Source : Webster County Mississippi History, Ruby Edwards Kimbrell VOL 1 page 230
After the sudden illness and death of Edward D. Edwards, Jr., the widow Mary "Molly" Gray Edwards, asked if she could live with the Edwards family at "New Hope". She lived with the family from the September 1860 death of her husband untill March 1861, Judge Edwards had harvested the crop on the lower plantation and had settled with her for $1200.00 giving her his note. In March,1861. Judge Edwards went to New Orleans for his cotton returns and upon reaching home, he advised Molly that he desired paying off the note. For some unknow cause, the widow got the note, threw it at the Judge's feet, Saying at the same time that $1200 was no money to her and that she refused it. The money would last no time if she had to pay board. She had not been paying board, nor was she expected to pay board in the future. The Judge replied "daughter, you know I promised you a home at my house where your board would cost you nothing". She persisted in her refusal to take the money and left his house. The widow was gone for about three weeks, and returned stating that she had been on a long trip. That she spent a great deal of money and would like to settle the account due for property and farm tools. Judge Edwards paid her and asked that she sign a receipt. After she departed he sat silent with tears on his face. His wife inquired what was troubling him. He told her that he did not understand the widow and feared that through the advice of her brothers they would cause him great trouble- they might try to kill him to in herit his estate. A short time later, Bob Gray, The widow's brother, came to the mansion and advised the Judge that he had taken out letters of administration on the estate of E.D. Edwards, Jr. The Judge said that was alright and that he would have all the property-stock, farming tools,etc. gotten together for the appraisers. When the appraisers were finished , the Judge advised the administrator who was present that he would like the property moved from his premises as early as possible, he would keep the stock together so they would have no trouble in getting them.
Learning that his son-in-law and Molly's brother, Dr. Jim Gray, was aiding his sister in swindling him, the Judge asked that a Negro boy be retuned. The Judge had loaned the boy to his daughter, Mary Ellen Edwards Gray, to aid in her home. Dr. Gray refused to return the Negro boy and wrothe the Judge an insulting note saying he would send the boy home if the Judge would send him two more. This note arrived at the mansion on Tuesday. On Wednesday, Dr. Gray went to the mansion and, the Judge not being hom, told his wife that he wanted to settle the difficulties between them. Her son Luther, was sick upstairs, and hearing the loud talk, came down , told the doctor that a difficulty was not necessary between him and his father if he would send the boy home. Dr. Gray turned very quickly, placed his hand on his repeater, half drawing it and said to Luther if it was trouble he wanted he (Gray) was ready for him. Luther made no reply, turned and walked back upstairs. Dr. Gray waited about an hour for the Judge, Talking rough and saying hard things about the Judge. He left, advising that his brother Bob Gray would be there for a load of their sister's (Molly) furniture Thursday morning. The Judge knew if he gave them the keys to his housel they would take possession, so he went to the lower plantation Thursday morning taking his son Knight to help with the furniture. Bob and the widow came to "New Hope: Thursday morning for they keys and were told by a Negro that the Judge had gone to the lower plantation. When they got to the lower plantation house, Judge Edwards told them that he would pass the furniture out to them to be loaded on the wagon. They were unable to get all the furniture on the wagon and said they would return the next day (Friday) for the rest of the belongings. The Judge locked the house and he and his son left. When Bob Gray and the widow arrived and Dr. James Gray's (A son-in-law of Judge Edwards and a brother to Bob and the widow), they appeared much excited. The widow went into the house where Mrs, Gray was and in an excited manner told her that her father (Judge Edwars) had insulted her (the widow) and he should be taught better. Bob Gray immediately went for their brother Capt. Bill Gray, who, according to his own words had murdered no less than a half dozen men in Texas and Mexico and had ridden with outlaw gangs. Mrs. Jim Gray (Marry Ellen Edwards Gray) became very upset, seeing her husband aiding Bob in getting off and the widow pacing the floor. When the doctor came in, his wife ran to him, threw her arms around his neck and asked if Bob had gone for Bill. The doctor loosened himself from his embraces, refused to answer, and left the house. When he returned sometime later, Mrs. Gray met him at the gate, begged him to tell her what was troubling him. He related the plan that Bob had gone for Bill and they were going to take their double barrel shotgus and her father was going to give them the keys to that house and sister Mary was going in. That was in the afternoon. Mrs. Gray pleaded, sobbed and when the clock struck twelve that night, he promised that if she would quit sobbing and go to bed, he would not go and he would send Bill and Bob home when they came and would send a Negro to up the balance of his sister's funiture. She went to bed, but could not sleep. About three o'clock, she heard horses feet comming in a hurry and a light rap at the door. The doctor responded and she heard Bob say that Bill was at Mr. May's and would be going to Greensborough. Then she heard a voice she knew to be Bill's. She remarked she heard Bill's voice, he responded he was in a great hurry. He left his wife quite sick and had to return home as soon as possible. By this time the doctor and the widow were both up and the four- Bob, Bill, Jim and Molly- went into a private room and held a whispered comversation for about an hour. When they had completed their plan, Dr. Jim went into his wife's room, place a whiskey bottle in his saddle bag, bid his wife goodnight, left locking the bedroom door behind him. They left, firing and reloadiong their guns. Mrs. Gray called and called from her window, finally arousing a Nego and sent him to warn her father. On arriving at the house, the Grays broke down the door and proceeded to load the balance of their sisters's funiture. Then they discharged the last contents of the bottle while they waited for the Judge, knowing it was his custom to visit his hands early. They were working close by and he would be compelled to pass the yard.
As soon as the Judge left on his horse, taking with him a small Negro who carried his gun, Luther and Knight (his sons) learned from the messenger the Grays had passed earlier-before light. Fearing for their father, Luther armed himself with a gun and Knight with a dirk-knife and they followed their father. They overtook him just as he was hitching his horse at the gate, The Grays were yelling and whooping, saying "Come on Judge, We are ready for you" they Judge halted and they motioned him, saying "Come on Damn you if you want to fight we are ready for you" The Judge halted again, no doubt, ruminating in his own mind whether or not he would let them drive him from his own premises. He advanced in about twenty feet of the door, the Grays rushed to the door and his son-in-law, Dr. Jim Gray said "Ah! Judge, come on if you want to fight: The juge replied that he had come to attend to his business and he wanted no difficulty with them, but they were acting more like thieves and robbers than honest men. Dr, Jim then said to Bob "Shoot" which he did- the whole load taking effect in the Judge's breast, killing him instantly. About this time, Luther fired at Bob Gray, missing him and Dr. Jim fired at Luther, mortaly wounding him. Knight, left with nothing to defend himself but a dirk-knife was struck a very sever blow over the head with a gun by Dr. Jim Gray. He would have surely been killed except that the Negroes, hearing the gun fire, rushed in and so wounded Bill and Jim Gray they were unable to get away. Bob Gray made his escape with the Negroes pursuing him. He ran to Mr. Hightower's who lived nearby, saying that the Negroes had had an uprising and killed the Judge and Luther. He fell across Mrs. Hightowers bed, spoiling her best counterpane with his blood. Mr. Hightower went to the Edwards plantation and soon a large crowd of neighborhood people had assembled. They beheld a most horrid scene: Judge Edwards lying lifeless in his own yard; Luther in a dying condition; Knight wounded-bleeding from his head; Dr. Jim and Bill Gray wounded. On hearing the statment of the Grays and the dying testimony of Luther, there was but one sentence to be hung without the benefit of the law. The crowd was in an uproar. The Grays were taken to be jailed in Greensborough. Judge Edwards and Luthers lifeless bodies were takedn home. This was Friday, November 22, 1861. Saturday the town of Greensborough was buzzing with disbelief. Sunday night a mob entered the jail and hanged Bill and Bob Gray. Their mother was in the jail and Dr. Jim asked that they not hang him in front of his mother, so he was taken down the road and hanged from the limb of an oak tree. The mother placed the bodies-three sons- in her wagon and drove them to her home in the Mars Hill (Sweatman) Community. (This is the most notorious of the three mob killings in Webster County history). On the way, Mrs. Gray stopped at the home of Mary Ellen Edwards Gray-now the widow of Dr. James H. Gray. She came down the front walk out the gate to the wagon, looked at her husband, took a handkerchief from her pocket and placed it over the face of her husband, turned and walked back into the house. She attended that funerals of her father and brother Monday at Edwards Springs and her husband and brothers-in-law Tuesday at Mars Hill.
