In the year (to date), I have spent researching this murder of a 15 year old youth, it has made many turns as I talked to family members and friends of the family. I have chased missing records, talked to citizens still alive that knew family members at that time, old law enforcement officers and trial participants, read old news paper clippings at the Manchester Library, and heard rumors and facts from all of the above. I have spent a lot of extra time in making sure all my work is correct. I have met a lot of people in my investigation; some who didn't want to be named or talk with me on the subject, but most that didn't mind. So here I go in this Conclusion giving you some of the thoughts and questions that went unanswered in the trial and punishment! Let me know what you think may have happened by e-mail as I give you the facts and stories not addressed by court when they found Alice guilty of Manslaughter and sent her to Jail in the Meriwether County Jail in Greenville, Ga., just off Court House Square.
Alice Siegert Kendrick Birth:1889 Death:1952
(1) Alice was charged with voluntary manslaughter- not murder: This charge can mean that you are, by your actions or lack of action, responsible for the unplanned cause of death of a person. In Alice's case this could have been due to in anger shooting wildly or aimlessly at a person to run them off, but accidentally hitting them, thus causing their death. Or, by being the adult in charge and allowing a minor to shoot a firearm off the porch that struck and killed a person not seen that was in the line of fire.
(2) Alice was portrayed in the trial as a woman who had a reputation as a loud, angry, drunken gunslinger that all children were afraid of and the neighbors feared. The conflict in this lies in the horse sense of the people I talked with after they heard the story of the murder and trial transcripts. Alice lived in Manchester for a number of years as James and Alice moved there in 1931, just 3 years after getting married in New York, and with 2 children, then another, getting a 3 month old soon after moving to Manchester. They lived on Broad Street not far from the Police Station, the Hotel, and two of the largest churches in Manchester. No records at City Hall or knowledge of by a past Police Chief, had shown any disturbances answered by the police. There were no calls from people in town reporting drunkenness or gun fire coming from the Kendrick's while in town for nearly 10 years. There were no claims of child abuse or neglect, foul language or fighting. Alice and James bought the Rock House in 1941-42 to be nearer to the Kendrick farm. During this time before Nookie's death in Dec of 1943 James built the boathouse on the lower lake, Nookie and his school friends spent many a night staying in the boathouse as it was called. His friends 14 to 15 years old played, swam and fished while staying the weekend at the Rock House. Denyse, the youngest had friends and neighbors, around her age that stayed overnight as well. The Willingham girls from across the street stayed over or visited all the time. Back to Horse sense, what mother or father in their right mind would ever let their children stay over at a friends house who had a mother with the reputation like the one portrayed of Alice during the trial. Yet, the children didn't appear to be afraid of Alice, They kept coming and were allowed to come by their parents.
(3) James went to New York to work as a chauffeur. He was hired by Walter Dannenberg of Macon to drive his brother around. He wound up driving Walter's mistress around and later married her. This young country boy had to know Alice's reputation and lifestyle, as she continued to go out of town and country with Walter even after she was married to James. She needed a husband to foster the children, she wanted but couldn't give birth to, and Walter (a wealthy Jewish busnessman) was married. No divorce for him! James fit the bill; a young, handsome, starry eyed, polite, hardworking Georgia Country Boy. He was brought to the hustle and bustle of the Big Apple (New York City) to chauffeur for a young, wealthy city woman, as she ran with the rich and famous, to wild parties and business meetings. He also served as her escort and companion when Walter wasn't in town he was also getting paid for it too! This rich lifestyle was a lot for James to turn down. This reminds me of the old World War I ditty from a song "It will be hard getting them back down on the farm once they've seen Paris'."
Life Goes On for Alice and James after Nookie's Death!
Alice and James received a divorce during the trial. While Alice served her time in Jail, Walter's wife died in Macon. After serving her time and was discharged, Alice and Walter married and lived in Macon, GA. till her death. Alice died while visiting New York City in 1952 of a heart attack and is buried in Macon in the Dannenberg family mausoleum, in the Jewish section of Rose Hill Cemetery; along with Walter and his first wife as well as Simon, his brother and other family members. When interviewed, Walter's children by his first marriage said Alice was a wonderful woman and a great mother to them while she lived in Macon.
James Christian Kendrick went on and married twice more. The first wife he wasn't married to for very long as she was mean to Denyse! He later married Mary Alice Thelps and they had four children, all girls, the last two were twins. James was a good father, says Linda Kendrick Holcumb. James died while at work, as a night security guard at Nookie Meadow's Motors dealership on Hwy 85N in Manchester, Ga. on March 9th 1972. He is buried in the Kendrick Family Section in the Woodland City Cemetery, Woodland, Ga. In the same area as Nookie (James Christian Kendrick, Jr.). "May they Rest in Peace"
Research contacts and resources that aided me both directly and indirectly in putting this story together, My Thanks to you all !!
Pine Mt. Regional Library in Manchester Ga.- News Paper microfilm
Jan Page and Sandra Doolittle- research and travel companions
Manchester Ret. Police Chief Billy Owsley- information and contacts to interview
John & Barbara Smenner- History on the Rock House and property
Mr Mitchell of Calybeate Springs- Taking me to locations of interest and stories
Meriwether County Courthouse - Clerk Mrs. Garrett and staff-records search
Rollins family for what you remembered
Charley Rowe for your help on information on families and the area
Linda Holcumb- giving me insight to the personality of her dad JC Kendrick Sr.
My Thanks also to those (not to mention by name) that contacted me with help or E-mailed me with information.
Tracy or Flow Thanks!
I am through writing on this subject but would love to see the rest of the testimony to satisfy my on mind. Contact me!! Ron Rollins chiefnw1@peoplepc.com
Ronald J. Rollins > James Christian Kendrick (Nookie) 5