Reminiscences of older citizens of Greenfield who have been long time residents throw some interesting highlights on activities in the City at the turn of the century and for the following forty or so years. Since much of this has been recalled only from memory, the following notes may not be completely historically accurate, but they are interesting in their own right.

From the Life and Times of Greenfield
Early Soup Street. In the early years of this century, the activities on the old block of near-downtown property called "Soup Street" did not add favorably to Greenfield's reputation in the surrounding area. While the many years that have passed have probably exaggerated the recollections, there seems no doubt that decent and law-abiding citizens of Greenfield avoided Soup Street completely during this time. This small area attracted those on the fringe of the law ( or possibly some outside of the law entirely) .

Soup Street was known to be the headquarters of unsavory groups such as the picturesque "Dirty Dozen," a gang of petty thieves and roustabouts who operated in Weakley , Gibson, Carroll and Obion Counties, According to recollection, the "Dirty Dozen" would steal stray animals, buggy tires, or any other item that was available and marketable, and then realize what proceeds they could from the "find." In addition, the group took delight in terrorizing socials and "barn" dances, and have been described as "just devils on two feet."

"The Crack" was the name of the establishment on Soup Street which the Dirty Dozen and others, and perhaps more dangerous groups, made their gathering place. Memory has it that "the Crack" was an unfailing source of near beer and "Home Brew," which was kept chilled by lowering it into a cistern in the rear by buckets operated by a well windlass.

From some of the memories and handed down stories only by word of mouth it is said that there have been 19 killings on or near Soup St. One of the first may have been the Grooms/Butler shooting as reported by the Dresden Enterprise.

Dresden Enterprise
July 24, 1908 Tragedy At Greenfield
Town Marshal Carl Grooms Killed While Making an Arrest Saturday Evening He Also Kills His Adversary
Grooms Buried Monday Afternoon
The saddest tragedy recorded in this county in many months was the killing on last Saturday evening of Marshall Carl Grooms by Jodie Butler, a notorious character from �Skullbone� in Gibson County. Butler was in turn killed by Grooms.

There had been a barbeque at Shafter, three miles northwest of Greenfield, and all that afternoon parties returning from the barbeque by way of Greenfield were said to be drinking and considerably boisterous, and it became necessary for Marshal Grooms to make one or two arrests earlier in the afternoon.

About sundown Saturday, Jodie Butler and his brother, Will, drove into town drunk, the latter cursing, and when Grooms went to arrest him, he refused to be arrested, making fight at the officer. One or two of Groom�s friends came to his rescue, and then it was that Jodie Butler, the dead man, ran in and drew his gun, telling the officers they could not take his brother to jail. Marshal Grooms at this point drew his pistol, and begun shooting at Jodie Butler, who, after falling, raised himself on one arm and shot Grooms twice, one ball going through the arm and the other entering near the heart. Butler drove away as fast as his horse would carry him, shooting back at the crowd as he went.

The wounded men were picked up and given medical attention, but it was soon learned that both were fatally wounded. Butler died about midnight and was buried at his home in Gibson County Sunday afternoon. Butler was a married man and leaves a wife and seven children.

Mr. Grooms was carried to his home and was given every attention, but continued to sink rapidly. Members of his family held hurried consultation and decided to take him to Memphis for an operation. He was placed on the night train and carried to Memphis, but died just before the train reached that city. He was accompanied by Drs. W. W. Mitchell and J. D. Shannon, his wife and other members of his family. As the body was lifted from the train in Memphis the grief of the women in the party was terrible. The officials at the station did all in their power for the grief stricken family. Mr. Grooms� body was prepared for burial and brought back to Greenfield Sunday afternoon, reaching there at 4 o�clock, and was buried Monday afternoon at 1 o�clock. Many from Dresden attended the funeral. Carl Grooms was thirty years of age; he was the oldest child of Trustee and Mrs. Z. W. Grooms of Dresden. Our people greatly sympathize with them in their bereavement.

Carl Grooms was the Great Uncle of Ben Herron and he had heard stories that the shooting occurred near the Ray and Grooms Mule Barn. This was on the corner of East Main and South Second St.

Main St. in Greenfield runs east and west. West Main goes by the school and dead ends. East Main turns into the McKenzie Highway #124. Front Street is the main business district of town. It runs north and south just east of the railroad tracks. The very short part of East Main St. from Front St. to South Second has always been called Soup Street. There were cafe's and bars on this street and most served soup which the name came from.

I received this from Karla Everett on the Weakley county genealogy list.

As the great grand daughter of Jodey E. Butler, may I also add the follow-up to the July 24 story in the Dresden Enterprise news article:

I have a photocopy of this news article.

Dresden Enterprise
31-July-1908
In view of the fact that the account of the tragedy occurring on the streets of Greenfield last Saturday evening week, which appeared in the last issue of the Enterprise, was reported by telephone and that several errors appeared therein, it is but fair to all the parties concerned, and especially to the reading public, that a more fuller and accurate account of the matter be given.

Joe and Will Butler, brothers, together with a cousin by the name of Butler also, of the Skullbone community of Gibson county came to Shafter, which is two miles northeast of Greenfield, Saturday morning, presumably to attend a picnic. There was considerable drinking at Shafter during the day and one or more of the Butlers were heard to make the remark that they would come to Greenfield that evening and �take the town,� �paint things red,�etc., and further boasted that they would not and could not be arrested in Greenfield.

As the evening wore on several parties from Shafter returned to town in a more or less state of intoxication, and at about sundown Joe and Will Butler drove in. They were drinking, but were by no means drunk and from their actions, they returned, evidently with the purpose in view of carrying out their boasts that they were heard to make at Shafter earlier in the day. Scarcely had they arrived in town when they engaged in a drunken quarrel with one Ben Mitchell, who was also drinking.

By their disorderly and riotous conduct they had clearly begun their premeditated purpose of �taking the town.� This outlawry continued for some time and Marshall Grooms, who had gone home to supper, was called and told to come at once, as there was trouble down town.

True to his summons to duty Marshal Grooms left home and came immediately to the scene of the trouble, where he found the Butlers, Ben Mitchell and Dan Brush engaged in a drunken street row. Will Butler appeared to be the leader in this riotous conduct and, unaided, Marshal Grooms attempted to arrest him.

In a short time Deputy Sheriff Hatcher and Constable McAdams were on the scene, but neither had weapons. Will Butler drew his pistol and bade defiance, and although held by his arms so that he could not use his pistol. He managed to pull himself into his buggy, to which a horse was hitched. Joe Butler who was standing a few feet away drew his pistol and with an oath commanded the officers to turn his brother loose or he would kill them, bringing his gun up as if to fire.

Perceiving their condition, the officers were forced to turn Will Butler loose, and as they did so he brought his pistol into action from his place in the buggy and fired two shots at Marshall Grooms, who by this time, had backed off a few feet in the direction of the horse�s head. It is believed that one or more of these shots took effect, and that the ball that lodged near Grooms� heart came from Will Butler�s pistol and perhaps the other struck him in the arm.

Marshall Grooms by this time was looking in the direction of Joe Butler who had again raised his pistol, preparatory to firing and seeing that he was about to be fired upon from this direction also, Grooms fired several times in rapid succession at Joe Butler, striking him three or four times. Joe Butler fell to his knees and from this position shot several times, but it is not believed that any of the balls from his pistol struck Grooms, as he seemed to have no control of himself.

In the meantime and immediately after firing the two shots at Grooms, Will Butler put the lash to his horse and drove away rapidly, firing back at the officers as he did so.

After he was shot Marshall Grooms walked across a small bridge leading to the plank walk and went several yards in the opposite direction from town, seemingly in a dazed condition, and when asked if he was hurt, replied that he was killed.

With a desperate man both in front and behind him and with their pistols leveled upon him, it was a clear case of assassination of Grooms. The whole tragedy took place in a brief space of time, and thus the desperate Butlers had carried out their original intention �to paint the little town of Greenfield red,� but with the blood of one of their own number and with the innocent blood of a lawful officer in the faithful discharge of his sworn duty.

The public welfare demands that the truth be brought to light and that the guilty actor in this terrible crime be dealt with according to the law. It is not exactly in keeping with the golden rule he pay with blood, but the assassins of men like Carl Grooms ought to be arraigned before the bar of justice and the proper punishment meted out to them.

Joe Butler was fatally shot, as was evident from the first. He rapidly sank into unconsciousness, from which he never rallied and died at 12:30 o�clock Sunday morning.

It was found that Butler had a silk cloth over his breast as a protection and from this it was again evident that he was expecting trouble.

Marshal Grooms was brought from Memphis Sunday afternoon and amid as sorrowful a throng of people as ever gathered about a railway station, all that remained of Carl was borne through the streets of Greenfield in a beautiful white casket by the hands of loving friends.

Funeral services were conducted at the Presbyterian church by Revs Allen Foust, assisted by Rev. O. E. Gardner, before an immense audience which had assembled from miles around to pay a last tribute to the young man who came to his death in the discharge of duty.

Greenfield has gone through a sad experience in the last ten days. She mourns the loss of a good citizen and an officer of the law fallen in the discharge of duty. Her people sympathize with the widows and orphans of both the victims of this unfortunate tragedy, the bereaved relatives and friends, and especially with Mr. and Mrs. Z. W. Grooms and the brothers and sisters of Carl who are known to all our people.  It is to be hoped that this sad spectacle will be a lasting lesson to all who would violate the law of the land.

The following furnished by Karla Everett:

The family story was that Will hid out in a cave and came down at night to check on his family. On at least two occasions George Butler (Will's brother) took food to Will. On the last trip, George found Will with a woman and did not take supplies to him after that.

From the 1910 Minutes of the Circuit Court of Weakley County, TN.

The trial of Will Butler for the murder of Carl Grooms starting on Jan. 11, 1910.
It went to the jury on the next day Jan. 12. The jury consisted of: J. T. Palmer, M. J. Woodruth, Jess Ainsly, Albert Brunderidge, R. D. Travis, W. F. Parker, John Reid, Henry Donner, George Sharon, Lewis Price, Clarence Ainsly , C. G. McClane.

It notes that the defendant was brought in on Jan. 12, 13, 14 which indicated the jury was deliberating these three days.  On Jan. 15 the jury reached a verdict. They found him guilty of voluntary manslaughter and set a sentence of 2 years.

He was sentenced to 2 years at hard labor in the state penitentiary. He requested a new trial and several reasons were given but denied. He did appeal to what was then called the supreme court in Jackson, TN. and was released on $3000. bond.
The conviction was probably upheld but those records would probably be in Jackson.

Reading between the lines I surmise that the jury must have been very divided on a guilty verdict of murder and since they took 3 days to reach a verdict decided on voluntary manslaughter with a very light sentence as a compromise.

These are on microfilm at the archives in Nashville.
***************************************************************

From the Journal of Allen Sharp.  Mr. Sharp lived on the Shades Bridge Rd. between Greenfield and Shades Bridge.

March 29, 1911
Jack Mayo won in lawsuit over Tom Holt. - roadcase

April 29, 1911
Tom Holt shot Jack Mayo today about noon.  Don�t think Jack can live many hours.

April 30, 1911
Jack Mayo died from Tom Holt�s pistol shot at 1 o�clock this morning.  Holt is in Dresden jail tonight

May 1, 1911
Went to Jack Mayo�s burying. A great crowd there.

May 5, 1911
Went to Tom Holt�s preliminary trial.

May 15, 1911
Tom Holt given bail on $5000. bond.

May 17, 1911
Tom Holt made $5000. bond and was turned out of jail to await trial in August.

August 17, 1911
Went to Dresden today. Holt�s trial put off until 3rd Monday in December.

December 14, 1911
Tom Holt�s trial for the murder of Jack Mayo is on.

December 15, 1911
The Tom Holt jury took the case under advisement today at noon.

December 16, 1911
Tom Holt�s jury gave him 8 years in Penitentiary for manslaughter - the murder of Jack Mayo - on April 29th last.  The penalty is entirely too light for the crime. 

From the Minutes of the Weakley County Circuit Court:

December 14, 1911
State of Tennesse murder
vs.
Tom Holt

Jurors: Frank Trevathan, R. G. Maloan, B. B. Todd, J. R. Little, E. A. Woodrough, R. L. Cravens, Arden Summers, R. B. Elliott, Jeff Harrison, H. J. Butts, C. P. Rogers, John Templeton.

After hearing the evidence in the case, the arguments of counsel and the charge of the court said jury finds the defendant guilty of voluntary manslaughter and assesses his punishment at 8 light years in the state penitentiary.

Motion was made by defendants counsel for a new trial and a continuance was grated for future hearing during this term of court. Defendant was released under the present bond he was under.

From the papers of Roy Whicker entitled Intimate Glimpses regarding the above:

I turn back the pages of time to 1911 and note Jack Mayo and Tom Holt healthy and alive.  Mr. Mayo had cleared a piece of land around the road from where you now turn around in Jim Cantrell�s lot.  The road then cut across Mr. Mayo�s farm from Jim�s horse lot to Tom Holt�s home.  It had been a road for many years and Mr. Holt felt that it should not be changed as it was straight right out to the other road.  Mr. Mayo felt it should and made a good road around and fenced in his newly cleared land.

Mr. Holt brought suit in Esq. Dudley�s Court for the old road to be opened.  Mayo won out.  The trouble kept on brewing and both men getting madder until one day Mr. Holt started to Greenfield and met Mr. Mayo returning to this farm from being home for dinner and met in the long lane known as Moseley Lane just before getting to the last gate going into the north field of this large Moseley farm.

Mr. Mayo had his pitch fork he was going to use on his farm that afternoon. When the two met the old flame of trouble flared up again with renewed strength, and when it ended, Mayo was shot and Holt had had the pitchfork used on him.

Mayo died in a few hours and Holt went to prison for a number of years and when he returned home he had consumption and was never well. 

Here were two neighbors who once thought well of each other who went to an untimely end by being stubborn over just where and old road should run.

I am human, and get mad and say things I should not, but I have maintained a whole skin by getting suddenly cool and reasonable when the other fellows get on �high keys.�

(From Shirley Caudle Miller)
After reading the story it brought to mind the following story that I was told many times in my childhood by my mother, Nita Williamson Caudle.

My mother (born 1900) and her sister, Elsie (born 1902) were young girls walking down a country road on their way home when they met two men (both farmers and neighbors of theirs) engaged in a heated discussion. The girls had passed them when they heard a gun shot. Upon looking around they saw that one of the men had been shot and he had knocked the other one down and was sitting straddle him with a raised pitchfork in his hand. The man on the ground was pleading for his life. The one on top (the man that had been shot) got off and let the other one up. The one that had been shot died (I do not know if he died while there in the road or a day or so later).

My mother and my aunt high-tailed it home telling their story which their family did not immediately believe until their brother, Clifton Williamson, went to investigate and found their story to be true.

Later at the trial my mother was the only eye witness called as her sister was under 10 years of age and was considered too young to testify. The man was convicted and sent to prison for life. After serving several years he was released because of very bad health. After being released from prison he picked strawberries for my grandfather, Milton Williamson, and he told my grandfather that it had all happened exactly as my mother had testified at the trial.

From an interview by Clipper Dowland of Robert E. Lee Gallimore in 1946:
Soup Street in Greenfield was one of the best known streets in any little town in Tennessee. A great many things have occurred on, in and around this street that focused the attention of the people from far and near on it. Its quaint characters, its turbulent times and from the many considerable fortunes that were built in trade on this street, it has become widely known.

Among those folks who settled about here were the Rays, and these people east of town really settled Greenfield. Probably some of the better known successful business men on this street were J. N. Ray, Z. W. Grooms (known in politics as Zeb). Zeb Grooms was left an orphan at a very early age and his uncle Bennett Ray, father of J. N. Ray, (better known as Jim) took young Grooms and reared him as his own child, and he Jim Ray became more like brothers than anything else. They grew up together , went to trading mules on Soup Street together in a very small way, became successful Mule dealers, continued as partners for 50 years, and until the death of Zeb Grooms, and it was said  that there was never any books kept between them - not even the scratch of a pen in their dealings with one another.

One of the rare characters of Soup Street was Uncle Ned Hatcher, who was a contemporary with Ray & Grooms who was a horse trader deluxe, a member of the County Court, and who considered himself a very great and profound jurist.

The informant (Mr. Gallimore) one morning as a very young lawyer had started to attend a session of the circuit court in Dresden as he passed by Squire Hatcher's office, he saw a great crowd of people around the office, and stopped to inquire about what was happening, and discovered that Squire Hatcher was in the act of divorcing a couple, and he called the Squire tactfully to one side and suggested to him that his court did not have jurisdiction to divorce people, and the squire became very indignant and told the informant that since he had married them By God he could divorce them.

On another occasion, a certain man was arrested and brought before the squire, charged with having stolen a middling of meat, and the squire, instead of holding him, under bond, to await the action of the grand-jury, as provided by statute, proceeded to sentence him to from three to ten years in the penitentiary, and ordered the constable to proceed with him to Nashville. Habeas Corpus proceedings had to be threatened before the defendant could obtain his release from the clutches of the constable.  

On another occasion the informant (Mr. Gallimore) was defending a nigger boy who was charged with having raped a nigger gal. The nigger boy was arrested and arraigned in Squire Hatcher's court. However the weather was very cold and a snow storm raging and about half of the population of  Greenfield had gathered - some to get out of the weather and some to hear the proceedings.

When the prosecution witness was put on the stand and examined by the Honorable Selden Maiden, who represented the State, she testified that the rape occurred at the noon hour when she was permitted to leave the school grounds where she attended school, and go for her lunch;  that instead of going for her lunch, it had been the practice of she and another nigger girl to go to this nigger man's house and play phonograph records and dance. She stated that on this particular occasion the defendant was feeling bad and was lying on a cot in the kitchen, which constituted half of the house, and that for some reason, the prosecuting witness went into the kitchen and that the rape occurred at or on the cot that the defendant had been lying on.

Upon cross examination, she admitted that she was bicycling as she went through the door that ran into the kitchen, and that she only stayed in the kitchen about four minutes. She stated that as she came back from the kitchen she was snake-hipping. When pressed to explain what she meant by the use of the term snake-hipping and bicycling, she testified that bicycling was a dance, which turned out to be more or less voluptuous, and that snake-hipping was the same dance except a little bit more on the extreme.

The Court was very logical in rendering his decision, and reasoned that even a Negro gal could not bicycle into a room, stay three minutes, get raped, and come snake-hipping out.

Uncle Ned, as practically all men of his age and day, liked a drink. A certain party one cold morning offered Uncle Ned a drink of gin, and as Uncle Ned was about to take a drink, he asked where this party had obtained it, and he was told that he had stolen it. Uncle Ned cussed him out and said: "Hell I would not think about taking a drink of stolen liquor." The party who offered him the drink said to him: "That is all right, I did not mean to offend you."   

After a while, Uncle Ned met this party in the Post Office lobby. He walked up to him , all the while grunting, and asked him where he got the gin that he had been offered. He told him that he was not telling where he got it because he had stolen it. Uncle Ned said: "On second thought, I believe I will take a drink of it, I might enjoy my citizenship a little more."

There was another quaint character, Levi Hill, and it is said by some that he had a great ability as a horse swapper. He, in fact, put Jim Ray and Zeb Grooms on their feet.

Uncle Levi liked his "horn." He was a member of the Old Baptist Church.  Some of the brethren thought that Uncle Levi was doing a little too much drinking, so they proceeded to admonish him about it, but he continued to pursue the even tenure of his way.  Finally at a church session, they decided to withdraw from Uncle Levi.

It seems that their policy was not to turn a man out of the church, but the church would leave the individual.  So they sent a committee to inform Uncle Levi of the church's action. When he was informed that the church had withdrawn from him, Uncle Levi asked them to give him a few minutes to think about it.  He went out and fortified himself, and came back and told them that he had thought it over and that they could go back and tell them they could not withdraw from him because he was already gone.
__________________(missing pages)


The Greenfield Gazette
Friday August 13, 1937

Earnest Mullins Killed
Instantly Wed. Night
__________________
Montie Doran Mortally Wounded--Died
In Weakley County Hospital
___________________
City Marshal Holder Fires Five Times

Two men are dead and considerable excitement prevails following an altercation on East Main Street (Soup) Wednesday night, when City Marshal John Holder shot and instantly killed Earnest Mullins, 55, and mortally wounded Montie Doran 22, an innocent bystander. Young Doran was rushed to the Weakley County Hospital at Martin in a Greenfield Undertaking Company ambulance where he died Thursday morning at 10:00 o�clock.

Details of any argument that may have led up to the shooting are not known, but it is said that there has been some difference between the Marshall and Mullins for several days. It is said that some words passed between Mr. Holder and Mr. Mullins Wednesday afternoon prior to the time of the fatal meeting.

The first shot fired struck Montie Doran in the head and then four shots took effect in the body of Mullins, killing him instantly. The incident occurred at 7:45 in front of The Green Lantern Cafe.

At the time we go to press no charges have been filed in connection with this case.

Mr. Mullins was 55 years of age and is survived by his widow, three daughters, Mrs. Arnold Williams, of Greenfield, Mrs. Clyde Cameron of Cleveland, Ohio and Miss Georgia Mullins of Greenfield; two sons, Earnest Jr. of Jackson, Tenn. and Harry E. Mullins of Lewisburg, Pa.; two step children, Chancel Young and Mrs. Louise Doran of Greenfield; two sisters, Mrs. Lester Jones, of Ashville N.C. and Mrs. Gordon Mayne of Flint, Mich.; three brothers, Tom Mullins, of Fulton, Ky., and Guy Mullins of Greenfield.

Montie Doran is survived by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. C.E. Doran, ofGreenfield; six brothers, F. L. Doran, Minneapolis, Minn.; W. P. Doran, R. A. Doran, of Washington, D.C. , Donald D. Doran, Little Rock, Ark., Van B. and Gene Doran of Greenfield, and one sister, Mrs. W. O. Bullock of Lansing, Mich.

As we go to press funeral arrangements have not been completed.
Greenfield Undertaking Company in charge.
-------------------------

                                (Photo of Green Lantern Cafe)
This photo was taken during a Community Fair Parade in the 1930's. Mullins and Doran were killed at this location.



This is the same location in 2001. The windows have been filled in with brick. This building is now vacant on this side of the street. A gun shop is located at the front of the building on Front St. The white building was remodeled a few years ago and now houses an antique shop and a beauty shop at the side entrance of the building. Across the street where the old Mule Barn was is now a large metal building with a clothing outlet store and another building that is now vacant. This is all that is left of the once infamous Soup St.

Seven years later at this same location in the middle of the street another shooting occurred. Two Colored women had an altercation with the result of a death followed three months later by two Colored men with the result of a death. The following are the newspaper accounts of these events.


The Greenfield Gazette
Friday March 24, 1944

Iva Parish Held
Without Bond In
Killing Last Thurs.

At the preliminary hearing held at the City Hall Thursday afternoon, lva Parish, ( col. ) was held without bond for the killing of Mattie Allen, ( col. ) The case was heard before Esq. Robert E. Elam. Robert, Jeter, of Dresden represented the defendant and H. E. Jones, the plaintiff.

The killing took place on "Soup" Street last Thursday night about 7:30 o'clock. It seems that an argument had been brewing for several days and the climax came Thursday, when the argument was renewed in the middle of the street, between the Green Lantern Cafe and Phil's Cafe, Iva whipping out a pistol and firing several shots, two bullets hitting Mattie, one in the hip and the other in the shoulder. She died almost instantly.

The Greenfield Gazette
Friday June 23, 1944

Grate Partee Killed
By Wayne Brock

Grate Partee, (Col.) employed at M & B Motor Company died Monday morning at Veterans Hospital Memphis as a result of a shooting Sunday afternoon.

Hardy Parish (Col.) is suffering arm wounds. Wayne Brock (Col.) is held under bond charged with the killing.

It seems from best information obtainable that the shooting was the aftermath of a fight between Partee and Brock on the Saturday night previous to the killing, when Brock cut Partee about the neck and head. The argument was renewed Sunday when the two met near the depot Sunday afternoon. Brock pulled a pistol and shot five times, two bullets hitting Partee, one breaking his arm and the other in the stomach. Parish was hit by one bullet in the arm. Partee was carried to the Veterans Hospital where he died Monday morning.




Notice the rail tracks. This was at the train depot located at the top of the hill across from the main business district. Soup Steet begins across the street.  This shooting occurred about 200 feet west of the other killings mentioned above.



---------------

Hardy Parrish, who was wounded in the arm.   This from a photo at the Mule Barn on Soup St. taken some 33 years earlier.



Ray & Grooms Mule Barn at the bottom of the hill on Soup St.

How strange it is that several of the people in this photo, made in 1911, would be connected to the events that have been depicted in the stories above. Z. W. Grooms (3rd from the left) was the father of Carl Grooms the town Marshall killed in 1908. Walter Grooms (4th from left) was the brother of Tom Grooms the town Marshall that killed Burton Summers in self defense. Earnest Mullins (6th from left) would die some 26 years later a hundred or so feet up the street, killed by another town Marshall. R. J. Grooms (7th from left) was another brother of Carl Grooms. Dean Grooms (on horse) another brother of Carl Grooms. Hardy Parish (holding horse) would be shot in the arm 33 years later when Wayne Brock killed Grate Partee at the top of the hill.

Another act of violence occurred sometime in the 1920's involving a black man. It has been told that this man was drunk and came into a residence. The woman screamed and he left. This residence was located just across the railroad tracks and highway from the depot. Little is known of the facts of the case but it is said that he was locked in the Calaboose. Someone let him out and a group of men, the names who have never been revealed, caught him and hung him on the signal light pole of the railroad just south of town. In the photo at above you can barely see the rope.

Except for this incident race relations have been generally good in Greenfield these many years, even in the days of the Jim Crow law and the violence of Soup Street. The killings seem to be black on black and white on white.

And so it was this past Century in the small town of Greenfield and the street that is one block long that we respectfully call "Soup Street."