Billy Dean Prewitt - Submitted for the USGenWeb  by Janet Byram Newsom 11/26/2008

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Billy Dean Prewitt - Madison Parish, Louisiana 

From Tallulah Madison Journal August 1946

Billy Prewitt, 24, Painter, Commits Suicide After Being Arrested; Found Nine Hours Later

Reported to have committed suicide by choking himself to death with his shirt, Billy Dean Prewitt, 
24, local painter and paper hanger, was found dead in his cell in the parish jail at 9 a. m., Tuesday 
(8/16/1946; it is believed that he took his life sometime around midnight, Monday, according to a 
report from the sheriff's office.

Prewitt was picked up by Officers T. E. McGrew and "Happy" Holt at 10:20 p m. Monday on a charge of 
being drunk and disorderly. As he proved unruly, the officers took all of his belongings except his 
trousers and shirt.

Prisoners in the adjoining cells stated that they heard no commotion during the night. As a result, 
Prewitt was not found until approximately nine hours after his death.

Funeral services were held Thursday, August 22 at 4 p.m. at the Baptist church with the Rev. Clarence 
Crow and the Rev. Lewis Prewitt, uncle of the deceased, jointly conducting the services. Interment was 
in the Silver Cross cemetery.

Pall-bearers were Ed Erwin, Don Cannon, Thurston Arwood, David Miller, Lit Rabb, Paul Priest, Curtis 
Miller, Gordy Van Zelfden.

Survivors are his mother and father, Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin H. Prewitt; ,two brothers, Benjamin Hooker 
Prewitt, Jr., James Herman Prewitt; two sisters, Gloria Mae and Patsy Jean Prewitt.