Charley Upchurch

McDonough, Ga., October 2.
In a desperate fight that occurred here this morning in the store of T. J. Upchurch, between T. J. Upchurch and his sons, Victor and Charley Upchurch, on one side and Willie Goodwin, Jr., and Mack Goodwin on the other, Charley Upchurch was instantly killed; T. J. Upchurch and Victor Upchurch were painfully but not dangerously hurt, and Willie was instantly wounded, Goodwin receiving two shots from a Smith & Wesson pistol. The coroners jury empanelled to investigate the killing of Charley Upchurch returned a verdict this afternoon about 6 o'clock finding that he came to his death from a wound inflicted by a pistol in the hands of his brother, Victor Upchurch. It was at first thought that Willis Goodwin killed Charley Upchurch with a baseball bat, but the investigation this afternoon determined the fact that a pistol ball killed him. T. J. Upchurch has been a merchant here for many years and is also the proprietor of the Forest Hotel. Charley Upchurch was the second son and just about twenty-one years of age. The Goodwin brothers are and have for the past two years been in the livery business in McDonough. They are the sons of Willis Goodwin, who was for many years sheriff of Henry county. Goodwin, it is said, has since died.

(The Jackson Argus - October 4, 1901)

Submitted by V. S. Harrison