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The Killing of Nine Year-Old Frank Houston by Twelve Year-Old Annie Powers

Title

The Killing of Nine Year-Old Frank Houston by Twelve Year-Old Annie Powers

Subject

The Law, Crime and Punishment

Description

A Series of Florence Herald and Florence Times articles detailing the killing on "Saturday morning last" of nine year-old African-American Frank Houston, son of John Houston, by twelve year-old Annie Powers, a white girl, at Stewart's Spring, as a result of Powers throwing a rock at Houston.

According to the Times Mr. Houston stated that his son was "a youth of weak mind," and was struck by young Miss Powers "without provocation." however eyewitnesses stated that the two children had been engaged in a rock battle.

An autopsy at ZP Morrison & Son's undertakers was performed by Dr. WJ Calloway. which revealed a bloody wound on the brain on the back of the head.

The Herald stated that "the girl's mother is not as she should be, and some steps should be taken to get the child away from her and her evil influence at the first possible moment."

The week of March 15, a Lauderdale County grand jury returned an indictment of murder in the 2nd degree against Powers, who was being held in "the custody of the officers" rather than in jail," however the court opted to abate the charges and Powers was released.

Frank Houston was one of approximately 8 children of John Houston (ca. 1863=aft. 1930) and his first wife Melissa (ca. 1867-aft. 1900), who in 1900 lived at Gravelly Springs and by 1907 lived on Waterloo Road at Stewart Springs, now Wildwood Park in West Florence.

No other records have been located on Annie Powers.

Source

1. Florence Times

2-3. Florence Herald

4. Lauderdale County, Alabama Circuit Court Minutes F, March, 1907-June, 1911, p. 21.

Publisher

1. Bell & Howell

2-3. Newspapers.com

4. Lauderdale County, Alabama

Date

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

1-3. JPeg

4. Tiff

Language

English

Type

Still Images

Files

Killed with a Stone FT Fri Mar 8 1907 p 1.jpg

Twelve Year Old White Girl Kills FH Fri Mar 8 1907 p 4.jpg

Circiuit Court is Brought to Abrupt Close FH Fri Mar 15 1907 p 1.jpg

Annie Powers' Abatement.tif

Collection

The Law, Crime and Punishment

Citation

“The Killing of Nine Year-Old Frank Houston by Twelve Year-Old Annie Powers,” Shoals Black History, accessed May 3, 2024, https://shoalsblackhistory.omeka.net/items/show/1252.

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