Center L PRESLEY

Center
October 23, 1879* - February 3, 1924

Martha
July 19, 1879* - December 4, 1961

Center

*Obituary (News Article)
Benton County Record
Friday, February 8, 1924

PRESLEY, Centers - Centers Presley, a farmer living fifteen miles northwest of Bentonville, near Hiwasse, was killed last Sunday afternoon by J.D. Hurley, a well-known citizen and barber of Bentonville. Presley's throat was cut twice with a pocketknife, severing the jugular vein. He died about ten minutes later. The murder occurred on Hurley's farm which joins Presley's. After the killing Hurley drove back to Bentonville and after changing his clothes, told his wife of what he had done, walked to the sheriff's office and gave himself up. Mrs. Hurley was prostrated with grief. Both men had always been good friends and were on the best of terms up to the moment of the killing. Hurley was given a preliminary hearing before Justice of the Peace Whitley Kerr on Wednesday afternoon. The courthouse was filled with spectators from all parts of the county, particularly from that section northwest of Bentonville who had come to hear of the cause and justification of the murder. Hurley was represented by Attorneys Vol Lindsey, and Wythe Walker of Fayetteville while Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Joe Beasley represented the state in a very able manner. Two eyewitnesses to the crime, J.S. Walter and James Harris, were examined. The testimony of each was practically the same. Mr. Walter, the first witness, is well known in Bentonville and leased the Hurley farm last year where he now lives. In his story to the court he testified that Hurley drove out to the farm about ten o'clock Sunday morning and that the two looked over the farm. Presley and Harris came later and the four gathered and talked and joked in the barnyard. Hurley, Walter and Harris had their pocketknives out and were whittling. The talk drifted to land. Hurley and Presley each had a forty-acre tract of land the other wanted. Hurley had previously offered Presley one hundred and fifty dollars for his but he wanted more money. Walter suggested the price of either tract be left to Harris and him to decide. Both agreed and the two went behind the barn to discuss the value of the land. They decided that $200 was a fair price for either forty and returned to where Hurley and Presley were sitting. On hearing the price decided upon Presley said: "Hurley, you have bought something." "No," said Hurley, "I've got the first say," and asked Walter if it was not so. Walter stated nothing was said about who should have the first say. After arguing somewhat, in which Harris and Walter both testified that neither was angry, Presley said something that he did not hear. Harris testified that Presley said "I will have nothing to do with it." Hurley, in his testimony, said Presley called him a foul name and reached toward his pocket. Hurley then jumped to his feet and cut Presley twice across his throat with his pocketknife. Presley walked about twenty—five steps and picked up an old buggy hub. Hurley, it was stated, told him to drop it or he would get his gun from the car and kill him. Presley died a few moments later and Hurley walked to the spring, washed his hands and came back to where Harris and Walter were standing over the dead man. Hurley told them not to go back on him as they new he had to do it. At the inquest held buy Coroner Callison, no revolver or weapon, excepting a closed pocketknife, was found on Presley. Presley was about 50 years of age and leaves a wife and ten children. He was regarded by his neighbors as a peaceful and law-abiding citizen. Although Hurley, Harris and Walter testified that none of them had been drinking, a bottle of moonshine was found, at the inquest, sticking out of the front righthand overall pocket of the dead man. Walter stated at the hearing that Presley fell on his face and that when he turned him over he did not see any bottle. Harris stated that he had been with the murdered man nearly all day but did not see any bottle on him. He also testified that after the killing he had seen Hurley go to the ear and get a bottle which he carried in his hand through the house. Hurley, it was stated, afterwards was around the body. How did this bottle get into Presley's pocket, or was it there all the time? At the close of the hearing Justice Kerr ordered Hurley bound over to the grand jury on the charge of murder in the second degree. In the absence of Judge Dickson, Hurley was taken before County Judge David Compton who fixed his bail at $5,000. He was then taken back to jail. At 3 p.m. yesterday (Thursday) he had failed to raise his bond.


Martha

*Obituary
Northwest Arkansas Times
Friday, December 9, 1961

BENTONVILLE (Special) - Mrs. Martha Brown Presley, 83, former Hiwasse resident, died Monday in Fremont, Calif.

Mrs. Presley, a native of Tennessee, moved to Missouri in 1910 and later to the Hiwasse area. She moved to California in 1941.

Survivors are three daughters, Mrs. Cary Smith of Mesa, Ariz., Mrs. Esther Brannon of Fremont, and Mrs. Pansy Smith of Hiwasse, five sons, Coy of Caverna, Mo., Mack of Sulpher Springs, Donald of Newark, Calif., Bill of Fremont, and Lawrence of Mesa, Ariz.; four sisters; 19 grandchildren, and 9 great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be conducted at 2 p.m. Sunday in the Hiwasse Church of the Nazarene. Burial will be at Jane, Mo. Cemetery under the direction of Callison-McKinney Funeral Home of Bentonville.

Contributed on 11/4/21 by judyfrog
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Record #: 828466

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