Mule That Killed 8 People

Tom Poland of Columbia, SC presented his program “History of South Carolina and Georgia” at the February 2014 Philadelphia Winn Chapter meeting. With over thirty-two years experience in teaching history at the University of South Carolina and in creative writing, he is published in both books and periodicals. As such, Poland has a plethora of fascinating historical stories.

One of his favorites is The Mule Kick That Killed Eight People that is found on his website tompoland.net. In 1940 a rural storekeeper, Davis Timmerman, had a wayward mule that wandered onto the field of farmer Wallace Logue. The mule kicked and killed one of Logue’s calves. Timmerman agreed with Logue’s request to pay him $20 compensation. However, when Logue arrived at the store for payment, he increased his demand to $40. A quarrel and fight ensued, with Logue severely attacking Timmerman with an axe handle. Timmerman shot and killed Logue (#1) and was acquitted at trial. After the verdict, Sue Logue, the widow, and George Logue, the deceased’s brother, decided to hire a hit man to kill Timmerman. They asked Joe Frank Logue, their nephew, to hire an assassin to do the deed. Joe Frank hired Clarence Bagwell for $500. Joe Frank happened to be a police officer over in the next county.

Officer Joe Frank Logue drove the assassin Bagwell to Timmerman’s store. When Timmerman turned to retrieve a pack of cigarettes, Bagwell unloaded five point-blank bullets from a .38 gun. Timmerman was killed instantly (#2). Unfortunately for the conspirators, Bagwell went on a drinking binge and bragged about his deed to a young woman. She went to the police, and Bagwell was arrested. Bagwell broke down and implicated Joe Frank Logue as well. Joe Frank in turn admitted to hiring Bagwell. He further disclosed that Sue and George, his aunt and uncle, paid for the hit.

Sheriff Allen and Deputy Clark went out to serve arrest warrants, but George Logue lay in wait for them and started a gunfight with the help of sharecropper Fred Dorn. The Sheriff died at the scene (#3), Dorn died the following day (#4), and the Deputy died the next day (#5).  

A subsequent jury convicted George Logue, Sue Logue, and the assassin Bagwell. Each received a death penalty. In the course of one day, Sue (#6), George (#7), and Bagwell (#8) were electrocuted. Eventually, Joe Frank Logue also received the death penalty, but at the last minute, the Governor commuted his sentence to life.