Extracted from The Butler Herald (Butler, Georgia)
Senator-Elect Dudley Taunton Fatally Wounded by Shotgun Blast at Wooten Fish Camp
Clarence Wooten, Proprietor of Camp, Confessed to Shooting
State Senator-elect and former Taylor County Representative Dudley Taunton, 28 years of age, son of Mrs. Lewellyn Taunton and the late Mr. J.H. Taunton, died about five o'clock Saturday morning at the Montgomery hospital here having a few hours before received a fatal shotgun wound in the abdomen at the hands of Mr. Clarence Wooten, proprietor of the Wooten Fish Camp in Upson county.
The tragedy occurred at the fish camp about 10 o'clock Friday night. Wooten, who admitted the shooting and claims self-defense, was arrested by Sheriff C.M. Meeks of Upson county and placed in the Thomaston jail charged with murder.
The commitment trial will be held at Thomaston today.
Mr. Taunton was brought to the hospital here by Mr. Jack McCrary who was at a nearby service station when Wooten drove up, following the shooting, and requested that someone come and carry Mr. Taunton to a physician. McCrary hastened to the Wooten camp and brought Mr. Taunton to the hospital.
Mr. Taunton's only statement was that to his mother in which he stated he was unarmed at the time of the shooting. The weapon Wooten claimed Taunton had in his possession has not been found.
Mr. Taunton was born in Taylor county and graduated from the local high school. He returned to Butler to practice law three years ago after completing his studies at the Americus A&M school (now Ga. Southwestern College), Mercer University and Atlanta Law School.
Funeral services were held for Mr. Taunton at three o'clock Sunday afternoon at Mt. Pisgah Baptist Church of which the deceased was a member.
The funeral was attended by one of the largest assembleges of people ever gathered for a similar occasion in the county. Among them were members of the Legislature, court officials, men and women of prominence from all parts of the state, while the floral offering was large and beautiful.
The Rev. C.D. Carter of Ellaville, former paster of Mt. Pisgah church, officiated. He was assisted by the Rev. J.T. Flournoy and Rev. J.L. Whitley, of Mauk. Interment was in the cemetery nearby.
He is survived by his mother, Mrs. Lewellyn Taunton, one sister, Mrs. Joe Eubanks, and grandmother, Mrs. Mary Locke. Other survivors include three uncles Messrs Leonard, Lester and Alfonso Locke; and one aunt Mr. [sic Mrs.] Leonard Taunton, all of Taylor county.
Acting pallbearers were: Messrs A.E. Locke, Robert Cochran, H.B. Walker, J.R. Gray, M.R. Williamson, and O.B. Bankston.
Honorary escorts were: Messrs J.T. Cochran and J.W. Edwards, of Butler; Judge C.F. McLaughlin, Solicitor General Hubert Calhoun and Court Reporter R.O. Perkins of Columbus; Hon. Hugh Howell and Mr. Frank Ellington, of Atlanta; Representative A.A. Marshall, of Montezuma; Representative E.S. Hanson of Thomaston; Representative John Wall of Ellaville; Representative Pat Avery of Roberts; and Senator C.C. Williamson of Ellaville.
Other out of town attendants were Rev. R.C. Howard, Mr. and Mrs. E.T. Pilchar and Sheriff Carl Rigsby, all of Ellaville; Mr. Brooks James of Americus; Mr. and Mrs. Roswell Williams, Mr. Paul Johnson, Mr. and Mrs. C.F. Edwards, all of Thomaston; Mr. Ross Peacock, Mrs. A.H. Holiday, Mr. and Mrs. R.C. Miller, Mr. and Mrs. John Sorrells of Montezuma; Miss Willie Leggett, Ft. Gaines; Misses Mary Luke, Norma Oliver and Mrs. Lee Ward of Brunswick; Hon. and Mrs. Hugh Howell, Atlanta; Mr. Elmo Whittle, Thomaston.
Thursday, December 8, 1938