Wednesday, November 13, 2024

Lester Davis, Early Balance, Claude Tinder, Tom Pallette Arrested for Murder, Nov. 14, 1924

Mystery in Murder of Currituck Farmer. . . Dead Body Found Late Sunday Night at Father’s Barn; Four Young Men Held

The murder of Herman Fentress, young Knots Island farmer, whose dead body was found late Sunday night at the door of his father’s barn, has aroused much speculation in Currituck and much mystery attaches to that crime. Death was inflicted by a blow on the head from some blunt instrument. It was found by a coroner’s jury, who recommended the arrest of four young town residents of Princess Anne County.

The men arrested in connection with the murder of young Fentress are Lester Davis, Early Balance, Claude Tinder and Tom Pallette. Bond was placed at $500 each for two of the men and $1,000 each for the other two. Two were able to furnish bond, the other two were placed in jail. The hearing will be conducted Monday at Currituck Courthouse.

The four youths who are held were visiting at the home of Fentress Sunday night, leaving their automobile about 8 o’clock. Fentress left the house about the same time, telling his wife that he was going to his father’s house some 100 yards away, and set out by way of path across the field. When he had not returned at 11 o’clock, Mrs. Fentress sent one of the children to look for him. Z.T. Fentress, his father, said he had not been there at all, and went out to make search. He found his body by the barn door.

Young Fentress was employed part of the time on the hunting preserve of J.P. Knapp. He had a wife and three children.

From page 4 of The Independent, Elizabeth City, N.C., Nov. 14, 1924

newspapers.digitalnc.org/lccn/sn83025812/1924-11-14/ed-1/seq-3/

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