JUST AN OATH AWAY

This story is the fourth in a series of eight stories that Lucille Linton shared with me as told to her by her mother Lila Self Hunt.

Fannie Self married Dutch Summey around 1923, and they moved into a house on the mountain farm of Jim McMahan in the Piney Flats Community. Mr. McMahan had several children before his wife died, and he married Miss Summey, sister of Dutch. Miss Summey had a son named Dick who attended her wedding.

Dutch and Jim had a serious argument one day in Jim's yard. Jim told Dick to fetch his gun. Dick brought the gun, but fatally shot Jim with it instead of giving it to him.

A neighbor, Mrs. Emery Self (Mary) heard the shot and screams and hurried to the McMahan's house. Upon arrival, Mrs. McMahan cried, "Oh, Ms. Self, Dick has killed Mr. McMahan!"

The sheriff was sent for and, during interrogation, Ms. McMahan declared her brother had shot Jim. Dutch was arrested and kept in jail until the trial.

As a witness, Mary testified of what Ms. McMahan had blurted out. Her testimony was the only thing that kept Dutch from being sent to the electric chair for a crime he didn't commit.

As a juvenile who had an accident, Dick was not charged for shooting Mr. McMahan.

Fannie Self Summey was the daughter of John Simpson Self and Mary Tucker Self.