Wylie Harper Killed, Brant Hendricks Seriously Wounded, July 1920

From the Hickory Daily Record, Monday evening, July 12, 1920

Fatal Shooting Affair Near Lenoir

Lenoir, July 12--Caldwell county officers today continued their investigation into the shooting at Harpertown, nearly three miles from here, yesterday afternoon when Wylie Harper, a negro, was killed, and Brant Hendricks seriously wounded. Hendricks, it was said today, will recover.

The shooting took place at a blockade still plant and four persons were involved. Brant and Dock Hendricks, white, accused Wylie and Dave Harper of stealing their blockade outfit and the latter returned to the scene with shotguns. In the battle that followed Wylie Harper was killed. the white men claim that they had no shotguns, but officers cannot account for so many shots unless there were other weapons at hand.

The shooting yesterday afternoon followed a dispute between the Harper negroes and the two white men. Yesterday morning, it is said, that the negroes were accused by Hendricks of stealing a blockading plant. It seems that the white men had stationed themselves at the plant to await the negroes' return for other parts of the equipment. When the negroes arrived they were charged with the theft. The fuss followed. The two negroes left and returned shortly with shotguns. In the shooting Brant Hendricks had his left arm shot completely off just above the wrist. This shot also took effect in the right side just below the heart. It was not thought that he will recover. Wylie Harper, it is claimed, fired this shot and was in the act of reloading when Dock Hendricks shot at him with a pistol, the bullet striking him in the right temple. The negro fell. He was also shot in the breast with a shot from a shot-gun. The elder Hendricks claims to have fired this shot.

it was at this point, Hendricks claims, that he was struck over the head by Dave Harper. He opened fire on Harper with his pistol, firing twice. He then secured the shotgun of the dead negro and fired again as the negro was running away. He believes that each of the shots took effect. The negro made a successful getaway and was not found by the officers when they reached the scene of the battle a short time afterwards. The elder Hendricks was brought here and placed in jail to away a hearing.