Marion Stembridge was a respected as a grocery store owner, but he made his real money by being a banker and a loan shark. He had made almost a million dollars off of forcing poor people to pay outrageous sums of money in interest on loans. Stembridge had mental instability and hyper active behavior. His mother was forced to send him to Central State several times. According to local rumors that were going around, he only married his wife because she was a math teacher at Georgia College and could keep his accounts, but many doubted this because Stembridge could add numbers in his head in no time at all and rarely made mistakes. He supposedly abandoned her and moved into the Baldwin Hotel, but he gave the boarding house he owned to his wife. Whatever really happened, he rented the entire top floor of the Baldwin Hotel and had heavy duty locks replace the originals and kept the only set of keys to himself.
In 1949, a black man named John Cooper had had enough with Stembridge’s outrageous interests rates and dropped off a black, slick sedan at his store. He attached a message that read “You can have this pile of steel for my note.” Stembridge was 61 and was extremely angry with John Cooper’s act. He grabbed his .38 caliber revolver and headed toward Cooper’s home in Shantytown. He took along with him Sam Terry, one of his employees, so he could act as a witness on his behalf just in case anyone saw him. They found him, grabbed him by the T-shirt, and beat him with brass knuckles. Two women came out and tried unsuccessfully to get them off their friend, so Stembridge drew out his .38 caliber revolver and shot wildly wounding both women.
Fleeing for their lives the men made up a story that, in their minds, justified the crime. Terry pleaded that Cooper cursed at them and one of the women pulled out a pistol. Stembridge continued by saying it was plainly self defense. No weapon was found on either one of the ladies. Sam and Marion were accused of murder when one of the women, Emma Johnekin, died in the Richard Binion Clinic. Stembridge was sentenced to 1-3 years of prison. Stembridge appealed the case thinking that he shouldn’t have to spend anytime in jail, and he was freed on bond. Marion hired three attorneys for the case. One was Marion Ennis, a young lawyer, district attorney, and state senator. The other two were Frank Evans and Jimmy Watts. Ennis was uneasy about the case and dropped out. The appeal lasted two days and it was proven without a doubt that the bullet that had killed Emma Johnekin was from Stembridge’s gun. A 12 man jury labeled him guilty of manslaughter, but Stembridge didn’t give up. He appealed to the Georgia courts then to the Supreme Court of the United States. He was then freed because they said he was accused on a prejudiced testimony. Sam Terry had been to court and neither man served time for the crime. Many felt that Stembridge would never be punished because the crime he committed was against blacks.
While Marion Stembridge became richer, Marion Ennis became more and more uneasy about Stembridge not serving anytime in jail. Stembridge had very good political connections and Ennis couldn’t rouse a retrial, so he asked help from Stephen T. “Pete” Bivins. At about this time the Internal Revenue Service discovered that Stembridge had not paid his federal taxes in over 10 years. Two agents went over and Marion fixed them with his famous cold-blooded stare that was said to be able to put a hole right through you. He hesitated and then coolly offered them $10,000 to forget the case, but instead on April 28, 1953, he was convicted of bribery and was ordered to appear for sentencing in a week. The people started gossiping and said that Bivins had turned Stembridge in to the IRS. Bivins and Ennis continued to work on the old manslaughter case until they found evidence of perjury.
May 3, 1953, was the 150th anniversary of the founding of Milledgeville being state capital. This was the first big celebration in Milledgeville. Marion Stembridge, however, wasn’t celebrating. It was two days till he would be sentenced and he knew the judge would send him to prison. As he walked up the stairs from the store cellar, he whistled, nodded to his clerk, and pretended to go invite his mother to go the parade with him. He didn’t go to his mother’s home, but he went to the office of Marion Ennis. Ennis was shocked to see him and without the slightest hint, Marion pulled out his .38 caliber revolver and shot Ennis three times in the shoulder and chest. Ennis died leaving a widow and two young children.
Stembridge hurriedly walked down to Hancock Street and went to the second floor of the Stanford building to the office of the other attorney Pete Bivins. Stembridge again pulled out his gun and fired once hitting him in the chest. Bivins, who was 27, was able to pull out his pistol, but hadn’t the strength to fire it and died. Stembridge then put the pistol in his own mouth and fired, ending his own life along with the two others he had killed.
Peter Dexter wrote Paris Trout, a fictional account based on the Stembridge case, in 1988. It won the National Book Award and was made into a movie in 1991. Residents of the boarding house have reported hearing strange noises in Stembridge’s bedroom. Many believe he is still residing there in spirit.
Reference: Duffey, Barbara. True Ghost Stories of Georgia
I lived in that boarding house! I saw Marion Stembrdge many times. He used to turn on my sink and play with my hot water. he would open my windows and close them. He even took all my shoes out of the closet and put them in the living room in alternating order! I got a dog which was not allowed but I was scared. My dog would bark at the corner of the room all the time. I would talk with my neighbor and we would see him in a hat and black and white striped shirt standing at the top of the back stairs! trippy!
So, what are your views on the after-life Risa? What is your background?
Thanks for the note!
Wanted to let you know that my family knows Marion Ennis’ son, Buddy. He was extraordinarily young, but still remembers his father being killed. In any case, he is in the Atlanta area, but I doubt that you will get him to talk about the murder. It was very gristly, apparently, and people in Milledgeville seem to want to forget it. I’m glad that you have this up; it’s something that shouldn’t be. A true tragedy for all parties involved.
Thanks for the note Matthew, I wasn’t aware he had a son, what does he do for a living now? I know that must have been hard on him growing up.
What were the names of Marion Wesley Stembridge’s father, mother, and wife? Did Marion have any children?
I bought five cents worth of candy in mr Stembridges store when I was a boy it taste like root beer which I didnt like so I had wasted my money I thought. I went to church with Buddy and Tony Ennis played the organ there. I new most of this story but I never thought Mr. Stembridge killed himself, I thought policeman Murphy shot him comming out of the building. God be with them all.
My son recently moved into Stembridge’s boarding house. Does anyone know which room was his and/or have any more information about things that have occurred in that house? I’m not feeling very comforted by what I have read thus far.
Haven’t heard any details myself; but yeah, there are quite a few stories out there. Most likely just ol’ ghost stories. He should send us some photos of the house we’d love to post them!
Hi David,
Are you related to Marion Stembridge? If so, how?
Thanks.
We are distant cousins Amy, and share the same middle name. That’s about it! I grew up in Athens which was pretty ethnically diverse, so I didn’t experience racism as it played out in small rural towns.
Buddy Ennis is my grandfather. He is retired now by the way. He doesn’t really like to talk about the murder that much, but he loves to talk about the history of our family in Milledgeville.
Thanks for the note Meagan. Does he still live in Milledgeville? My Dad still lives there. Do you think your Grandfather would ever consider telling the story as he remembered?
Who was the coroner when these murders occurred?
Hi Debra, I’m sorry but I have no idea!
I also lived in the boarding house as a college student. I just read that the house burned down in 2019. It had a dark and ominous presence for sure. I lived in the downstairs right apartment for 3 months, then got out. I slept at a friend’s house many nights because of all the scary stuff that happened in that apartment. I don’t think Marion ever left that house. I’m on IG as undonebyone_ if anyone wants details.
From the research I did, Marion’s room was the left bigger room on the second floor. There was a weird little balcony area and tiny door to the room, that I guess added character, with it being such an old home. I’m curious what started the fire. It was a beautiful house, just filled with bad energy.
Am writing a definitive book on Stembridge and the events of that May weekend. I am old enough I knew lots of the people at the time. Would love to have pictures of the house (inside, I have outside ones), and also of Stembidge. Cannot find one on line, and have heard it may be impossible to locate such. Also any info..I have tghe transcripts of both trials, newspaper articles I save back in the 1950s, interview info with Eva Sloan.
I tried sending you an email but your spam blocker doesn’t appear to be working.
My email address is stembridge@gmail.com
Sam Terry was coroner in 1949, when Stembridge was found guilty of voluntary manslaughter of Emma Johnekin…per Sam Terry. His brothr was John Thomas Terry, and their father was Sam Terry who was a long-time sheriff in the county.