The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-08-11
CORONER BEGINS
AN INVESTIGATION

AT 10 o'clock Coroner Dallas began his Of
fetal investigation and empannelled a jury
as follows: J. r. Hornady, w. 7. Robin
son, John Horon. f. C. Mulcahy, Tom JEFF
fers and G.. D. Smiley. :
Quite number of witnesses were sum
moned and several were on hand when the
investigation began.
The first witness examined was James
league, a negro who is employed at the
compress He testified that Mr.. Friel had
given him his revolver to clean on Thurs
day, and that it was returned to the old
Waterman on tho same evening. He fur
ther testified that Friel hal told him that
he had enemies, and that he expected
trouble with them. On Saturday he came
to town with the old man and took some
goods which he purchased homo for him.
Friel did not have the money to pay him,
but promised to do so the following week.
Richard Ware, colored, was the next
witness. He testified to the finding of the
body He was at the compress when Mr.
Friel came to work on Wednesday evening
Saw him go in the office and take his coat
off and lay his pistol on a desk. Found
the back window open when he made the
discovery.
superintendent OF Compress
Superintendent NJ. F. Howell, of the
Compress Company, was the next witness.
He testified that he was informed of the
killing and went at once to the scene. The
door to the office had been opened but the
body was LYING in the position in which 1t
had been found. He looked all about the
place for a weapon but found none. He
noticed the back window being open and
noticed the ladder on the cotton about 200
feet away. He saw dog ferihel blossoms on
the ladder They were fresh. He said that
there was dog fennel all about under the
window that was open in the Office. He
said that money was never kept in the
office, and there was no reason why any
one should suppose there was money
there. Mr.. Friel had been working for
him about two years. He had heard some-
thing of his family trouble, but very little.
Assistant Superintendent H. c. Wood
ruff testified that he left Mr.. Friels wagon
at the office with Jim league, another
employe every Saturday night for three
weeks. He had heard that MIR. Friel feared
trouble with some men who were mixed up
in his family affairs. Friel, he said, had
prevented two negroes from stealing bale
of cotton and they had threatened to shoot
him.
! G. f. Croker, a white man who resides
near the compress, was the next witness
and he gave some important testimony.
He said that he knew Mr.. Friel and that
on Wednesday night about 1880 he was
aroused by his dog barking and cutting up
generally, and he went out to see what
was the matter, thinking that perhaps
some one was trying to steal his horse.
He saw nothing suspicious, though he did
not look toward the compress, and then
went back to bed. In q short time he heard
talking, though some parties were pass
ing his house, going in the direction of
North Birmingham. He could not tell
whether they were white men or negroes
by listening to the talk as two sections
of a train on the Central of Georgia rail-
road passed about that time and drowned
the voices.
Had heard Friel speak of his family
troubles. Accused his wife of inidelity,
and expressed the fear that he would have
trouble with the man who he said was re-
sponsible for it. He also told him of an
alleged difficulty he had with his son-in-
law some time ago.
Assistant County Physician Heacock
made an examination of tn body and ex-
pressed the opinion that the blow on the
back of the head had been administered
with a coupling pin
At this juncture recess was taken until
9 o'clock, when the Investigation was con-
tinued.
When the jury reassembled for the
afternoon session the first witness called
was NJ S. Oliver proprietor of fruit
stand at North Birmingham Mr.. Oliver
stated that he knew Mr.. Friel and often
saw him going to and from his work Had
heard him speak of his family affairs and
had been told that Mrs. Freil had tried to
poison him about two years ago by dosing
his coffee. Knew that he had trouble with
McCord and his son-in-law, Hardin. Never
knew him to have trouble with any one
else. Saw F'riel for the last time on We'd
nesday afternoon between and o'clock.
He wore light coat and wide-brimmed,
high-crowned straw hat
W. S. Cole, dairyman, was also examin-
ed and testified to certain troubles in the
Freil family, including the attempts at pois-
oning. Took the liquid to Newman's drug
store to have 1t analysed, but on account
of cost did not have it tested. Mr. New
man was also examined, as were several
other witnesses, but nothing new was de-
yeloped and adjournment was taken I'M
til $3.50 O'Clock this morning, when the in
vestigation will be resumed.
Mr. FrieIs body is still at the Warner
Smiley establishment, but will probably be
turner over to his relatives this morning
for interment.