The age-herald., 1898-04-01
MINE ROW RESULTS
 IN A KILLING An Innocent Negro Standing by
 Was the Victim. WHO FIRED SHOT A MYSTERY Claimed by Alleged Eye Witnesses That Dr.. Hefin Was the Man, But That Is De- ~ nied by His Friends
 
Special to The Age-Herald.

Bessemer, Ala, March 31-Considerable excitement was caused here today by thef report that Dr. H. T. Hefin had shot and killed negro by the name of Quilar Cole man, in the commissary at Woodward ore mines last evening at 6 o'clock. Dr. Hef1in is the company's physician at that place. The report was circulated by a negro from Woodward mines, who claims to have been an eyewitness to the affair, and who made the following signed statement to Warden Wilson:
 Bob Lutson, white, and Tom Sanders. black, quarreled in the commissary, final ly coming to blows. The doctor, as appear ed to us eye-witnesses, shot at Tom Sand CTS, missing him and accidentally hitting Quillar Coleman, coored, who was talk ing no part in the fight Other white men were on the counter and elsewhere ready to shoot and among them was MT. Wilson, timekeeper, who was on top of the counter with Winchester in hand, which he gave to Bob Lutson, the white man.
 This statement, which is anything but clear, is signed Hiram Burrel,'' and is generally discredited here, where Dr. Heflin is very popular and universally respected. Regarding Burrell's statement, Willie Ann
 
 The Deceased's Wife
 "The above are the facts about the death of my husband, as my friends who were eye-witnesses tell me-"
 Bessemer friends of Dr. Hefin went over to the mines this morning as soon as they heard of the killing and returned with very different story. Dr. Hefin states that the negro Tom Sanders had previously given trouble to MT. Ludwig, the superin- tendent. Last evening Bob Lutson, white boy in the store set out a box of cigars. Tom Sanders took one and refused to pay for it. quarrel ensued, and Lutson was getting the worst of it. Dr. Hetiin who was present, ran up to the office for his pistol. When he returned the fight was over, and Coleman had be:n accidentally killed, 1t is believed, by Louis Sanders, brother of Tom. Dr. Heiiin substantiated his statement by showing his revolver, all of the barrels of which are loaded, and which has not been fired for six months It is believed here that pr. He1in will be fully exonerated.
 Notes About Town
 Judge J. J. Banks, of Birmingham, will lecture at Rebie hall tomorrow night. Capt. Frank s. White and Col. A. O.. Lane will speak at the city hall Tuesday night
 Judge W. w. Wilkenson, Hon. John c. Carmichael, Hon. c. F. Moore and other prominent Birmingham politicians were in town today.
 Col. James A. Webb is in town on legal business.
 Coroner Burkhalter's Story
 Coroner Burkhalter was in Woodward all day yesterday, and made a thorough in- vestigation. He examined thirty witnesses and says the following facts are almost ab- solutely' correct.
 Tom Sanders, C'bad nigger,'D got into a fuss with Bass, white commissary clerk over a cigar and general scrap resulted. Louis Sanders, also bad nigger' drew a pistol and shot at Bass. Bass "ducked" behind screen and escaped injury. Jack Coleman, good nigger" got excited and got his head in the way of the bullet. Dead "nagger," Sanders escaped and has not yet been found. Coroner Burihalter issued a warrant for him.