Young Brothers Massacre

6. Harry Slays Mark S. Noe

HARRY SLAYS MARKS.NOE Republic, a bedroom community adjacent to Springfield, Missouri , now has a population of 2,488. In 1929, however, only slightly more than eight hundred people lived in the town. It had been an idyllic, peaceful farm community completely lacking in crime and violence. On the warm, star-filled night of June 2, 1929, that tranquility was shattered completely. Mark S. Noe, a highly respected descendant of one of the towns early settlers, was on duty that night, as usual. Although his full job title was"city marshal and night watchman ," his official "marshal" services were seldom called upon. He was primarily the "night watch." Noe was one of the few persons in town known to own and carry a handgun. On the night of June 2, Noes peaceful rounds were disturbed when two young men roared down Main Street in a gray 1926 Ford coupe. As reported later in the Republic Monitor, they were"drinking and rather disorderly."l One of the young men was a Republic citizen: Orval Lafollette, age twenty. The other was Harry Young, twentyfive . Harry was also living in Republic at that time, with a wife of whom nothing else is known (not Frances). As Noe was well aware, both men were ex-convicts. Noe had seen them earlier in the evening and was keeping an eye on them in his role of night watchman. Now they got noisier and noisier as they tauntingly sped up and down Main Street, in full view of Noe. He made the judgment, in his capacity as marshal, that their conduct had passed the disorderly stage. 32 Harry Slays Mark S. Noe 33 According to Lafollettes account of the affair, as quoted in the Republic Monitor, the two ex-convicts stopped their car in front of the Ryan Cafe. Lafollette got out, he said, and stood on the right side of the car while Harry remained inside, in the drivers seat. Noe ordered Lafollette to turn over his gun, and Orval handed Noe a .25 automatic pistol. The accounts of what happened next differ in some details. Springfield newsmen, recapitulating the events almost three years later, produced this dialogue: The marshal said, "You're drunk again!" "Well, what about it?" Harry replied. "1'11 have to pinch you." Harry said, ''All right. Get in." The contemporary report is probably nearer the truth than this one, even though it is based on Lafollettes somewhat dubious credibility. According to Lafollette's story in the Monitor, the marshal ordered him to get in the automobile with Young and told Harry to drive to the home of Judge Kerr, the local justice of the peace. Both Orval and the trusting marshal got in the car for the short trip. Harry drove an even shorter distance, perhaps as far as the Shover Drug Store, and then produced a gun. One account has it that the gun was in the pocket of the car door. Another says that it was in Harry's lap. In any event, as the car proceeded down Main Street, Harry and Mark Noe "scuffled for possession of the gun," and, according to Lafollette, the gun went off. He did not know at the time whether either Harry or Noe had been struck by the bullet. Now the coupe careened farther down Main Street, with Lafollette in the middle between the marshal and Harry Young. A block farther along, in front of Dr. Beal's home, Harry stopped the car. There, Orval said, he "slid out from behind Mr. Noe who was standing up in the car." When he had walked a few steps away, "a second shot was fired in the car,"and "as it [the car] proceeded north, he heard a third shot." Lafollette hurried to the home of his brother-in-law. Towns- 34 Young Brothers Massacre people, roused by the unprecedented sounds of gunfire, rushed out of their houses. Led by deputy sheriff Harve Snider, citizens spent the night fruitlessly searching for Noe.2 On Monday morning two men drove up a side road a half mile from the home of Lillard V. Hendrix, the brother of Marcell Hendrix, sheriff of Greene County. As the men drove along, they saw the body of Mark Noe in the roadside ditch, "his hat and lunch by his side. II They rushed to the Hendrix home, where Lillard immediately called his brother Marcell to report...