With a bullet hole in the lower part of his stomach and the intestines punctured in three places, R. B. Jackson, who formerly operated the American Café of Clinton but who now operates a confectionary stand at Melvin’s Beach, White Lake, was rushed to the Pittman Hospital in Fayetteville Thursday afternoon in a serious if not fatal condition. During a quarrel between he and a Mr. Sikes, who operates a boat on the beach there, Sikes shot him with a large calibre pistol at close range, according to reports received in Clinton late Tuesday afternoon.
According to information received in Clinton following the shooting, there had been bad feeling between Jackson and Sikes since the fifth of July as a result of Sikes reporting Jackson for gambling. At a later date, according to reports, Jackson tipped off a revenue officer to the fact that Sikes had whiskey in his possession.
The malice had existed between the two men for some time with no evidenced sings of mishaps until Tuesday at noon when Sikes anchored his boat near the shore on the Melvin side of the beach and came upon land with the intention of eating lunch. As he neared the stand operated by Jackson, the latter hailed him and asked why he lied on him during the gambling case. In reply Sikes is reported as saying he did not lie on him. Following this reply Jackson advanced on him at which time Sikes warned him to come no closer. Failing to comply with this request resulted in Jackson being shot in the pit of the stomach, falling on his face.
One of Jackson’s friends, hearing the report, ran out and discovered what had taken place and advanced upon Sikes, who warned him if he came any nearer to him, he would receive the duplicate. With this statement, the friend withdrew and assisted in Jackson’s conveyance to the hospital. Just who the friend was has not been ascertained at this time but many are of the opinion that the person was his business partner, Ernest Jordan of Clinton.
Citizens of Clinton who were visiting the Pittman Hospital in Fayetteville Tuesday night reported that Jackson was taken into the operation room at 3:30 Tuesday afternoon and carried out into his ward at 5:30, having lain on the operating table two hours.
P. M. Jackson, father of the wounded man, who was at the hospital, reported to citizens from here that if his son survived the tragedy, he would be confined there for many weeks yet. The doctors there who are attending the wounded man refrained from making any statements concerning his condition.
From the front page of the Sampson Independent, Clinton, N.C., Thursday, August 26, 1926
newspapers.digitalnc.org/lccn/sn91068086/1926-08-26/ed-1/seq-1/
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