Murder on South Palafox

Workplace Violence in 1905

John White, owner of the John White Store on South Palafox St. in Pensacola, was sitting near the entrance to his store reading the afternoon newspaper. His 17-year-old son, Eddie, was standing about four feet from him. A clerk named William Fletcher Williams, who worked for Mr. White, walked into the store, passed by the seated owner, turned around quickly, and shot him twice. Eddie later testified that Williams said, “I don’t give a damn for any of you.”

Williams then turned and shot James White, also a son of John who was the manager of the store. He then turned and shot Edwin Dansby, manager of the Furnishing department, in the neck. Dansby collapsed immediately. Williams then shot at fellow clerk, James Nix, missing him as he dodged behind a counter.

Williams fired five shots, only missing when he shot at Nix. He ejected the empty cartridges and was attempting to reload when he was tackled by James White, covered in blood from a chest wound. Entering the store at this time was Constable Charles Bobe who heard the shots from the sidewalk, Robert McLellan, and Cuyler McMillan. James White yelled, “Take him, Mr. Cuyler, I don’t know whether he has killed me, or not.” McMillan grasped Williams around the arms and body, and Constable Bobe and Mr. McLellan wrestled the gun away from him.

At the time Williams began shooting, John White was seated with Eddie standing nearby. James White was standing back and to the left of his father. Dansby was showing clothing to a customer a little farther back. James Nix was showing a lady customer goods on the other side of the store. Ernest W. Elliott, and Chris Hendricks, also employees were closer to the rear of the store and took cover.

Williams was taken directly to the county jail by Constable Bobe and Mr. McLellan. As they crossed the Plaza, they met Deputy Sheriff Sanders. When they informed Sanders that Williams had just shot and killed Mr. White, Williams said, “Me, killed John White? I don’t remember anything about it.”

James White was helped to the office of Dr. D’Alemberte where he was examined and sent to the hospital. Edwin Dansby was taken directly to the hospital, where he was not expected to live, and died on July 22 at about 4 am. He was later buried at St. John’s cemetery.  John White’s body was taken to an undertaker and then to his 423 East Gregory Street residence.

A Coroner’s Jury was assembled by Judge Landrum consisting of, D. Hale Wilson, W.W. Watson, Charles F. Steward, W.C. Walker, Eddie Forchiemer, and William A. Bond. The Jury examined the evidence at the crime scene and interviewed witnesses. Williams was then charged with First Degree Murder.

John White

He was 58 years old, born in Austria, and lived in Pensacola for 36 years. He started selling tobacco, and articles used in the seafaring trades on the street. He was successful, and over the years expanded until he established the John White Store on South Palafox. It was the largest store of its type in the city. He was married and had four children. He had a son, Mario who was in New York; his son James who was managing the store, and two younger sons, Eddie, 17, and Tommy 14. He is buried at St. Michael’s Cemetery.

The Cause of the Shooting

Over a period of time, it was determined that stock was missing from the store. Edwin Dansby received a letter from a friend of his stating that a brother of Williams named Archie was selling goods with John White markings at a store he owned in the town of Century, in the northern part of the county. Mr. White asked Constable Charles Bobe to investigate. Bobe and Dansby took the train north to Century and found the items being sold in the store. Later, when confronted, William F. Williams denied the items were stolen and with no further evidence, and feeling a bit sorry for Williams, Mr. White dropped the matter.

The other employees, however, were keeping an eye on Williams. Williams felt the not-so-subtle surveillance and began brooding about the situation. He also began drinking, and the day of the shooting had been drinking steadily. Shortly before the shooting he was sorting and rearranging stock with fellow clerk James Nix. He then left the store for about five minutes. When he returned, he began shooting.

Jailhouse Interview

Williams lived at 1101 West Government Street. His mother lived on West Gregory and recently opened a boarding house there. He was about 24 years old. About 30 minutes after the shooting, in his cell, he was interviewed by a Journal reporter named Percy S. Hayes. Hayes later said that Williams was very drunk, and had vomited in his cell. He asked Hayes if John White was dead. When convinced that was the truth, he said, “Well, some people thought me soft, but they found out different. If I die for this, I will die honestly and will be like a man. John White was the best friend I ever had. He helped me out of trouble. If he had kept other people out of his business, and not listened to them I never would have done it. It is not him I was after; it was other parties. They drove me to it. I won’t say who they are. They have dollars where I haven’t even got cents. They are the ones who are the cause of it all. Just because I tried to build myself up, they tried to pull me down. I started digging roots and built myself up to what I am today. My only fault was that I drank some. Yes, I may hang for this, but John White was surely my friend. He was the best man in Pensacola, but then he brought it upon himself. If he had done right, he would be alive today.”

On August 2, James White was moved to his home on East Gregory Street from St. Anthony’s Hospital. He recuperated quickly and was able to provide testimony at both murder trials.

A month after the shooting, Williams was found guilty of first-degree murder with a recommendation for mercy. This meant he was going to receive a life sentence. There was general disgust in the city that he did not get the death penalty. When it was announced that he would be tried in Marianna for the murder of Ed Dansby, it was felt that maybe a jury there would give him hanged. It was not to be, however. The trial in Marianna produced the same result. The jury voted 7-5 for a mercy recommendation resulting in a second life sentence. The total cost for both trials was $6000. Williams was brought back to Pensacola to wait until it was decided where the state was going to put him. His father-in-law brought him meals while he was in the Pensacola jail.

It was generally felt that Williams had come from a good family. He was one of ten children of William Julian Williams, and Lucretia Brown. He was the oldest boy, born in August of 1882. His father worked as a Sawyer at a lumber mill in Muscogee, and in 1900, the family was living on West Government Street. In Mr. Williams 1932 obituary, it states that he was well thought of in the Muscogee area. The article lists some of his children but doesn’t mention the one who created all the havoc on South Palafox in 1905. Archie Williams later operated a market on East Garden Street and died in 1950.

The End of Mr. Williams

In the 1910 census, William Fletcher Williams is listed as an inmate at a State Prison in Tallahassee, but by August of 1911, he was a trustee at the T.W. Shands Company convict camp near Belmore, Florida. This was part of the controversial state convict lease program. There were numerous camps across Florida where the State would lease prisoners to privately owned turpentine camps, logging camps, and even railroad construction. These companies paid the state for the use of prisoners with no compensation going to the men performing the labor. It was basically legally sanctioned slave labor. It was quite profitable for the state.

As a “trustee”, Williams had more freedom of movement, and on August 11, he rode away from the camp. Green Cove Springs is about 16 miles northeast of Belmore. Williams rode a horse into the yard of Mrs. Jessie Meeks with the intention of robbing the place. Mrs. Meeks’ husband was away visiting a sick brother, and when she heard someone outside, she assumed it was her husband returning home. She opened the door and Williams shot and killed her. Her 16-year-old son Walter Meeks ran toward the door and Williams shot him in the leg. Walter secured a shotgun, and returned fire, hitting Williams in the leg. Williams turned to flee, and young Mr. Meeks shot him in the back. Williams collapsed in the roadway and lay there until he died the next morning. I assume the house was isolated, which is probably why Williams selected it as a target. Meeks did not leave the house and apparently, no one happened to pass by until the next day.

The remains of William Fletcher Williams were brought back to Pensacola and later buried at the Pine Barren Cemetery, north of the city.

James Anicetta White, died March 5, 1943, and is buried at St. Michael’s Cemetery in Pensacola.

Ironically, both James White and William F. Williams were born in August 1882.

All pictures from the Pensacola News Journal July 1905.