Article dated March 4, 1927, concerning the murder of William Binion, husband of Almeda (Thompson) Binion.
His Death Certificate is also on this site.
Boone Comes in for another Tragedy The Madison Reader, Friday, 4 March 1927 B.W. Holbrook of Ferndale near Whitesville on Upper Big Coal River was lodged in the county jail here last Saturday charged with the murder of Will W. Binion and Homer Yates of the same place. The trouble is said to have occurred early Friday morning after an all night party at the home of Mrs. James Binion. Mrs. Charles Yates, a sister in law of Homer Yates, was accidentally shot during the row but will recover according to reports. Binion is alleged to have been shot 5 times and his head crushed with an iron poker. He was killed instantly. Yates, shot twice, died several hours later in a Charleston hospital. An inquest was held Saturday under the direction of Squire S. M. Foster of Jerrold’s Valley. Acting principally on the evidence of Mrs. Binion in whose home the tragedy occurred the coroner’s jury held Holbrook responsible for the two murders it is said. However it is further stated that other arrest may be made in connection with the tragedy. Testimony of several of the witnesses before the coroner’s jury was that whiskey flowed freely during the night and early morning of the trouble. A motive for the shooting has not been clearly established but it is believed that a drunken argument led blows and blows led to murder. An iron poker blood stained and two revolvers are held as evidence. The body of Yates was taken to Iron, Ohio for burial and that of Binion was return to Grahant, Kentucky from where moved to Ferndale.
"B.W. (Walter) Holbrook was supposed to be friends with and kin to William Binion. They were both from Carter Co.
I have not yet found any information on who exactly Walter Holbrook was though."
Boone County Jail, 1930 Index of Prisoners The Boone Co. WV jail inmates includes the Holbrook who murdered William Binion, Homer Yates, and Mrs. Dora Yates. NOTE: This set of records for Boone County Jail provides the prisoners name, date of birth and place of birth, more FREE information regarding these prisoners can be found in census records When searching for your West Virginia Blacksheep Ancestors, whether that be a prisoner, convict, inmate, felon, criminal, outlaw, gangster, bandit or scoundrel, make sure you have searched all prison records, court records and execution records that may contain information on your blacksheep ancestor Prisoners Name, Prisoners Date of Birth, Prisoners Place of Birth John Dillon 1894 Kentucky Tom Dunegan 1908 Kentucky Quincy Kimber 1912 West Virginia Joe Poackard 1886 Ohio Luther Reynolds 1908 Oklahoma Bill Smith 1898 Kentucky Walter Pasley 1903 West Virginia Bill Radford 1868 Virginia William Smith 1900 West Virginia Williard Vanover 1912 West Virginia Leslie Lambert 1911 West Virginia Williard Lambert 1910 West Virginia Boyd Blankenship 1913 West Virginia Herman L Strickland 1910 West Virginia Lilburn Messer 1907 West Virginia Edd Grover 1904 Washington Walter Holbrook 1890 Kentucky Earnest Huston 1905 Tennessee Tom Taylor 1878 West Virginia Snowden Kinder 1915 West Virginia Lawrence Conway 1909 West Virginia Trancriber: Tracy Day Source: Names of prisoners in Boone County Jail extracted from 1930 census Madison Township, Boone County West Virginia Seth Kinder 1908 West Virginia Jim Turner 1887 West Virginia Walter Rudd 1888 North Carolina Lewis Parson 1903 West Virginia Roy Massey 1911 West Virginia Louise Conway 1913 West Virginia Madeline Conway 1911 West Virginia Bessie Ellison 1903 West Virginia Newton Cook 1904 West Virginia Marshall Daniels 1908 West Virginia Virginia Barlow 1907 Virginia Inez Fay Hager 1910 West Virginia Stella M Hager 1909 West Virginia Robert Keyser 1900 West Virginia Sid Mcneely 1896 West Virginia Tolbert Daniels 1899 West Virginia Mike Castellanos 1897 Mexico Gilbert Daniels 1909 West Virginia Roy Stimel 1904 Ohio Hoyt Karne 1892 Ohio C H Williamson 1905 West Virginia
Submitted by: Pamela Binion