1935

5 SHOT AS GUN FIRED INTO GROUP

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Sheriff Avers Weapon Discharged Into Group Sitting In Room

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CONDITION OF ONE VICTIM IS CRITICAL

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'Home Brew' Blamed By Man For His Act, Officer Reports

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FAYETTE, Ala., April 7 — Five persons were wounded, two critically, Saturday night, when a shotgun charge was fired through a window into the living room of the home of James W. MOORE, five miles north of here, where several people were listening to a radio program.

Arrested at his home several hours later, Olen MOORE, 25, told Sheriff Grady MITCHELL, Fayette County, that he fired the shot.

The sheriff quoted MOORE, nephew of James MOORE, as saying he was "full of home brew."

Most seriously wounded of the five was James W. MOORE, 55, a farmer.  The bulk of the shotgun charge struck him on the left side of the head and he was rushed to a hospital in Tuscaloosa, where his condition was reported Sunday as extremely critical.

Sam MOORE, a young son, who was sitting in his father's lap at the time of the shooting, also was seriously wounded and was taken with his father to the Tuscaloosa hospital.

Others who were struck by the flying buckshot from the shotgun were Dennis DUDLEY, 45, a neighbor; Herman DUDLEY, 5, his son; and another of Mr. MOORE's sons, Bobbie.

Olen MOORE had been employed on his uncle's farm.  He was arrested at his home about daybreak Sunday by Sheriff MITCHELL, Deputy Sheriff McKINNEY and a group of others.

The sheriff said MOORE did not explain the shooting when arrested other than to say that he had been drinking home brew, Sheriff MITCHELL declared.  The shotgun, MOORE said, was obtained from the home of a Negro near his residence.

James W. MOORE is widely known in Fayette County.  He is the father of "Shorty" MOORE, a real estate man of Birmingham.

The MOORE home was about five miles north of Berry, Ala.

Source:
Loose clipping from unidentified newspaper.  A handwritten notation dates the article to 1935.  Contributed by Penny Argroves Holmes, 20 Aug 2006.