 Elmo Thomason a Charlie Birger Gang member, died when Charlies hideout,
Shady Rest, was burned in 1927. A
family member was living in Reevesville at the time and they had him
buried here. I have also seen his name spelled "Thomasson"?
The Shady Rest was located between Marion and Harrisburg and was
built to serve bootleggers traveling from Florida to St. Louis. It
is said that the bombing of Shady Rest by the rival Shelton Gang was
the first aerial
Attack on U.S. soil. The aerial attack didn't destroy the Shady
Rest but was later destroyed by fire. It's unknow who started the
fire but, Harry Thomason
suspected Birger in the burning of the Shady Rest that kill his brother
Elmo. After Harry
was arrested for robbery he confessed to killing Joe Adams, West
City's Mayor and alleged Shelton gang member, and implicated
Charlie Birger in the murder. In the
end Birger was convicted and executed for ordering the killing of Joe
Adams. Click here to see burial location. |