Devil Winston [Laws I7]

DESCRIPTION: [George] "Devil" Winston (an unusually vile specimen even by murder ballad standards) sets out to confront his woman Vinie [Stubblefield]. He finds her, kills her after an argument, is taken, and is hanged
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1944 (Wheeler)
KEYWORDS: homicide execution
FOUND IN: US(Ap)
REFERENCES (3 citations):
Laws I7, "Devil Winston"
Wheeler-SteamboatinDays, pp. 105-109, "Devil" (1 text, 1 tune)
DT 810, DEVWINST*
ST LI07 (Full)
Roud #4176
NOTES [128 words]: Wheeler does not give dates for the life of George "Devil" Winston, but notes that he "began life as a cabin boy on the Mississippi. He was later an Ohio River rouster... His career of reckless lawlessness culminated when he was thirty-two years old, in the vicious murder of Vinie Stubblefield, his sweetheart.
"The murdered Negress was said to have been half-witted and repulsive-looking. She have made several efforts to sever her relationship with Winston, and this was the indirect cause of her death: Devil was apparently a victim of helpless bondage where she was concerned.... When he was not on the river he was often serving time on the 'chain gang' for beating the woman, and the murder occurred just following his release from jail for this offense." - RBW
File: LI07

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