On a tragic Saturday in Brunswick, Georgia, on March 6, 1915, a popular young man named Ernest McDonald, who was 31 years old, was caught in a horrifying outbreak of violence. Having recently recovered from a severe case of pneumonia that he was not expected to survive, he had gone downtown for a shave and a haircut. His outing, however, placed him in the path of Monroe Phillips, a local man who had become consumed by rage over business dealings and perceived attacks on his character.
That afternoon, Phillips, armed with a double-barreled shotgun, began indiscriminately shooting at people in the heart of downtown Brunswick. The city was thrown into a state of terror as the tragedy unfolded, with Phillips firing at anyone in his sight. Ernest McDonald was among the many who were wounded in the chaotic and violent spree. He was rushed to the city hospital for treatment.
Despite the efforts to save him, the wounds McDonald sustained proved to be too severe, especially given his recent bout with a serious illness. The following morning, on Sunday, March 7, 1915, Ernest McDonald succumbed to his injuries. His death added to the rising toll of the massacre, becoming the seventh fatality. The community, which had been hopeful for the recovery of the wounded, was shrouded in gloom as the full extent of the devastating event became clear.
The perpetrator of the massacre, Monroe Phillips, was responsible for the deaths of five individuals and the wounding of many others on that day. His rampage ended when he was shot and killed, bringing an end to the slaughter that had gripped the city of Brunswick. In the days that followed, the community mourned the loss of its citizens, including Ernest McDonald, who was remembered as a well-known and respected young man who worked with his father in the meatpacking business. He was survived by his wife, two children, and several siblings.
