Killing of Matthew Milton in Georgia in 1944

Incident

Case summary

Matthew Milton (1908-1944) was killed by police or prison officers in or outside Pierce County Jail, Blackshear, Georgia. Police officers Pierce W. Farr, W.C. Coggins, J.A. Altman, Clyde Dixon, N.C. Roberts, and Bobbie Lee Whiden had come to arrest Milton, who was wanted for murder in Florida. In the course of the attempted arrest, Farr was fatally shot and Coggins wounded by a Black gunman, whom police alleged was Milton. Milton was apprehended after a manhunt. During his transfer to Pierce County jail, Milton was accused of attacking a guard with an ice pick, for which he was shot multiple times.

Victim(s):

Matthew Milton


Alleged perpetrators/other named individuals:

J. A. Altman

W. C. Coggins

Clyde Dixon

Pierce W. Farr

R. I. Morgan

N. C. Roberts

Bobbie Lee Whiden

Perpetrator group type: police, posse, mob

Date of incident: 1944-04-09
Location: Blackshear, Pierce County, Georgia
Location type: public space - urban
Allegation against victim: murdering a police officer; attacking police with an ice pick during an escape attempt

Coroner process
Coroner/inquest: [ ]
Finding of no legal responsibility: [ ]

Criminal process
Arrest: [ ]
Charge/indictment/information: [ ]
Grand jury: [ ]
Trial: [ ]
Conviction: [ ]
Sentence: [ ]


Document(s):
advocacy group resources
census records - closed
military documents - closed
news articles - closed
state agency records
Data Fields
To learn more about data fields, refer to the data dictionary.
Cite this Page
Refer to how to cite.