1910 newspaper article about the murder of W. Hill Pennell
"The Lenoir News"
Lenoir, N.C.
Date: Tuesday, September 13, 1910
Vol. XIINo. 91
Front Page Article
Alexander Man Murdered
Killed in Kentucky--Remains Taken to
His Old Home For Burial
Mr. W. H. Pennell, son of Mr. Thos. Pennell, of Ellendale township, Alexander county, was killed Sunday night at Freeburn, Ky., and the coroner's jury rendered the verdict that Rome Crotts killed him.Mr. Pennell's remains reached Statesville Tuesday night and were taken to Alexander county Wednesday for burial.
Mr. Pennell was 30 years old and his wife and one child live with his father in Alexander county.Off and on for several years he had worked in Kentucky and Virginia, and at the time he was killed he was in the employ of the Freeburn Coal Company.Last week Mr. John Crotts and son, Rome Crotts, rented one of the company's houses and Mr. Pennell was to live with them, he and Rome Crotts to occupy the same room and the same bed, they being good friends.The two, Crotts and Pennell, had already moved into the house and Saturday the senior Crotts went after Mrs. Crotts at their former home, some miles away, and was to return Monday.Sunday Pennell, Crotts and others drank beer, but it is claimed they didn't get drunk.Monday morning Pennell was not on hand for work and his father-in-law, Mr. W. I Shaw, thinking that he had probably overslept, went to call him.Looking in at the window, he saw his dead body on the floor.Assisted by others whom he summoned, Mr. Shaw found two bullet holes just over Pennell's left eye.It was then recalled by some neighbors that they had heard shots about 9 o,clock Sunday night but paid little attention to them.Search was made for Rome Crotts but he has not been found and the coroner's jury lays the murder to him.
As far as any one knows Crotts and Pennell were the best of friends and had been for several years they worked together.Whatever trouble caused the murder must have arose just before the tragedy.Lying on the floor by the side of he dead man was found a pistol with three empty and two loaded chambers.There were no empty shells in the empty chambers.
Mr. W. I. Shaw, father-in-law of the deceased, accompanied the remains to Alexander county.
W. Hill Pennell
Son of TL & SC Pennell
born August 21, 1881
died September 4, 1910
buried Dover Baptist Church Cemetery
Alexander County, Taylorsville North Carolina
*Notes:Walter Hill "W.H." Pennell was a son of Thomas Larkin "Tom" Pennell and Sarah C. "Sally" Fortner Pennell.His wife was Geneva Shaw Pennell and his only child was Harry Lee Pennell.