Obituary of Floyd & Frances Pickett, Lawrence Co, AR

***********************************************************
Submitted by: Regina Creekmore Weaver<weave@intellinet.com>
        Date: 5 Aug 2001
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
***********************************************************

Here are some more of the obits from a scrapbook of a lady (a distant
cousin) that lived in the Jesup, Lawrence County area of Arkansas already.
Remember that the problem with these is that there are very few actual
dates given for the dates of death, and there are no newspaper names
written beside them. What I do know I've listed, and what was penciled in
on the obit, I've included. If you find someone that is attached to you,
please let me know, and I will try and see if I can find any other
information for you, such as date of death if you don't have it, and
possibly a newspaper name, also.

Floyd Pickett Kills His Wife, Ends Own Life

Bodies of Young Couple Discovered In Their Home Here Tuesday Afternoon by
Relative - Jury Believes Act Homicide and Suicide; Had Been Married About 7
Years

No Justification of Tragedy Found

Floyd Pickett, aged 28, circuit clerk and recorder of Lawrence county,
shot and killed his wife, Mrs. Frances Sutton Pickett, 25, and then ended
his own life here about 3:30 Tuesday afternoon. The time of the tragedy
was established by a jury empaneled by Coroner Howard Marshall, who heard
several neighbors testify that shots were heard about that hour. The
bodies were discovered by Carson Moore, a blind relative.
It is believed that Mrs. Pickett died instantly, the full charge of a 20
gage shotgun entering the spine at the base of the neck. She was found in
a sitting posture and had fallen forward across a desk where she ha been
engaged in writing a letter to an uncle. Mr. Pickett evidently left the
living room to enter the hall between bedrooms and fired a shot into his
stomach, the wound being to the left side toward the heart. He apparently
recovered to some extent, as he staggered or crawled back into the living
room. He was without shoes and footprints of his own blood were indelible
marks of progress made back toward the living room. Mr. Pickett had been
feeling badly and had been lying down as one of the beds indicated this to
be true.
The unfinished letter written by Mrs. Pickett did not reveal any
difficulty at the home and insofar as anyone has been able to learn, Mr.
Pickett had not contemplated suicide or homicide. The circuit clerk had
not been to his office for two days. The sum of $364 was found in his purse.
Discovery of the bodies was made by Mr. Moore. He operates the concession
at the courthouse and had been brought home by Eldon Cross, FSA supervisor,
who left him at the front of the house. Moore stated that he entered the
living room and hear the radio playing. He believed Mrs. Pickett might be
in the bathroom and sat down until he was convinced no one was at home.
Stumbling across Pickett's body, he felt for his heart, and immediately
telephoned Tom B. Lotgan, county clerk and close friend of the Picketts,
who hastened to the home and notified officers and neighbors.
The verdict of suicide and homicide was reached by the jury after an
investigation at the scene of the tragedy. The gun used was an automatic
and the presence of a third exploded shell shed no light on the occurrence
other than to develop the conjecture that Pickett had fired one shot
aimlessly as he left the room where he had shot his wife and turned to go
into the hall.
Mr. Pickett had attended school in the western district and Sloan-Hendrix
Academy at Imboden. He became a deputy circuit clerk in charge of the
clerk's office at the Powhatan courthouse for a period of nearly four
years. He was elected circuit clerk in 1938 and had been renominated
Tuesday of last week, without opposition. Mr. and Mrs. Pickett were
married about 7 years ago and moved to Walnut Ridge shortly before he
assumed office in January 1939. They enjoyed the acquaintance of a wide
circle and participated in church and social activities. They were known
to be congenial.
Mrs. Pickett was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J.W. Sutton of Black Rock.
In addition to her parents, she is survived by a sister, Mrs. J.B. Watts,
of Black Rock and a brother, Wesley Sutton, of Pensacola, Florida.
Mr. Pickett is survived by his mother and step-father, Mr. and Mrs. J.D.
Winchester, of Lynn; a brother, Roy Pickett of Lynn, and two sisters, Mrs.
Earl Stewart of Powhatan and Mrs. Joe Baker of Leachville.

Funeral This Afternoon
Funeral services are being conducted this afternoon at the Baptist church
in Black Rock with Rev. C.C. Sledd of Hoxie and Rev. J.B. Green of Walnut
Ridge in charge. Interment is to be in the Black Rock cemetery.
Johnson Funeral Home of Walnut Ridge is in charge of arrangements.
Pallbearers are: C.W. Webb, M.C. McLeod, Cleo Moody, Tom Logan, Linual
Cameron, Joe Buchanan, Frank Andrews, Paul Morgan, W.E. Archer, Jerry
Bassett, all county officials and Percy Townsend.