FROM THE PORTSMOUTH MORNING SUN AS FOUND ON MICROFILM AT THE LIBRARY

TUESDAY, JANUARY 18 1927



"SCIOTOVILLE YOUTH SLAIN DURING LIQUOR ROW"








" OHIO FURNACE VICINITY IS SCENE OF SHOOTING"

       "MOON SHINE " DROPPED FROM HANDS OF ALLEGED GUN USER STARTS QUARREL WHICH ENDS
IN DEATH OF CLYDE GAMMON--"MOOD" MADDOX IS SOUGHT


      AN ARGUMENT OVER A GALLON OF MOONSHINE, ONE "MOOD" MADDOX, OF THE OHIO FURNACE VICINITY IS SAID TO HAVE DROPPED WHILE DRINKING WITH THE ALLEGED PURCHASER, CLYDE GAMMON, 22 OF SCIOTOVILLE, RESULTED IN THE FATAL SHOOTING OF GAMMON AT THE HOME OF MADDOX,IN THE EASTERN PART OF GREEN TOWNSHIP ABOUT 9 O'CLOCK MONDAY NIGHT. GAMMON, SUFFERING WITH A WOUND INFLICTED BY A BULLET THAT PASSED CLEAR THROUGH HIS BODY, DIED AS HE REACHED THE OFFICE OF DR. FRANK MASSIE AT HAVERHILL ABOUT A HALF HOUR AFTER THE SHOOTING. IRVIN WOHLER AND ALBERT NAGLE, BOTH SCIOTOVILLE YOUNG MEN, FRIENDS OF GAMMON, TOOK HIM TO THE OFFICE OF THE PHYSICIAN IN AN AUTOMOBILE.
      MADDOX, WHO FLED, IS BEING SOUGHT BY SHERIFF ELZA CANTER AS THE ALLEGED GUN USER. ACCORDING TO WOHLER AND NAGLE, THE TRIO LEFT SCIOTOVILLE EARLY LAST NIGHT TO VISIT THE OHIO FURNACE COMMUNITY WHERE THEY KNEW SEVERAL YOUNG WOMEN. THEY CLAIM THE FIRST STOP WAS AT THE MADDOX HOME WHERE THEY REMAINED WHILE GAMMON WENT UP THE ROAD AFTER TWO WOMEN. WOHLER AND NAGLE CLAIM GAMMON ORDERED A SUPPLY OF MOONSHINE FROM MADDOX BEFORE HE LEFT, AND THAT WHEN HE RETURNED WITH TWO MEN, MADDOX HAD SECURED A GALLON OF MOONSHINE, GAMMON USED NAGLE'S MACHINE IT IS SAID.
      ON THE RETURN OF GAMMON AND THE WOMEN WOHLER AND NAGLE CLAIM THE JUG WAS UNCORKED AND GAMMON TOOK A SAY, MADDOX REMARKED THAT IF HE TOOK ANOTHER DRINK HE COULD PROBABLY SING BETTER. THE YOUNG MEN SAY THAT GAMMON DRANK AGAIN AND THEN PASSED THE JUG TO MADDOX WHO DROPPED IT, THE JUG BROKE.


WOMAN FEINTS WOUND
      ACCORDING TO HIS COMPANIONS GAMMON THEN REMARKED TO MADDOX "IF YOU ARE A MAN YOU WILL MAKE IT GOOD". MADDOX IS SAID TO HAVE PLACED HIS HANDS IN A TRUNK AND THEN TO HAVE BACKED INTO THE KITCHEN. ON REACHING THE KITCHEN, HE FIRED ONE SHOT, APPARENTLY INTO THE AIR, IT IS SAID. ONE OF THE YOUNG WOMEN IS SAID TO HAVE FALLEN OVER AS IF SHOT. THIS WAS A SIGNAL FOR THE VISITORS TO RETREAT FROM THE HOUSE AND ACCORDING TO NAGLE AND WOHLER, THE TWO WOMEN AND THEMSELVES GOT OUT OF THE HOUSE AHEAD OF GAMMON. THEY CLAIM THAT MADDOX WAS STILL IN THE KITCHEN WHEN THE SECOND SHOT WAS FIRED. THIS IS THOUGHT TO BE THE SHOT THAT STRUCK GAMMON. GAMMON IS SAID TO HAVE FALLEN JUST OUTSIDE THE FRONT DOOR. JOHN MADDOX, FATHER OF "MOOD" MADDOX, IS SAID TO HAVE ASSISTED NAGLE AND WOHLER IN PLACING THE WOUNDED MAN IN THE MACHINE FOR THE TRIP TO THE DOCTOR'S OFFICE AT HAVERHILL.       ACCORDING TO DR. MASSIE, GAMMON WAS PROBABLY DEAD WHEN HE REACHED HIS OFFICE ALTHOUGH IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE THAT HE BREATHED A LITTLE AFTER BEING CARRIED INTO THE OFFICE BY HIS COMPANIONS. CORONER VIRGIL FOWLER WAS CALLED TO THE OFFICE OF DR. MASSIE AND EXAMINED THE BODY. HE FOUND THAT THE BULLET ENTERED GAMMON'S BACK AND PASSED JUST UNDER THE HEART COMING OUT UNDER THE LEFT BREAST. THE ALLEGED GUN USER IS SAID TO BE ABOUT 22 YEARS OF AGE. HIS FATHER AND MOTHER ARE SAID TO HAVE BEEN HOME AT THE TIME OF THE SHOOTING. THE MADDOX HOME IS UP A HOLLOW BEYOND OHIO FURNACE AND IS ON THE ROAD LEADING FROM OHIO FURNACE PIKE TO THE PINE CREEK ROAD. RELATIVES OF GAMMON DID NOT LEARN OF THE TRAGIC DEATH OF THEIR SON UNTIL ABOUT MIDNIGHT.



PARENTS NOTIFIED

      ABOUT THAT TIME CLAUDE TAYLOR AND HARLAN REMY OF SCIOTOVILLE, WHO WENT TO THE HOME OF GAMMON'S PARENTS, MR. & MRS. W. T. GAMMON, 5411-1/2 WINCHESTER AVENUE, SCIOTOVILLE, AND BROKE THE NEWS OF THE DEATH TO THE PARENTS. UNDERTAKER E. E. HACGUARD OF SCIOTOVILLE HAD LEARNED OF THE DEATH A SHORT TIME BEFORE AND HAD REMY AND TAYLOR VISIT THE GAMMON HOME. THE GRIEF-STRICKEN MOTHER, IN HER ANGUISH, SAID THAT SHE COULD NOT BELIEVE IT WAS HER SON, BECAUSE HE HAD BEEN IN BETTER SPIRITS THAN USUAL EARLIER IN THE EVENING AND BEFORE LEAVING HOME HAD JOKED WITH HER. GAMMON WAS 22 YEARS OF AGE NOVEMBER 4 LAST. ALL HIS LIFE HAD BEEN SPENT IN SCIOTOVILLE WHERE HE ATTENDED THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS. HE WORKED FOR A SHORT TIME IN THE CARLYLE BRICK PLANT WEST OF SCIOTOVILLE. SURVIVING IN ADDITION TO THE PARENTS ARE FOUR BROTHERS AND TWO SISTERS: WILLIAM AT HOME; ANDREW OF FREDERICK; BURT OF LINWOOD; GEORGE OF SCIOTOVILLE; MRS. STELLA BALDRIDGE OF SCIOTOVILLE; AND MRS. MARY TITUS OF PORTSMOUTH. SHERIFF CANTER AND DEPUTY GREEN WILLIS WENT TO THE SCENE AND AFTER VIEWING THE BODY AT THE OFFICE OF DR. MASSIE AND TALKING WITH WOHLER AND NAGLE, BEGAN A SEARCH FOR "MOOD" MADDOX. EMRICK'S AMBULANCE WAS SENT TO THE SCENE BY DEPUTY SHERIFF ROBERT RENO, AFTER SHERIFF CANTER HAD COMMUNICATED WITH HIS OFFICE.



WEDNESDAY JANUARY 19,1927

BULLET SPED STRAIGHT TO GAMMONS HEART


EVENTS MOVE FAST IN GREEN TWP. SHOOTING


--GUN USER SURRENDERS- CLAIMS SELF DEFENSE--

-- FATHER ARRESTED ON LIQUOR CHARGE --

- - VICTIM'S COMPANIONS QUESTIONED --


      ARREST OF MOODY MADDOX, 20 OF THE OHIO FURNACE COMMUNITY, ABOUT 7 O' CLOCK TUESDAY MORNING, NEAR HIS HOME, BY SHERIFF ELZA CANTER AND DEPUTY GREEN WILLIS, IN CONNECTION WITH THE FATAL SHOOTING OF CLYDE GAMMON, 22, OF SCIOTOVILLE, AT THE MADDOX HOME MONDAY NIGHT ABOUT 9:00; THE ARRAIGNMENT OF MADDOX IN MUNICIPAL COURT TUESDAY AFTERNOON ON A CHARGE OF SECOND DEGREE MURDER, WAIVING OF EXAMINATION AND BEING BOUND OVER TO THE GRAND JURY UNDER $5000 BOND; ARREST OF HIS FATHER, JOHN MADDOX, ON A CHARGE OF KEEPING A PLACE WHERE INTOXICATING LIQUOR WAS SOLD; HIS PLEA OF NOT GUILTY AND BEING BOUND OVER TO THE GRAND JURY UNDER $500 BOND; HIS RELEASE ON BOND TUESDAY NIGHT AND A POST MORTEM ON THE BODY OF THE GUN VICTIM, WERE THE DEVELOPMENTS TUESDAY IN THE LATEST HAPPENING IN ALLEGED MOONSHINE ACTIVIES IN THE GREEN TOWNSHIP SECTION OF THE COUNTY. THE POST MORTEM DISCLOSED THAT A BULLET PASSED THROUGH GAMMON'S HEART.


      MOODY MADDOX, AFTER HIDING OUT ALL NIGHT IN THE HILLS, AND IN THE HOMES OF FRIENDS IN THE OHIO FURNACE NEIGHBORHOOD, SURRENDERED TO THE COUNTY OFFICERS TUESDAY MORNING. ON HIS ARRIVAL HOME EARLY TUESDAY MORNING HIS PARENTS INFORMED HIM THAT OFFICERS WERE SEARCHING FOR HIM AND HE LEFT IMMEDIATELY FOR A BARN BELONGING TO A MAN BY THE NAME OF RATCLIFF, WHERE THE OFFICERS WERE. PROSECUTING ATTORNEY RUSSELL MCCURDY AND COUNTY DETECTIVE EMORY F. SMITH STARTED THEIR INVESTIGATION OF THE SHOOTING EARLY TUESDAY BY CALLING AT THE JAIL AND HAVING THE GUN USER TELL HIS STORY OF THE TROUBLE LEADING UP TO THE SHOOTING. ACCORDING TO MOODY MADDOX, GAMMON, IRVIN WOHLER, AND ALBERT NAGLE CAME TO HIS HOME MONDAY EVENING TO SEE CYNTHIA AND GRACE TASKERS, YOUNG WOMEN OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD. GAMMON IN HIS STORY SAID THAT HE LEFT THE HOUSE AND USED NAGLE'S MACHINE AND BROUGHT A GALLON OF LIQUOR BACK WITH HIM. HE CLAIMS THAT GAMMON WAS DRUNK WHEN HE HANDED HIM THE JUG TO TAKE A DRINK. MADDOX SAID HE DOESN'T LIKE MOONSHINE AND THAT HE TOOK JUST A "LITTLE DRINK", AND HANDED THE JUG BACK TO GAMMON WHO HAD IT BETWEEN HIS KNEES SHAKING IT WHEN IT FELL AND BROKE. MADDOX SAYS THAT GAMMON INSISTED IT WAS HIS (MADDOX'S) FAULT THAT THE JUG BROKE AND WANTED HIM TO PAY FOR IT. MADDOX SAYS THAT WHEN HE REFUSED TO PAY FOR IT GAMMON GOT MAD AND CURSED HIM AND FOLLOWED HIM AND SAID HE WAS GOING TO WHIP HIM. MADDOX SAYS HE THEN REACHED INTO A TRUNK AND GOT A GUN AND FIRED ONE SHOT INTO THE FLOOR TO SCARE GAMMON. HE SAYS THE YOUNG WOMEN RAN AND THAT HIS MOTHER (MADDOX'S) PUSHED GAMMON OUT OF THE DOOR. "I WENT INTO THE FRONT ROOM THEN AND GAMMON TURNED AND CAME BACK IN", MADDOX CLAIMS. MADDOX CLAIMS THAT GAMMON WAS CURSING AND WAS BRANDISHING A KNIFE AND SAID HE FEARED HE WOULD BE CUT WHEN HE SHOT AT GAMMON. MADDOX SAID HE VISITED THE HOMES OF COLUMBUS PORTER, BILLY PORTER, AND FRANK STEVENS AND STAYED ALL NIGHT WITH STEVENS. MADDOX SAID HE DID NOT KNOW GAMMON WAS DEAD UNTIL HE RETURNED HOME TUESDAY MORNING.


--FATHER ARRESTED--
      JOHN MADDOX, FATHER OF THE GUN USER, WAS TAKEN INTO CUSTODY IN THE COURTROOM TUESDAY AFTERNOON WHEN STATE PROHIBITION OFFICER C. H. HUTCHINSON FILED A CHARGE AGAINST HIM AND HAD HIM ARRAIGNED AT ONCE. CONTINUING THEIR INVESTIGATION, PROSECUTOR MCCURDY TUESDAY AFTERNOON HAD IRVIN WOHLER AND ALBERT NAGLE, COMPANIONS OF GAMMON, IN HIS OFFICE, AND THE YOUNG MEN TOLD THEIR VERSION OF THE TROUBLE THAT LED UP TO THE SHOOTING.


--TELL OF SHOOTING--
       ACCORDING TO WOHLER AND NAGLE, THE DISPUTE AROSE OVER THE BREAKING OF THE JUG OF MOONSHINE DROPPED BY MADDOX. THEY CLAIM THAT WORDS PASSED BACK AND FORTH UNTIL MADDOX WENT TO A TRUNK AND, REACHING IN, REMARKED TO HIS MOTHER, "WHERE IS THAT COLLAR AND TIE?" THEY SAY MADDOX THEN WALKED INTO THE KITCHEN AND DISCHARGED A GUN. ON HEARING THE SHOT THE TWO YOUNG WOMEN BROUGHT TO THE HOUSE SOMETIME BEFORE, RAN FROM THE HOUSE, FOLLOWED BY WOHLER AND NAGLE. THE TWO MEN CLAIMED THEY HEARD A SECOND SHOT THAT SOUNDED LIKE IT CAME FROM THE KITCHEN. ACCORDING TO WOHLER AND NAGLE, THEY DID NOT TAKE A DRINK OF THE MOONSHINE AND THAT, AS FAR AS THEY KNEW, GAMMON WAS A STRANGER IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD. PROSECUTOR MCCURDY EXPECTS TO TALK WITH THE TWO YOUNG WOMEN IN THE CASE TODAY. THE FATHER OF MADDOX DECLINED TO TALK TUESDAY, REPLYING THAT HE WOULD TELL HIS STORY IN COURT. THE POST MORTEM EXAMINATION OF GAMMON'S BODY TUESDAY NIGHT AT THE HAGGARD-LASHBROOK MORGUE IN SCIOTOVILLE RESULTED IN CORONER VIRGIL FOWLER FINDING THAT THE BULLET HAD ENTERED THE FRONT OF THE MAN'S BODY AND PLOWED CLEAN THROUGH, ALMOST IN A STRAIGHT LINE. THE BULLET TORE THROUGH THE LOWER PORTION OF THE HEART. THE WOUND WAS CAUSED BY A .32 CALIBRE AUTOMATIC GUN FOUND IN THE MADDOX HOME BY SHERIFF CANTER. FUNERAL SERVICES FOR GAMMON WILL BE HELD FROM THE HOME OF THE PARENTS, MR. AND MRS. W. T. GAMMON, WINCHESTER AVENUE, SCIOTOVILLE, THURSDAY MORNING AT 10:00 O'CLOCK , WITH REV. CHARLES REINHARD OF THE SCIOTOVILLE CHRISTIAN CHURCH OFFICIATING. BURIAL WILL BE IN WHEELERSBURG CEMETERY.




THURSDAY, JANUARY 20, 1927


FUNERAL OF GUN VICTIM TODAY


LAST RITES TO BE FROM PARENTS HOME


MOODY MADDOX, WHO ADMITS FIRING SHOT, SPENDS 20TH BIRTHDAY IN JAIL


BURIAL PLACE FOR CLYDE GAMMON, SCIOTOVILLE, TO BE WHEELERSBURG CEMETERY


       FUNERAL SERVICES FOR CLYDE GAMMON 22, OF SCIOTOVILLE, WHO WAS FATALLY WOUNDED MONDAY NIGHT IN A SHOOTING AFFRAY AT THE JOHN MADDOX HOME IN THE OHIO FURNACE COMMUNITY, GREEN TOWNSHIP, WILL BE HELD FROM THE HOME OF THE PARENTS , MR. AND MRS. W.T. GAMMON, WINCHESTER AVENUE, THURSDAY MORNING AT 10 O' CLOCK WITH THE REV. CHARLES REINHARD OF THE SCIOTOVILLE CHRISTIAN CHURCH IN CHARGE. BURIAL WILL BE IN THE WHEELERSBURG CEMETERY. MOODY MADDOX , SON OF JOHN MADDOX IS HELD IN THE COUNTY JAIL ON A SECOND DEGREE MURDER CHARGE, WHILE HE IS UNABLE TO FURNISH A $5000 BOND. WEDNESDAY, MADDOX WAS 20 YEARS OF AGE AND SPENT THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY BEHIND THE IRON BARS OF THE SCIOTO COUNTY JAIL.
       GAMMON WAS SHOOT THROUGH THE HEART AND MADDOX ADMITS THE SHOOTING, BUT CLAIMS THAT GAMMON WAS COMING TOWARD HIM WITH A KNIFE AND THAT HE SHOT IN SELF DEFENSE.


FRIDAY JANUARY 21, 1927


GRAND JURY TO CONSIDER OHIO FURNACE SHOOTING


      JUDGE J.S. THOMAS HAS ISSUED A CALL FOR THE GRAND JURY TO REPORT FOR SERVICE NEXT MONDAY MORNING AT 9 O'CLOCK IN ORDER TO CLEAN UP MORE THAN TWO SCORE CASES ON THE DOCKET FOR INVESTIGATION. ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT CASES TO BE UP FOR CONSIDERATION WILL BE THAT OF MOODY MADDOX OF THE OHIO FURNACE COMMUNITY, HELD TO THE GRAND JURY UNDER A $3000 BOND AFTER HE PLEADED GUILTY TO A CHARGE OF SECOND DEGREE MURDER IN THE CONNECTION WITH THE FATAL SHOOTING OF CLYDE GAMMON, 22, SCIOTOVILLE , LAST MONDAY NIGHT AT THE HOME OF MADDOX . THE JURY IS EXPECTED TO COMPLETE ITS INVESTIGATIONS IN TWO DAYS.


FRIDAY FEBRUARY 11, 1927


GUN USER IN GREEN TWP. KILLING IS SENTENCED


       AN INDETERMINATE TERM IN THE MANSFIELD REFORMATORY WAS THE SENTENCE IMPOSED UP ON MOODY MADDOX, OHIO FURNACE YOUNG MAN BY JUDGE J.S. THOMAS IN COMMON PLEAS COURT THURSDAY AFTER A JURY HAD FOUND MADDOX GUILTY OF MANSLAUGHTER , WHEN HE WAS TRIED ON A SECOND DEGREE MURDER INDICTMENT IN CONNECTION WITH THE FATAL SHOOTING OF CLYDE GAMMON, OF SCIOTOVILLE AT THE MADDOX HOME RECENTLY. ATTORNEYS FOR MADDOX , THURSDAY MORNING WITHDREW THEIR FORMAL MOTION FOR A NEW TRIAL.
      THE PRISONER WAS REMANDED TO JAIL TO A WAIT HIS TRANSFER TO THE MANSFIELD PRISON. HE WILL NOT BE TAKEN AWAY FOR A FEW DAYS, BEING HELD HERE AS A WITNESS IN A PROSECUTION PENDING IN MUNICIPAL COURT AGAINST HIS FATHER JOHN MADDOX, FOR ALLEGED VIOLATION OF THE DRY LAWS.

NOTICE OF HEARING FOR PAROLE
       Mansfield. Ohio. Feb. 1, 1936. 20254 Moody Maddox. a prisoner now confined in the Ohio State Reformatory, Mansfield, admitted from Sctoto County, convicted 2-15-27 of the crime of Manslaughter and Parole Violation and serving a sentence 1-20 years, Is eligible for a hearing before the Board of Parole, on or after Mar. 1, 36.
Parole and Record Clerk.
By J.J. Feeney
Parole and Record Clerk.
"The Portsmouth Times"
       Feb. 1, 1936

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        "GAMMON"
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