The Winningham Murders

Details about the Winningham Sheriff and Deputy murders in 1933 are in other articles on this Web site:

• Click here to read compiled research and newspaper articles by this site’s Coordinator
• Click here to read a National Park Service Archives Blog Post
• Click here to read an Independent Herald (Oneida) Newspaper Article

Some Biographical Background

A FindaGrave photo caption says Jerome “was known for his sense of humor, always playing pranks on his family & friends. He was said to have a very big heart, but was ‘mean as a snake’ if you messed with him or his family. Also known for being a great ‘shot’ with any type of gun!”

Jerome was born in 1911, though several different ages are given in newspaper accounts.  Following his horrific death, Jerome was buried at Foster Crossroad Baptist Church Cemetery in Scott County, along with his mother Poppie Litton (later Smith), who lived to be 93.

Ransom Boyatt’s death certificate has not been located.  He is buried on the edge of the family’s farm on No Business Creek in Scott County, in a burial ground identified as the Boyatt Family Cemetery.

Eugene Boyatt, who was arrested at Rock Creek following the Winninghams’ shootings, was deaf.  In 1951, at the age of 38, Eugene was killed by a freight train in Oneida.

A few years before the Rock Creek event, Jerome Boyatt was arrested in Cincinnati, Ohio, for carrying a concealed weapon.

Photo Album

Click on the the thumbnails below for larger images.

The Hunt for, and Lynching of, Fugitive Jerome Boyatt

A wanted poster was drawn up during the manhunt for Jerome Boyatt in the spring of 1933, offering $600 reward money (the equivalent of more than $10,000 today). At a double funeral for Sheriff George Winningham and his son, Floyd Winningham, in Byrdstown, a hat was passed to raise money for the reward. — source: Independent Herald

Hunt on with Bloodhounds in Wilderness for Boyatt

Enraged Men of Tennessee Hill Country Chase Alleged Slayer of Pickett County Sheriff and Son; but wily Fugitive Knows Every Path in Region

Knoxville News-Sentinel, April 28, 1933, page 22

(Special to the News-Sentinel) — Jamestown, Tenn., April 28. — A man hunt is on in the rugged hills and mountains along the borders of Scott and Pickett Counties where officers say they believe Jerome Boyatt is hiding.  Boyatt is sought on a charge of fatally wounding Sheriff George Winningham of Pickett County and son, Floyd, at Rock Creek.

Boyatt has the advantage of knowing every path in the region where he was born and reared.  He also has many relatives in that section.  Pickett County, where feeling is high and there was talk of mob violence, has offered a reward for Boyatt’s capture.

Two Sets of Bloodhounds

Two sets of bloodhounds have been used in the hunt.  One is under Pugh from the state prison at Nashville and the other under J. E. Sullivan from Celina.  More than a hundred men joined officers in the search.  Five men under the leadership of Mose Hurt Littrell of Clinton County, Ky., passed thru Jamestown.  Cars from Byrdtown [sic] have to come by way of Jamestown to reach Rock Creek, 55 miles from Byrdtown [sic].  A great part of the road is narrow and rough, scarcely passable for cars.

A man accused of a killing at Monticello, Ky., once fled into that wilderness and avoided arrest for five years.  He was killed by officers while resisting arrest.

Jerome Boyett’s Father Victim of Broken Neck

Nashville Banner, May 16, 1933, Page 2

Byrdstown, Tenn., May 16 — (Special) — Ransom Boyett, father of Jerome Boyett, alleged slayer of Sheriff George B. Winningham and his son, Deputy Sheriff Floyd Winningham, was found dead Sunday at his home in Scott County, the result of a broken neck.  A coroner’s inquest was held.

It was understood here that the dead man had promised to cause his son, Jerome, to surrender to officers of this county to answer charges of killing the two Winninghams.

Father Who Failed To Return Son Wanted for Murder Is Found Dead

The Bristol News Bulletin, May 16, 1933, page 5

Byrdstown, Tenn., May 16 (AP) — Sought by officers for ten days since he failed to return and surrender a son wanted on murder charges, Ransom Boyett, 54, has been found dead at his home near the Pickett-Scott County line.

Boyett and several members of his family were held in jail here charged with assisting his son, Jerome, to escape when officers sought him in connection with the slaying of Sheriff George B. Winningham and his son, Floyd Winningham, as they attempted to arrest him several weeks ago on an assault charge.

Ten days ago the older Boyett was released when he agreed to find his son and persuaded [sic] him to surrender to Scott County officers.  He was also promised the $500 reward offered for Jerome Boyett’s capture.

When he and his son failed to appear at the time agreed on, officers began a search which ended yesterday when they were notified that neighbors found Boyett’s body at his home.  The cause of death was not learned.

Boyett Declared Held

Nashville Banner, May 22, 1933, page 1

Byrdstown, Tenn., May 22 — (Special) — Although Jerome Boyett, who has been sought for several weeks in connection with the slaying of Sheriff G. B. Winningham and his son was reported to be in the custody of Pickett County deupties no information on the subject was available here today.  Boyett is reported to have appealed to a farmer for food and the farmer is declared to have detained him until officers arrived.

Boyett Jailed at Huntsville

Mountaineer Wanted in Slaying of Sheriff and His Own Father

Byrdstown, Tenn., May 23. (by United Press) — Jerome Boyett, wanted for the slaying of Sheriff G. B. Winningham and his son of Pickett County and for questioning in connection with the mysterious death of his father, was lodged in the Scott County jail at Huntsville today after having eluded searching officers for more than a month, in his mountain stronghold.

Rumors of Boyett’s arrest were confirmed when he was brought to Huntsville at 7:30 o’clock Monday night by Deputy Sheriff Maynord King of Scott County.

The shooting of the Pickett County peace officers at Rock Creek was followed by one of the most spectacular trains of events in the history of the upper Cumblerand section.  The dragnet of officials and citizens from three Kentucky and many Tennessee counties failed to take the mountaineer into its meshes after more than a week’s search.

The father of Jerome, who bargained with peace officers to go into the mountain fastness and return his son, was found dead in a deserted cabin a few days after he had bargained to make his appearance.  He met his death by violence, officers believe.

Two Prisoners of Scott Slain by Hooded Mob

Bodies of Boyett, Winchester Riddled by Bullets

Sheriff Without Clues, Tells of Midnight Raid

Two Slain Men Were Charged with Murders of Sheriff and Son, of Pickett, and Two Others

Chattanooga Daily Times, June 10, 1933, Page 1

Huntsville, Tenn., June 9 (AP). — Riddled with bullets, the bodies of Jerome Boyett, 22, and Harvey Winchester, 23, white prisoners taken from the Scott county jail last night by approximately twenty-five armed masked men, were found today in a woods near a roadside two miles from here.

Both were in jail on charges of murder.

Six bullets had bored the body of Winchester, who was found fully dressed by Archive Lewallen, who was walking along the road.  Near Winchester’s body was an extra pair of trousers, shirt and slippers.

Several hours later officers tramping through the woods found Boyett’s body in a clump of bushes forty yards from where Winchester’s body had been discovered.  It was stripped of its clothing, Deputy Sheriff J. C. Phillips said.

The deputy said Boyett had been shot with seven bullets, most of them penetrating the back of his body.  One had entered the back of his head.

Phillips said officers had no clues as to the identity of the men taking Boyett and Winchester from jail.

About twenty-five men armed with pistols and wearing sacks over their heads, came to the jail about midnight, Sheriff Esau Laxton related, called the jailer to the door, struck him over the head with a pistol, and took his keys.

The went to the third floor of the jail, dragged the prisoners outside, cut the telephone line to the jail and drove away in four cars.

The sheriff was not at the jail at the time, he said, but declared that his wife, the jailer and others failed to recognize any of the masked men.

Boyett was charged with the slaying of Sheriff G. B. Willingham [sic] and his son, Floyd Willingham [sic], of Pickett, several weeks ago.  As the Willinghams [sic] approached a box car they were fired upon.  The son was killed instantly and the father died later.

Boyett’s father was taken into custody and he told officers he believed he could find his son, who was wanted in connection with the slaying.  The father was released and next day was found mysteriously slain.

Winchester has been in jail about five months on chargies of slaying Namon Perry and Esker Thompson, near Winfield.

Both Boyett and Winchester lived in Scott county.

Feeling Running High Against Mob Killers

More than 1,000 View Bodies of Boyett and Winchester

Nashville Banner, June 11, 1933, Page 1

Knoxville, Tenn., June 10 — (Special) — Feeling was high at Oneida today against the mob-murders who dragged Jerome Boyett and Harvey Winchester from Scott County Jail.  More than 1,000 persons marched through the undertaker’s morgue at Oneida and viewed the bodies.

The body of Boyett was taken to Cross Roads Church, eight miles northwest of Oneida, for funeral services, and the body of Harvey Winchester was taken to Pineknot, Ky., where services were held today.

No arrests have been made in connection with the killing, but Sheriff Laxton said that he was starting a thorough investigation and that every effort would be made to run down the guilty parties.

Inspection of the bodies of Jerome Boyett and Harvey Winchester and a survey of the grounds where their bullet ridden bodies were found Friday revealed that a rope, a plow-line brought from some mountain hillside farm had been tied about the neck of Winchester, and while one man held the end of the rope the doomed man was forced to run in a circle while his murderers fired at him until he fell to the ground.

Jerome Boyett was stripped naked.  And while it is not definitely known just what chance he was given to run, it is believed that he was turned loose and then as a full moon lit up this running man the murderers fired like hunters shooting at a rabbit.

There was evidence that Boyett, bleeding from wounds, ran up one graveled path and down another in the woods over a radius of 200 yards before he fell.

After he fell, it is believed that his murderers walked up close and fired one shot through his back, and two through the back of his head.

Neither Sheriff Esau Laxton nor his cousin, and jailer, E. N. Laxton have expressed any idea as to whom the murderers of the two men are.

Sheriff Laxton was away for the night, and did not return until after daybreak Friday morning, he said.

Progress Seen in Mob Probe

Laxton Expects ‘Startling’ Developments Soon

Knoxville Journal, June 12, 1933, page 2

Huntsville, Tenn., June 11. — Sheriff Esau Laxton of Scott county said tonight he is “making progress” in his investigation of a mob of 25 masked, armed men who late Thursday night broke into the jail here and abducted Jerome Boyett, 22, and Harvey Winchester, 23, prisoners charged with murder.  The bodies of both, bullet riddled, were found Friday in a woods a few miles away.

Sheriff Laxton had promised “action” before nightfall today.  He said tonight, however, that “matters did not come to a head when expected, but startling developments are likely to occur within a day or two.”

Young Boyett, according to Sheriff Laxton, had confessed to the shooting to death several weeks ago of Sheriff G. B. Winningham of Pickett county and his son, Floyd Winningham.

Winchester was held on a charge of murder in connection with the slaying several months ago at Winfield of Esker Thompson and Namon Perry.

Published Works About Jerome Boyatt

Once upon a Lynching: The Jerome Boyett Story

John Thornton Hendricks’ research for preparation of his book on Jerome Boyett is archived at the Western Kentucky University Library. Click here for details.

The Lynching: The Story of Jerome Boyatt

Historian and author Jerry Kidd compiled a 199-page book about the story of Jerome Boyatt’s life and death from family memories and artifacts.

Click here for details.  If you order from this link, your purchase will benefit an East Tennessee animal rescue organization.