thefamily was waiting for Roy to come, possibly from Detroit where helived for many years. There seemed to be a problem in deciding how totreat George after the shooting incident. Lila said George was withThord at his home prior to being taken to the hospital for surgerywhile they awaited Roy's arrival. Lila believed George was buried inCharleston and has a tombstone but his death certificate does notindicate a clear place of burial.
Ettarow Smith, Editor, The Enterprise-Courier. Newspaper Articlepublished the Administrator's Notice on the settlement of GeorgeMorton's Estate. "Notice is hereby given that letters of testamentaryon the estate of George Morton, Col, Deceased, were granted to theundersigned Administrator on the 19th day of May 1924 by the ProbateCourt of Mississippi County, MO. All persons having claims againstsaid estate are required to exhibit them for allowance to theadministrator and present them to the Probate Court for allowancewithin six months after the date of the granting of said letters, orthey may be precluded from any benefit of said estate; and if suchclaims be not exhibited within one year from the date of granting saidletters they shall be forever barred. Joe H. Moore, Administrator,P.O. Address, Charleston, MO. Seal-Attest: J.B."
Probate costs against George Morton's estate totaled $12.05. In aletter from Joe H. Moore dated 19 May 1924, Moore as the administrator"agreed to pay the doctor's bills, operation costs, hospital expenses,and funeral expenses of George Moton, and after those expenses, andother debts of Moton are paid, to turn over to Callie Morton, widow ofGeorge Moton, such moneys or property as may be left".
"Callie Morton, widow of George Moton, deceased, agrees to waive allher rights and interest in the estate of George Moton, deceased to theextent that the bills and debts above mentioned may be taken care ofwith the strict understanding, however, that any property, or moneyleft after the above settlements is to be paid over to her". CallieMorton signed the above order.
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