The story that follows details the mysterious and unsolved death of Azzie Martin in Ashburn. It’s technically still a “cold case”. Was her death an accident? Was it intentional? Either of those theories is plausible based on the limited facts available. One thing seems certain: there was an attempt to hide the truth. The Turner County Project, an exceptional local history blog, has done a great service bringing this tragedy to light, and many of the facts I’m sharing come from their website. Please visit them to see the wonderful work they’re doing. They note, that: Sadly, despite the attempt by the Turner County Project, finding the location of Azzie Martin’s grave has been unsuccessful. The location of Glenwood cemetery has been lost to memory, even to those in the funeral business. Even more sad is that there is [sic] no investigation records that can be reviewed on the tragedy. My own interest in and knowledge of the story comes from my initial documentation of the house beginning in 2008.

Florrie Benton Smith Evans, daughter-in-law of John West Evans, was living in the house and renting the second floor to Ila Mae Hickox. On 10 December 1937, Ms. Hickox held a Christmas party in her apartment and hired Azzie Martin to cook chicken for the event. [Though newspapers referred to her as Azza or Essa, the name on her death certificate was Azzie. Azzie, who was born on 27 January 1911 in Arabi, was the daughter of Will Martin and Amanda Bryant, who came to the area from Macon County]. The party was apparently quite raucous, and varying stories, presumably circulated to exonerate its white attendees, note that Ms. Martin was intoxicated and hit her head. Another story relates that after refusing to dance topless for some of the party-goers she was struck in the head with a beer bottle. It is believed her death took place in the early hours of 11 December 1937. I think it’s important to note the names of those present at the party, in addition to Ms. Hickox. They were: Miss Susie Mae Anderson, Mrs. Cecil Willis, Mrs. Floy Watson Revell, Mr. Tom McNair of Ashburn, Hugh Humphries and Beverly Jones of Americus, J.B. Slade and Plezz Ray of Cordele.

Some of the stories in the local and national press regarding Ms. Martin’s death seem patently contrived, to me, as someone observing nearly a century later. One stated that a black man by the name of Worthy rolled her body in a rug and took it out of the house, but of course, Mr. Worthy is a ghost in the historical record. It was also said, contradicting Mrs. Evans’s account, that Azzie was taken, drunk, to Mr. Worthy’s home, which was about a mile from her residence. The implication I take away is that she didn’t die in the house but rather in the later presence of Mr. Worthy, who lived about a mile from her residence. [Amazingly, though he was briefly incarcerated in connection to the case, he was released. Had Azzie Martin been white, Mr. Worthy would have undoubtedly been lynched]. Azzie’s remains were discovered by turpentine workers on the Little River a few months later.

Mrs. Florrie Evans, the home’s owner and a highly respected citizen, stated: About 3 o’clock in the morning, I heard somebody start downstairs. I could tell by the way they were walking they were carrying something heavy. I got up and looked out my window. I saw two boys carrying a bundle. It looked like a trunk…I saw them put the bundle in the car, and these two and some of the others went off. She went on to say that those who left in the early morning hours returned and their party continued until around 6AM. Mrs. Evan, being of the local upper class, might just as easily have created a cover story for the house guests, but admirably, in my opinion, she was truthful and didn’t change her story as others did. In the press, challenges to her story could be expected and came out almost immediately, some even stating that Azzie left the house on her own accord. Shrouding racially charged crimes in mystery was the norm during this time, ensuring that a clear set of facts were all but impossible to ascertain. The story of Azzie Martin’s last hours is no exception.

Mixed in with the local lore is this, from David Baldwin: The young man that committed the crime was reported to have attempted suicide between December and March, but survived. He went on the live as a Christian but no doubt he had to live with this crime all his life. The boys there that night committed to forever hold a secret as to what happened and as far as this writer knows they have. The murdered lady is said to haunt the house by those that have lived there.

The following stories from the Ashburn Wiregrass-Farmer are valuable for some of the facts they present, but they are typical of the treatment of African-Americans at the time in that they are often full of obfuscation and contradictory statements. They made no effort to get Ms. Martin’s name right, nor her age. Even her death certificate was amended, a common practice in cases of this nature during the Jim Crow era.

16 December 1937 – Negro Woman Mysteriously Disappeared Saturday Nite

A party of young men and women of Ashburn, with a few invited guests from out of town, planned a chicken supper for a late hour last Saturday night [December 10, 1937], and secured the services of a Negro woman to do the cooking in advance. It is claimed by members of the party that upon their arrival at the apartment they found the woman intoxicated and that she had fallen down and hurt her head, necessitating some of the men in the party, carrying her downstairs and taking her home in an automobile.

Members of the Negro woman’s family claim she never came in at all Saturday night, and an intensive search has been going on in an effort to find her since, but as we go to press Wednesday noon, no trace of the woman has been found.

17 March 1938 – SKELETON OF NEGRO WOMAN FOUND TUESDAY – ABOUT 4 ½ MILES SOUTHWEST OF ASHBURN NEAR LITTLE RIVER BY TWO NEGRO MEN TURPENTINE WORKERS

Azza has been found. Ashburn’s mystery story of 1937 has come to light. The skeleton of Azza Martin, colored, was found Tuesday afternoon [March 15, 1938] at 6 o’clock by two turpentine Negroes, working for J. I. Faircloth.

Word was brought to Sheriff Alex Story, who had been working on the unsolved case since last December. He investigated and found the body near the banks of Little River, about 4 ½ miles Southwest of Ashburn, and about 1 ½ miles from the Coverdale road, which was identified by her clothes and dental work.

News spread like wildfire shortly after dark and the desolated spot became the mecca of hundred of people who visited the place, guarded by Negros placed there by Sheriff Story.

Wednesday morning a Coroner’s inquest was held by J.L. North, at the place where the body was found. J.I. Faircloth, Carl Cannon, T.E. Kennedy, J.H. Bell and Waters Bell served on the Coroner’s jury. The skeleton was examined by Dr. J.H. Baxter, county physician, and Dr. W.L. Story, but no statement was made by them as their findings. Because of rain the Coroner and his jury came to the court house in Ashburn, and were asked by the Solicitor of this circuit, W.C. Forehand, to disband until next Tuesday, March 22, at 10 a.m., when the Sheriff was instructed to have all witnesses present, and go into the case thoroughly, to determine if possible how Azza came to her death, and by whom, if it was found that she had met with foul play.

As will be remembered, Azza Martin, colored, age 29, has been missing since Saturday night, December 11, when she was engaged to prepare a midnight feed at the apartment of Miss Ila Mae Hicox, at the home of Mrs. J.L. Evans. Miss Hicox was at that time manager of the local Elrod 5 and 10 cent store, but now of Montezuma. To this feed a number of well known local people as well as several from out of town were invited. Among those enjoying this midnight party were: Miss Ila Mae Hicox, hostess, Miss Susie Mae Anderson, Miss Cecil Willis, Mrs. Floy Watson Revell, Mr. Tom McNair of Ashburn, Messrs. Hugh Humphries and Beverly Jones of Americus, Messrs. J.B. Slade and Plezz Ray of Cordele.

Nothing out of the way was known or thought of the affair, until Sunday, when Azza was reported missing, by her relatives, to Sheriff Story. The young people stated, when questioned, that they had carried her safely home in the car, in the early morning hours, and stuck to this story throughout later investigation. Yet, none of her people had seen her, so they claimed.

H. Worthy, a Negro living about a mile from Azza’s abode, gave out the information that Azza had stopped at his home about two o’clock the morning she was missing, to warm, and that after warming for about thirty minutes she left. And no trace of Azza has been found until Tuesday when her badly decomposed body was found. Worthy has been held in county jail here since about the middle of January, pending further developments in the case.

Sheriff Alex Story, Solicitor General Forehand and the recent January grand jury investigated the case, had two or three present at the party questioned, but at that time were unable to get anywhere with the investigation.

24 March 1938 – Azza Martin Inquest Held At Court House Tuesday – HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE WHITE AND COLORED WERE LISTENING IN – White Solicitor Forehand Conducted Inquest Lasting Five Hours

Ashburn was crowded Tuesday morning with people from far and near, who came to hear the coroner’s inquest into the death of Azza Martin, colored, who disappeared December 11, and whose skeleton was found Tuesday, March 15, about 4 ½ miles Southwest of Ashburn

The inquest began promptly at 10 o’clock A. M., and lasted for approximately five hours. Solicitor Forehand examined around fifteen witnesses. The court house auditorium was jammed and packed with hundreds of people, both white and colored.

All witnesses examined that were present at the midnight supper from which Azza Martin disappeared, told practically the same story: that the services of Azza had been secured to do the cooking, that after she had been carried to Miss Ila Mae Hicox’s apartment at the Evans’ home, it was found that she had been drinking and unable to do the cooking, and that while in the kitchen she fell and hurt her head and that members of the party assisted her down the stairs and carried her home.

Mrs. John L. Evans, at whose home Miss Hicox had an apartment, was placed on the stand, and told of the hilarious party that lasted until six o’clock Sunday morning, and that around three o’clock she heard some of the party bringing something heavy down the stairs and after they had passed out of the house, she looked out her bedroom window and saw some of the party carrying a large bundle between them, and that they put it in a car and drove away, coming back and joining the party later. 

Negro witnesses summoned, said that Azza appeared at their house around 2:30, warmed and left 20 minutes to 3:00, apparently none the worse for wear.

Coroner J.L. North, and his jury, after a short deliberation, found that Azza Martin had come to her death at the hands of unknown parties and requested further investigation.

George Farmer, local colored undertaker states that he has been ordered not to bury the skeleton until further notice by the authorities.

So as we go to press the Azza Martin mystery is just as much a mystery now as it was before her remains were found.

And the mystery continues. I will update this story as I collect more information. No one present is alive, and my purpose is to share a story I don’t believe should be forgotten.