Show TROUBLE OVER watermelons negro has committed number of murders because of destruction of his melon patch news has just reached heflin ala that four men were killed and nine wounded in Randol randolph plA county the lat ter part of last week by a desperate negro named sledge the sheriff and posse are in pursuit but have not yet been able to capture the murderer the trouble started over a difficulty in a watermelon patch A party ol 01 oi white men were working on the pub he ile road at beaver creek near lamar sledge has a watermelon patch near the road and when the men finished they asked permission to eat a few melons sledge told them to help themselves but requested that they take care not to destroy the vines As soon as the men entered the patch they ley began to cut and slash melons in every direction the negro warned them to stop and the then went after a gun returning be he emptied the weapon into the crowd wounding nine out of eleven immediately after the shooting sledge fled A posse overtook the negro near wedowee he was ordered to surrender but replied by firing his shotgun instantly killing thomas ebbitt and robert ford later sledge was accosted on the road by james moore and bud wilson without warning the negro raised hia gun and fired instantly killing and fatally wounding wilson |