Cecil McClure, 17 years old, was fatally shot by Josh Crisp, Federal Prohibition Enforcement Agent, at his home in Tomotla Wednesday afternoon about 2:30 o’clock eastern time.
Young McClure was a son of Mr. and Mrs. J.H. McClure, and was well known in the county.
Crisp, whose home is at Robbinsville, Graham County, is also well known in Western North Carolina, where he has long been connected with the Prohibition Enforcement department of the Federal government.
McClure was shot twice, the bullets taking effect in the right breast about three inches apart. Physicians attending stated that the ball entering the upper portion of the breast punctured the lung, and the one entering the lower breast passed through the body and lodged just under the skin in the back.
Little hope was held for McClure’s recovery, and he died at 8:15, 7 hours and 45 minutes after the shooting took place.
Crisp reported the affair to Sheriff Morrow, and with the concurrence of Solicitor Davis his bond was fixed at $5,000. Crisp would make no statement with regard to the affair, other than that it had to be done, and the other two officers who were with him at the time likewise reserved comment. It is understood that Crisp claims self defense as the motive for the shooting.
According to the statement of Sheriff Morrow, Federal Prohibition Officers Josh Crisp, Jake Deweeese and Charlie Blanton went to the McClure home Wednesday afternoon with a warrant to search the premises for whiskey and found half a gallon.
It is alleged that McClure threatened to shoot the officers and got after them with a gun, whereupon Crisp fired in self defense.
The version of the affair as told by the father of young McClure, and substantiated by the mother who was an eye witness, is to the effect that the officers had been there about 15 minutes, had found the whiskey, and Crisp and Deweese were sitting on the front steps when two of the McClure boys and a young man by the name of Haney drove up in the yard in a car, having been to Murphy.
Young McClure picked up the whiskey container and declared it was his. He then went into the house leaving the officers on the steps and secured the gun. His other met him in the hall and took the gun from him. He then secured some cartridges and the gun again and made for the door, his mother holding him and trying to pull him back into the house. Meanwhile the officers remained on the front steps and when young McClure appeared in the doorway of the hall he was met with a volley of shots from Crisp’s pistol. Crisp then ran around behind the barn at the right of the house, and the officers left.
Feeling is running high in the Tomotla community against Crisp, and it was pointed out by the father that the shooting could have been avoided if the officers had placed young McClure under arrest when he admitted it was his whiskey and prevented him from securing the gun.
Funeral services for McClure were held Thursday afternoon at 3 o’clock at Pleasant Grove church in the Beech Creek section by the Rev. Beavers, and interment was in the churchyard.
He is survived by his father and mother, seven brothers, Lummie, Virgil, Willard, Charlie, Haden, Jake and Willie Rae; three sisters, Misses Lurlie, Ella and Laurie McClure.
Crisp is reported to have returned to his home at Robbinsville Wednesday night.
From the front page of the Cherokee Scout, Murphy, N.C., Friday, July 23, 1926
newspapers.digitalnc.org/lccn/sn83004710/1926-07-23/ed-1/seq-1/
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