Birmingham age-herald., 1895-09-29
A BRUTAL NEGRO
After RObbing Small Boy Beats His cad Out or Shape With Club and Then
 Escapes.


 Selma, Sept. 27.-(Special Correspond ence.)-As brutal a deed as has ever been chronicled in this county was committed near Keenans mill, three miles north of this city, yesterday evening. It was pre- meditated and cold blooded, and could have been conceived only in the brain of the basest and most brutal Of beings.
 Mrs. J. Simon, a widow, runs a family grocery store on Jeff Davis avenue, at the foot of Lauderdale street. She has two little boys, who help their mother in every way they can in the battle of life. They are energetic, hustllng boys and are always at work. Yesterday morning Jerome, 10 years of age, walked out to Kernans mill to buy chickens and eggs, is his custom. He was at the mll little while and after walking away met a negro boy, Joe Davis, IS years of age, in the road a short distance from the mill Jerome had bought chickens and eggs from the negro before, and asked him If he had any more to sell.
 You haven't got any money to buy nothing with" said the negro
 Yes I have" replied the boy, and he displayed some change in his hand.
 ''I can show you where you can buy all you want at your own price said the negro, and the little boy gladly followed him down through the woods. He told the boy to leave his basket at spring they passed and they would get 1t on their return. They came to a branch about half a mile from the mill and followed it, walking in the shallow water. On either side of the branch are low, soapstone bluffs The negro told the boy they were close to the house and that there was bad dog there. The two secured sticks as the boy thought to fight off the dog if atnd point near where the little stream empties into the creek the negro turned and told the little boy he was going to Kill him, at the same time striking him terrible blow on the head, knocking him down. The boy begged the brute not to Kill him.
 Well, give me your money then" said the negro.
 The little fellow handed him over what money he had, about 60 cents and begged piteously for his life.
 q am going to kill you anyhow" said the brute, and he jumped upon the low soap stone bank and dealt the child an other horrible blow on top of the head, knocking him down in the water, and as fast as he would scramble to his feet he knocked him down again.
 The little boy finally managed to run up the stream with the negro raining blow after blow upon him. He threw his hands over his head to protect 1t and they were horribly lacerated by the cruel blows. Frightened and suffering, the lit tie fellow with almost superhuman and fortitude, out-ran the brute and got out of the branch. He then ran through the woods to field where sev- eral negroes were pulling corn. His pur- suer stopped on the edge, of the woods. When he reached them he was covered with blood, and there were large wounds in his scalp, in either of which two fin gers might be laid, and the white skull showed plainly There were numerous other cuts on the head, and his hands were terribly cut and bruised.
 One of the negroes, Isley White, took the boy to his house and washed his wounds as best he could and carried him over to the Keenan residence. where Mrs. Keenan, mortified at his condition, dressed his wound, and alarmed at the continued flow of blood, put him In a buggy and sent him to the city. The child seemed to suffer terribly from his wounds, but never once lost CONSCIOUS ness.
 The negro, after committing the horri- ble deed went to Cedar Hill church, about a quarter of a mile from the mill, where a barbecue was in progress. He bought some edibles with the money which he had taken from the boy and was eating when the buggy containing the boy passed the church. The driver of the buggy. negro, called the mother of the brute, who was also at the barbecue. to the buggy and told her what her son had done She called her boy and took him home. Since that time he has not been seen.
 When Jerome reached home Dr. Ritter was summoned and dressed the wounds. Seven terrible cuts across the scalp had to be sewed up. His hands are so badly swollen that it cannot be ascertained how many bones are broken, but it is certain that one of his fingers is broken.
 It is a miracle that the child's skull was not fractured and that he escaped with his life.
 The negro Joe Davis was born and reared near Keenan's mill and is the son of Spencer Davis. He is about feet , inches high and is slender. He has red sh, curly hair, blue eyes and yellow com plexion.
 Sheriff Kennedy went out to the neigh borhood where the crime was committed late Friday evening, and Friday night posse was formed and searched every house where it was thought possible the negro could be secreted. but in vain.
 Yesterday morning MT. Keenan and the negro's father followed the tracks of the two boys and found Jerome's basket at the spring, and near the scene of the crime found his hat and the stick with which he was assaulted It is a murder ous looking stick-the limb of an oak tree, we'll seasoned from laying in the weather. and Is about inches in diam- eter. It is covered with blood and when found there were punches of hair stick