Person Page - 18

     Enoch McLendon Lee was born on 16 June 1887.¹ He was tried in criminal court at Superior Court, Stewart County, Georgia, on 27 October 1924. Enoch M. Lee was a 37 year old white male living in the Omaha Area of Stewart County, Georgia. From earlier court records we know that his was a chronic alcoholic, short tempered and gun toting character who was a chronic trouble maker and disturber of the peace in the community. He previously was before the court for disturbing Divine Worship in 1915.

Sometime before the 27th of October 1924 he evidently had an altercation with George Thomas McDaniel living in the same community. He was drunk as was his habit. The subject of the altercation is not known, but it is known that he used obscene and profane language and eventually assaulted McDaniel physically and then drew his concealed gun and threatening him. Evidently a struggle ensued during which the gun was discharged and McDaniel was shot (family tradition is that it was in the leg). Lee was arrested, jailed and held over for trial.

The trial was on the 27 of October 1924. He was charged with the following offences: (1.) Illegally pointing a weapon at another, (2.) Using obscene and profane language, (3.)Carrying a concealed weapon, and (4.) Assault and Battery.

The charge of illegally pointing a weapon at another was nol-prossed or dropped. He was formally arraigned and pleaded guilty on all of the remaining charges. For the charge of assault and battery he was sentenced to twelve months on the Stewart County Chain Gang with the proviso that if he paid a fine of $150.00 at once he could serve the sentence without the being confined to the chain gang but with the following terms of parole: (1.) that said defendant shall not drink, use or deal with intoxicating liquors nor associate with those persons who do either; and (2.) he shall not have to do with nor in any way molest the prosecutor in said case, to wit. G. T. McDaniel.

For the charge of carrying a concealed pistol to which he plead guilty he was sentenced to a total of12 months of hard labor on the county Chain Gang with the proviso that if he immediately paid a fine of $60.00 he could avoid the Chain Gang and adhere to the same terms of parole listed in the previous sentence.

For the charge of using profane and abscene language to which he plead guilty, he was sentenced to hard labor on the county Chain Gang for a period of twelve months again with the proviso that if he paid a fine of $50.00 at once, he could again with the same terms of parole.The second and third sentences were to be served upon the full completion of the previous one. This meant the potential of 3 years on the Chain gang if he could not pay the fines. The evidence to indicate whether he paid the find or was sent to the chain gang was not in the records found.

E.W. Childs was appointed as his parole officer who agreed act as such. He was required to report to the Court any breach by the defendant of any of the terms of the parole.

In 1930 Lee was convicted of manslaughter in a Jury Trial . He evidently appealed the decision and lost. He as sentenced to not less than 5 years or more than 7 years in the State Penetentary. On 21 July 1932 he was paroled with usual supervision. In April of 1930 Enoch and his wife separated with his agreement to mend his ways, cease drinking and provide support for wife and three children. As one might expect he did not live up to the agreement and on th 24th of September 1936 his wife Beulah filed for divorce. It was to be granted if Enoch did not show cause by appearing before the Court on 10 October 1936. The official date of the granting of the divorce was 21 October 1937.

Unfortunately for G.T. McDaniel the subsequent complications of persistent infection of the gunshot wound inflicted by Enoch Lee was what eventually led to his death approximately 2 months later..² He was alternately recorded as dying on 13 May 1956 at Omaha, Stewart County, Georgia, at age 68.¹