Flint is well known for its modern violent crimes but Flint's history is filled with little known stories that read stranger than fiction. Gruesome murders, weird accidents, and violent deaths. Join us every Thursday as Joe Schipani details some of the odd but true deaths he found in Flint's archives.
Fighting over a Girl May 6th, 1923
In 1923 Bessie Herman had moved
to Flint from the south. Unfortunately, an African American, it was hard to
secure a place to stay because most motels and apartments were for whites only.
Her family secured her a room
with a friend of a friend on Durant Street. As soon as Bessie found a job, she moved
into her own place. Two brothers, who were friends of the family, were very
protective of their family friend.
On that May evening Earl and
Cornelius Howard had Bessie and their good friend Eevee Butler and his wife
over for dinner. Eevee proceeded to make
passes at Bessie all evening. He even offered to let her stay with them and
sleep in the bed with him and his wife. This was making Bessie really
uncomfortable so she left early.
Shortly after she left the Howard’s,
Earl and Eevee got into a heated argument. Cornelius joined the fight and Eevee
panicked. He pulled out a pistol he had in the back of his trousers and started
to shoot.
Earl was hit with the first
bullet. It entered his head, killing him instantly.
Cornelius turned to leave the
room and was shot in the back. The bullet went right through him and into
Eevee’s wife.
Both Cornelius and Mrs. Butler
survived.
Eevee Butler was convicted of
murder and sentenced to fifty years. His wife filed for divorce during his
trial.
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