Slydell Kitchens (1923-1953) was 30 years old and seemingly living the American dream. He had been married for 3-4 years, he had a roof over his head (probably a rental house), and he was working as a crane operator. However, life can turn on a dime, and unfortunately, that is what happened to Slydell late one night in 1953 in Augusta.
It was late at night/early in the morning when Slydell was driving on Lumpkin Road near Highway 25 (Peach Orchard Road) here in Augusta. We don't know where he was coming from that late, maybe it was his job, maybe not. For whatever reason (it was a different time in 1953), Slydell stopped two men he saw walking on Lumpkin Road and asked them for a match. In turned, they asked for a ride. Slydell obliged. After he had driven a short distance, the two men began beating Slydell, and then left him along the highway after taking his clothes and automobile.
Not sure how long Slydell lay bleeding on the side of the road, but he was able to flag down a passing car. A man and a women picked him up and took him home.
A neighbor called the sheriff's office at 4:25 am on this Friday morning, September 18, 1953. Deputies and a criminal investigator arrived, finding Slydell badly beaten. He told them the story, but they were dubious because Slydell's condition prevented him from being coherent.
Deputies did finally take him to University Hospital. I don't know if it was before, during the trip, or after he arrived at the hospital, but Slydell lapsed into a coma and was unable to answer any more questions.
Now, I will be the first to admit that I was dubious of Slydell's story at first. Here's why:
- Why stop and ask strangers for matches in the middle of the night?
- Where was Slydell coming from when this happened? Was it somewhere he didn't want his wife or anyone to know?
- Why would the assailants steal his clothes and leave him naked? It was determined that the motive for the crime was robbery. Slydell did have some money on him, plus they took the car, but why strip him?
- Why would two strangers stop in the middle of the night and pick up a bleeding, naked man?
- Why did it take so long for anyone to contact law enforcement... and why did it end up being a neighbor who made the call?
The criminal investigator did put out a plea for the people who picked Slydell up that night to contact him or come down to the sheriff's office to answer questions.
While Slydell was fighting for his life, the investigators had very little to go on to find the men who beat him. Then on Wednesday afternoon (September 23rd) at 3:50 p.m., Slydell died from internal injuries.
Disclaimer regarding the following news articles. I do not personally condone the description of the hitch-hikers. Just consider the time (early 1950's) and the place (the South).
Transcription by Claude:Man, 30, dies of beating inflicted by hitch-hikers
A 30-year-old man who had been severely beaten early Friday morning, died yesterday at University hospital, and county deputies last night were probing every possible clue in an attempt to find his assailants.
Slydell Kitchens, 30, of 2400 Danville street, died at 3:50 p.m., apparently from internal injuries, hospital authorities said. An autopsy will be held to determine the exact cause of death.
Chief Criminal Investigator C. M. Pond said he has been able to obtain little information to help solve the case.
He said Deputies Johnny Wilkinson and W. E. Simmons answered a call at 4:25 a. m. Friday to Kitchens’ home where they found him badly beaten.
They quoted Kitchens as saying he stopped two Negro men walking on Lumpkin road near Highway 25 and asked them for a match. In turn, they asked for a ride. After he had driven a short distance, Kitchens told the officers, the two men began beating him, and then left him along the highway after taking his pants, shorts and automobile.
The officers quoted Kitchens as saying he hailed a passing car and was picked up by an unidentified white man and woman, who drove him to his home.
(Deputy Pond said that if either of these two persons read this story to contact him at the sheriff’s office.)
Deputies called to Kitchens' home by a neighbor took the injured man to University Hospital, where they were joined by Deputies Pond and Jesse Redd and City Detective B. J. Cheek.
Officers said Kitchens lapsed into a coma and was unable, thereafter, to give a coherent statement.
Kitchens' automobile was found abandoned Sunday at Taylor and Eighth streets.
He is survived by his wife, Mrs. Myra Mae Kitchens; mother, Mrs. Janie Williams of Augusta; three brothers, Hoyt Kitchens of Gibson, Ga., Wesley Kitchens of Washington, D.C., and Harris Kitchens of Gibson; four sisters, Mrs. Asa McCoy of Gibson, Mrs. W. S. Williams of Winter Haven, Fla., Mrs. D. H. Hardin of Augusta and Mrs. Cleo Chalker of Augusta.
He was born in Gibson and was employed as a crane operator at the time of his death.
Funeral services will be announced later by Elliott Sons.
Handwritten by a librarian at the Augusta Library who printed this for me: “Augusta Chronicle, Thursday, September 24, 1953, Page C7.”
Then lo and behold, three days after Slydell passed away, the woman from the mystery couple came forward and visited the sheriff's office. She told Investigator Pond that she and a man were the ones "who found the bloody and nude victim on Lumpkin road and gave him a ride home." She wished to remain unidentified, but her story confirmed what Slydell had told the deputies.
Deputy Pond said the sheriff's office was still a long way from identifying the attackers. However, the woman's story established that Slydell had received the beating on Lumpkin road, and that the rest of his story was probably true.
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| Augusta Chronicle, Augusta, Georgia - September 26, 1953, page 2 via NewsBank |
Transcription by Claude:
"Murder case clue
Woman admits aiding hitch-hikers' victim
The voluntary appearance of a woman in the sheriff's office has lent impetus to the investigation into the fatal beating of an Augusta man by two hitch-hikers last week.
Slydell Kitchens, 30, of 2406 Danville street, died Wednesday at University hospital from injuries inflicted the previous Friday morning on Lumpkin road.
A woman, who wished to remain unidentified, came to the sheriff's office and told Chief Criminal Investigator C. M. Pond she and a man were the ones who found the bloody and nude victim on Lumpkin road and gave him a ride home after he had been beaten and robbed by two Negroes.
Confirmation
Her story confirmed that of Kitchens, who told county deputies before he died he had been beaten and robbed of his clothing and automobile, and that two unidentified persons had given him a lift home.
Kitchens' car was found later abandoned at Taylor and Eighth streets.
The woman said she had worried about the man since they left him at his home but didn't know what to do until she read a story in Thursday's Chronicle about Kitchens' death. The story also contained a plea by Deputy Pond, requesting the persons who helped Kitchens to contact him at the sheriff's office.
Solution uncertain
This established the fact that Kitchens received the beating on Lumpkin road, and that the rest of his story was probably true, Deputy Pond said. Previously, the officers said they were dubious of some of the things he said because his condition prevented all he told to be coherent.
Deputy Pond said they are still far from establishing the identity of Kitchens' assailants, but the motive has now been fixed as robbery. Kitchens had some money on the night of the robbery, but it has not been determined how much."
Three days after Slydell's death, an article was printed in the local paper entitled "Three inquests held by coroner's jury..." One of the inquests was about Slydell and the article states, "Continued investigation by the sheriff's department was recommended in the death of Slydell Kitchens, who was beaten and fatally injured by unknown parties on Lumpkin road." - Augusta Chronicle, 29 Sept 1953, p. 3
Of course, that is all the information I could locate about this case. I personally doubt they ever found the people involved. I also believe there is more to the story. One great big mystery never to be solved.
"Funeral notices
KITCHENS – Died September 23, 1953, at 3:50 p.m., Mr. Slydell Kitchens, husband of Mrs. Myra Mae Tapley Kitchens. Funeral services will be conducted at Bethel Methodist Church, Stapleton, Ga., this (Friday) afternoon at 3 o'clock, the Rev. J. W. Brinkley officiating. Funeral cortege will leave the funeral home at 2 o'clock. Interment, churchyard cemetery. Elliott Sons." - Transcription by ChatGPT
Slydell was married to my 2nd cousin, Myra Mae Tapley. Our common ancestors are James Madison "Jim" Tapley and Elizabeth Rebecca "Becky" Page Tapley.
