Lee County, Kentucky
Transcribed & submitted by Debi Kendrick
Owsley County Courier, Friday, 14 Feb 1936
Charlie Barrett Killed Early Thursday Morning
Lerose- 13 February
About five this morning Charlie BARRETT, 34, was shot and killed in his one room home here. A shotgun was thrust through the opening beside the stove pipe and fired into BARRETT's body from a distance of about six feet, officers said who investigated the tragedy.
Mrs. Martha Jane TERRY Barrett, 21, and her small daughter were in the room. She said that after the shooting Snowden JOHNSON, 35, came to the door and tried to get in and told her to stop screaming. JOHNSON did the shooting the woman said.
Marriage license were issued at Beattyville Feb. 3 just about the time the woman was bringing suit for divorce from JOHNSON who she had been separated since last August. It is thought that JOHNSON has escaped into Breathitt County as Sheriff A. J. CREECH and deputy Terry MAINOUS were unable to locate him when they went to the scene of the killing. According to officers it seemed as though the three shots had been fired. One missed, one blew off the victims right ear and one severed the jugular vein. Death was probably almost instant.