The colored people of this town are very much interested in the circumstances surrounding the death of one of their number, Eva Ross, 17 or 18 years of age, which occurred Friday of last week.  Dr. Thomas H. Baker attended the girl and he gives it as his opinion that the girl’s death was caused by a bad wound on the back of the head, just at the juncture of the spinal column and the skull.  It is said that the girl had had a row and a fight with a negro man a few days before.

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May 3, 1901
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ARRESTED FOR MURDER.
Hugh Wofford, Colored, Charged With Murder of Eva Ross.

A few weeks ago Eva Ross, a young colored woman, died under most suspicious circumstances.  Just before dying, Dr. Thomas H. Baker was called in and he freely gave his opinion that the girl was suffering from a heavy blow on the back of the head.  The girl was reticent as to how the blow came but her relatives stated that she had had a row a day or so before, and it was thought she was roughly handled.  The girl died and it looked as if the matter was hushed up.

However, talk was general among the colored people and Tuesday a warrant was sworn out by Court Bailiff Will Goode, against an East & West train hand, Hugh Wofford, colored, charged with inflicting the wounds that caused the girl’s death.

Wednesday morning Sheriff Griffin and Goode met the incoming East & West train and placed the man under arrest, and put him in jail to await preliminary hearing.

Dr. Baker is positive in the statement that the girl had been seriously hurt at the back of the head, just where the cranium joins the spinal column.  Her symptoms indicated that her whole nervous system had been shattered and a bruise at that particular point was noticed.