The Covington Leader
Covington, Tennessee
February 1932

HORRIBLE MURDER THURSDAY NIGHT
HARRISON MASHBURN BRUTALLY MURDERED BY ASSASSIN

Treacherous and Cowardly Assassin Shoots Mashburn From Rear While Victim Was Operating Dredge Boat - - - Sheriff Volz Busy Endeavoring To Secure Clue Leading To Perpetrator Of Dastardly Crime.

The murder of James Harrison Mashburn last Thursday night while at his post of duty on the Indiana dredge boat by an unknown assailant is as yet shrouded in mystery. The motive of the crime or the person committing it has not been uncovered by the sheriff and his assistants, who are exhausting their means of investigation in the case, and are confident they will throw more light on the crime by the latter part of this week.

Mashburn was a young man 35 years of age, unmarried, popular as an employee and had no bitter enemies so far as can be learned. He was temperate in his habits and a steady worker. Such was his reputation.

The assassination occurred at midnight and was treacherously done. The dredge boat crew, of which Mashburn was one of the three members, was operating on the drainage ditch project through Beaver Creek bottoms about two miles southwest of Wright's store. A few minutes before twelve o'clock Mashburn was assisting in changing the position of the boat and told his comrades on the boat that it was time to suspend work for their midnight meal. A few minutes later, the assassin, lying in wait for his victim, and concealed behind a ditch embankment, fired his shot gun twice, a part of one load taking effect in the back of Mashburn's neck, whereupon the wounded man reeled and fell, dying almost instantly without uttering a word. Dave Sutton, a member of the boat's crew, was standing at Mashburn's side when he fell, but on account of darkness and the lights from the boat, he could only see the flash from the gun, which, he said, was a short distance, or about 25 feet to the rear of the boat.

As soon as possible Sheriff Volz was notified of the crime and reached the scene of the murder in a short time after it happened. A close examination was made of the surroundings and it was found that the person perpetrating the horrible deed had crawled to this place of concealment behind the embankment, leaving hand and foot prints on the soft dirt. A pack of bloodhounds were ordered the following morning to trail the guilty party, but no information could be found by the use of the dogs. The Indiana Dredge Boat Co., owners of the boat and employers of Mashburn, are assisting officers of the law in every way to apprehend the murderer.

The sheriff has questioned a long list of persons in regard to the murder and has been busily engaged on the case since its occurrence. It is believed that a good clue will turn up within a few days and will be followed with success toward the apprehension of the assassin. The crime was heinous and about as treacherous as could be contrived.

The funeral was held Saturday morning at 11:30 o'clock at Mt. Carmel Presbyterian Church. Rev. J. N. Blackwelder conducting the services, after which the burial took place in Mt. Carmel cemetery. The deceased is survived by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. P. M. Mashburn, four brothers, Messrs, Bruce, William, Robert and Joseph Mashburn; three sisters, Misses Maggie, Barbara and Ada Mashburn. © 2004 Tipton County Coordinators