murder

this was a notorious case in 1902 that occurred at mt. gilead methodist church in ben hill, southwest atlantat --- i first heard about it as a kid from my grandma --- the victim and the murderer are second cousins of mine, in varying degree --- he was hung for the murder in may 1903 at fulton county jail ---- "unrepciprocative sweetheart" --- we've all been there

Shot and killed by Millard Lee
Jealous Lover Slays Girl

In House of Worship Young Man Draws Pistol and Ends Life of Unreciprocative
Sweetheart
A startling tragedy was enacted Sunday morning in Wesley chapel, the little Methodist church at Ben Hill, in Fulton County, Ga. The doxology had hardly been concluded when the departing congregation was startled by two pistol shots and the dying shriek of a young woman.

The quiet little house of worship was suddenly made the scene of an awful tragedy, the fruit of the morbid passion of a young man for a young woman who had resisted his every advance.

Miss Lilla Suttles was shot to death by Millard Lee, the ball from his pistol piercing her heart. Crying, "O, papa," she fell into the arms of her father, Dr. J.M. Suttles, who had rushed up at the sound of the pistol shots. The young woman died without speaking again.

The church was crowded at the time and the greatest confusion ensued. It was some minutes before the people realized what had happened. Before the awfulness of the crime dawned upon them Lee had walked from the church building. At the door he was caught by Earl Suttles, the young brother of the girl he had slain. Young Suttles caught hold of Lee and attempted to hold him, but Lee placed his pistol against the boy's breast and told him that he would
shoot him if he did not release him. Young Suttles, in desperation, yielded his hold and Lee took flight.

While talking to her girlfriends, Miss Suttles became separated for the moment from her escort. Millard Lee walked up to the group of which she was in the center and touching her on the arm, asked to speak to her a moment. She stepped to one side and he asked her if he could drive her home. "No," she replied, "I have company."

Lee was heard to mutter: "If you won?t let me take you home I shall shoot you." Before anyone was aware of his intentions, he pulled his pistol and fired at Miss Suttles. The ball struck just above her left hip, but glanced on a corset steel. Miss Suttles screamed and ran toward her father, who was up at the chancel speaking to the preacher.

As she ran from him, Lee deliberately fired at her again. The ball entered her back just between her shoulder blades and about an inch and a half from the spine. It passed directly through her heart and came out between the fifth and sixth ribs about an inch to the left of the breast bone. The ball did not pass entirely through her body, but protruded from the flesh.

Dr. Suttles ran to his daughter at the sound of her agonizing scream. He reached her just in time to catch her as she fell. She recognized him and screamed, "O, papa," but died before he could lower her to the floor.

The Marion County Patriot, May 30, 1902