|
Post by Angela on Aug 17, 2009 5:56:34 GMT -5
On Christmas Day 1929 a 31 year old man carried a baby girl 4 months old in his arms down a long steep hill coated with ice and placed her tiny form into a hearse. He then got sick to his stomach. His name was Boley Tuttle and the baby girl in his arms was little Maylou Lawson. She had been bludgeoned to death. As i talked with Mr. Tuttle's daughter today she reminisced about her father's experience as he had related it to her. He was sick at heart she said over the tiny bundle in his arms and the scene he had encountered that day inside the Lawson home. As I looked at the photo she gave me of Boley taken around that time, I saw a sensitive and handsome young man whose memory of the baby in his arms would haunt him every day for the rest of his life. He had the look of a man who had seen something no decent human being should ever have to see. I sensed his distress in a palpable way and like Eric said in here in one of his posts, I came as close as I will ever come to touching one man's grief and the horror that invaded his soul that day. It was quite un-nerving. Maria
|
|
|
Post by Angela on Aug 17, 2009 6:06:40 GMT -5
I honestly don't think Charlie Lawson cared about anything or anyone besides himself that day. Anybody who can bash a baby's head in has no feelings or conscience. I feel so sorry for the people who were left to clean up Charlie Lawson's mess that day. Mr. Boley Tuttle was a brave man. I know he got sick after he carried little Marylou Lawson down the hill to the hearse, but I think he got sick when he realized just how tiny and fragile she had been. In my opinion, it made him sick to know that the poor little baby girl in his arms had done nothing to deserve that, that she would never grow up but would forever remain a sweet little child. Sissy
|
|
|
Post by Angela on Aug 17, 2009 6:14:27 GMT -5
I know it had to be done but there is no way I could have carried that little baby. When my children were born I would look at them in their cribs and think "precious little angel". All little babies are. I'm not surprised that he got sick after that. I just can't understand how Charlie Lawson could do that to his baby. I can't understand him killing anyone in his family, but how could he look at his precious little angel and bash her head in? It's absolutely horrible what he did that day. just absolutely horrible. Angel71242
|
|
|
Post by Angela on Aug 17, 2009 6:16:19 GMT -5
I agree Angel. I too can't understand the terrible tragedy that happened that day. I think that is what this forum is all about, to try and gain understanding and hopefully put some closure on this terrible event. I have two daughters, one 28 and one almost 20 and I can't for the life of me understand what could have gone through Charlie Lawson's head to cause him to commit that heinous act against his wife and his children. I think that this is why the legend lives on, we don't yet understand. LuvMyDog
|
|
|
Post by debbie on Aug 17, 2009 6:18:59 GMT -5
It is still hard for me to understand how a seemingly normal human being can go into such a killing rage against his family. I still believe there were other issues with Charlie other than Marie's pregnancy, perhaps things that only Charlie knew about.
|
|
|
Post by Angela on Aug 17, 2009 6:44:54 GMT -5
Like Boley Tuttle, Hillary Hampton was a man of courage and good character. He had to help carry the body of his best friend in the whole world (Charlie Lawson) from the woods where he shot himself to the house where he had killed his wife and children. It had to have been a very hard thing to do when you think of the condition his body was in after a shotgun blast. The smell of the blood and gun powder and....well....you know the other stuff had to have been over-whelming and sickening. Yet Mr. Hampton didn't flinch. He didn't walk away. Charlie had been his best friend so he helped carry his body home. It probably made Mr. hampton sick to his stomach and in his heart too As if that weren't enough he had to live with the knowledge that his best friend whom he had loved and respected had done such a terrible terrible thing. The memories he had of Charlie Lawson must have haunted him and perhaps he also felt guilt over not knowing that Charlie was planning for weeks to kill himself and his wife and children. Don't you know that Hllary Hampton had to have said "IF ONLY....so many times in the days, weeks, months and years after that. Maria
|
|
|
Post by Angela on Aug 17, 2009 6:46:51 GMT -5
When something like that happens, besides the victims, it affects an incredible number of people. Angel71242
|
|
|
Post by Angela on Aug 17, 2009 7:03:19 GMT -5
I know Angel. It's called the Domino Effect. It's incredible how many people's lives were affected by Charlie Lawson's deeds. Seventy eight years later the effect, the impact, is still obvious and alive for even us people here in the forum who for most of us are not even related to the Lawson family, nor were we even alive at the time it happened. I have stood at the foot of their graves so many many times and each time I feet so much anger when I see the section where he lies buried and when I see his name written on that stone. But I feel only sorrow and a profound sense of loss at the foot of the graves where Fannie and the children lie buried. This story is still alive believe me. Maria
|
|
|
Post by Angela on Aug 17, 2009 7:06:05 GMT -5
Me too Maria. Me too. I feel the same anger you do at Charlie's being there and devasted at the sight of the children's grave. Angel71242
|
|
|
Post by Angela on Aug 17, 2009 7:11:00 GMT -5
I agree with both of you. I've always thought it strange that the murderer was buried with his victims. That's weird to me even though he was family. I just don't see how any of them can rest in peace with their killer among them and in the same grave with them. LuvMyDog
|
|
|
Post by Angela on Aug 17, 2009 7:15:40 GMT -5
That brings up a point I have about a hundred times. If something like this happened to my family could I be at peace with the person who killed my children buried right beside them. My heart goes out to this family. I hope and pray that my kids never have to feel the kind of fear that Charlie Lawson's children had to go through that day. Chellemo
|
|
|
Post by Angela on Aug 17, 2009 7:23:11 GMT -5
I've said it before and I'll say it again...I would not want the person who killed me and killed my children buried in the same cemetery with me let alone beside me...husband or not my husband. Someone told me that Charlie Lawson's brothers got together and decided to bury Charlie with his family and that they did not consult Fannie's family, the Manrings, about it. To me that is just plain wrong. Maria
|
|
|
Post by Angela on Aug 17, 2009 7:24:08 GMT -5
I definitely agree with that. Chellemo
|
|
|
Post by Angela on Aug 17, 2009 7:27:15 GMT -5
I think it's a shame the Manring family was not consulted about the burial decision since Charlie was the culprit . It seems the Manrings should have had the last say so in that. LuvMyDog
|
|
|
Post by Angela on Aug 17, 2009 7:39:02 GMT -5
The Manring Family was also very much opposed to the touring of the house where their daughter and grandchildren were murdered. As Rev. Oakley Manring told me, his family tried repeatedly to reason with the Lawson family but were unable to. It made me sick to hear that. It just feels so wrong. Maria
|
|