Mickey Starling
reporter3@greenepublishing.com
On a sultry Monday morning in June of 1902, Madison Deputy Sheriff Mike Bass started his day off with an urgent telegram from the Town of Lee. The message stated that he should “proceed with all speed” to an area known as Higden, because a murder had just taken place.
Upon arrival, Bass discovered that Lee Banks and Ed Williams had “gotten into a row over the usual cause --- a woman.” During the ensuing fight Williams received at least 13 knife wounds and was expected to die from his injuries. Bass put his dogs on the trail of Banks, who had fled into a nearby swamp and led the good deputy on a two-mile pursuit. Bass saw the suspect several times, firing at least nine times in his direction. Despite his best efforts, Banks successfully escaped.
After this tiring ordeal, Bass attempted returning home later that night. While traveling, lightning suddenly struck a nearby tree, severely spooking his horses, and causing them to run with frightful speed. One of Bass' wagon wheels struck a tree and was instantly shattered, sending Bass flying through the air and landing none too softly. Though quite bruised, Bass managed to borrow a wheel and finally reached his home by Tuesday morning. Some might say this was all in a day's work, but Bass probably felt as if he had enough work to call it a week.
Information for this article was taken from Elizabeth Evans Kilbourne's book, “Madison County, Florida Newspaper Clippings, 1901-1903.”