The 1922 Murder of Andrew Simpson

Subject

The Law, Crime and Punishment

Description

A Series of Florence Herald and Florence Times accounts of the June, 1922 murder of African-American porter of JW Stutts Drug Store Andrew Simpson by Stutts Drugs soda jerk Porter J. Yates.

Saturday, June 24, 1922, eighteen year-old Porter Yates, Sr. (1904-1965), a white soda jerk at JW Stutts Drug Store on Court Street got into an argument with black 26 year-old Stutts Drug Store porter Andrew W. Simpson (1896-1922) over Yates' repeatedly ordering Simpson to "go get more ice cream"; apparently Simpson talked back to Yates, who in a fit of anger grabbed a base-ball bat used in the store for packing ice and struck Simpson over the head with it. Simpson died Monday night, July 3, at Eliza Coffee Hospital.

Yates was arrested, taken to jail, and indicted for murder in September of 1922 by a Lauderdale grand jury. He was found guilty of second degree manslaughter and sentenced to 90 days in the county jail and a $50 fine.

Anthony Hugh "Hugh" Simpson (ca. 1864-1937), a son of Anthony and Lucinda Simpson and Andrew Simpson's father and from ca. 1901 to 1912 a porter for May, Sonnenfield & Co. , appeared as a witness for the state--as was Stutts Drug Store owner JW Stutts. Hugh's wife's name was Mariah or "Mattie" (ca. 1863-aft. 1930). Hugh and Mattie had at least three children, including Andrew, all sons.

The Simpsons lived at various locations. In 1921 Andrew Simpson lived on West College Street. In 1930 the family were living on Gunwaleford Road outside West Florence.

We have no idea where Andrew Simpson is buried, although his father Hugh Simpson's death certificate says he's buried at Rock Hill.

In the introduction to his 2018 book "The Muscle Shoals: First Frontier of These United States" author Alvin Rosenbaum included an account of Andrew Simpson's murder, as remembered by his father, Proof. Stanley Rosenbaum, for many years an English professor at Florence State College, now the University of North Alabama. Prof. Rosenbaum remembered the basic gist of the murder but after so many years simply misremembered the details.

Creator

1. Florence Times
2. Florence Herald
3. Lauderdale County, AL Circuit Court
4. Florence Herald
5. Florence Times
6-10. Alvin Rosenbaum

Source

1. Florence Times
2. Florence Herald
3. Lauderdale County Circuit Court Indictment Record 6, March, 1922-Sept., 1927.
4. Florence Herald
5. Florence Times
6-10. "The Muscle Shoals: First Frontier of These United States."

Publisher

1. Bell & Howell Micro Photo Division
2. Newspapers.com
3. Lauderdale County, AL Circuit Court
4. Newspapers.com
5. Bell & Howell Micro Photo Division
6-10. Whitman Publishing, LLC

Contributor

Lee Freeman

Rights

Images are available for educational and research purposes. This image may not be reproduced for commercial purposes without the express written consent of the copyright holder. It is the responsibility of the interested party to identify the copyright holder and receive permission.

Format

Jpeg

Language

English

Type

Still Images

Files

Negro Struck on Head Dies FT Fri July 7 1922 p 1.jpg
Andrew Simpson Dies FH Fri Jul 7 1922 p 1.jpg
Poter Yates' Indictment.jpg
Convicts Taken to Kilby Prison FH Fri Apr 6 1923 p 1.jpg
Prisoners Taken to Penitentiary.jpg
The Muscle Shoals Cover.jpg
The Muscle Shoals Title Page.jpg
The Muscle Shoals Copyright Page.jpg
The Muscle Shoals p vx.jpg
The Muscle Shoals p xvi.jpg

Citation

1. Florence Times et al., “The 1922 Murder of Andrew Simpson,” Shoals Black History, accessed May 2, 2024, https://shoalsblackhistory.omeka.net/items/show/1242.