The age-herald., 1901-05-19
Atlanta Man and ], 4, Evans Are Robbed by RighWaynen
 and the Former Shot
IN PRATT CITY
White Men Had Been Examining Books, and While Returning Home Were Set Upon By Highway
 men-country Searched.

l Without word of warning, after hay ting been robbed. and from behind his iback. G. A. Boyeston, prominent citi- izen of Atlanta, was shot and killed last knight by one of four negro highway rob hbers while in the company of F. D. Evans of Pratt City, who was robbed while standing with hand in the air directly under the bright glare of an electric light. The killing occurred near the office of the Pratt City Lumber Company in Pratt City, and was one of the boldest crimes ever committed in the Birmingham dis- trict The people of the mining suburb are aroused to an alarming state of feel ing, and if ths negro who committed the crime 1t Is altogether probable that lynohing will settle his fate for all time to come.
 Shortly after the commission of the edeed a large crowd of citizens wers in search of the highwaymen. Three negroes suspected of the crime have been placed under arrest, but they have not yet been Identified. and deny any knowledge of the killing.
 Story of the Killing.
 Ths shooting of MT. Boyleston oc- cured shortly after o'clock He was in the company of E. D. Evans, a promi- nent citizen of Pratt City. and his broth er-in-law, and they had but ashort time previous to sthe firing of the shot been examir1ng set of books in the office of the Pratt City Lumber Company, of which the latter is keeper.
 MT. Boyleston was in the city visiting MT. Evans, and incidentally arranging some business matters. At home he is in- terested in the Georgia Redemption and Loan Company, and while discussing the system of bookkeeping employed by his company and in the system in vogue at the office where MT. Evans was employed he expressed a desire to be shown the latter system.
 With this purpose in view MT. Boyles- ton and MT. Evans went to the office of the lumber company and began looking at the books. They had been there but a short time when they noticed four ne-
 
 to the door and the negroes walked 1eis- urely along the street, soon turning the corner nearby. Thinking nothing of the men Mir. Evans and MT. Boyleston con tinued examining the books.
 Tn a short time they decided to return home. They left the office and walked along the street discussing the plans of Mir. Boyleston and the system of book keeping they had just been inspecting, when, suddenly, as they turned the cor ner. they were confronted by the four negroes they had watched a short time before.
 "Money or Life."
 The negroes all had pistols in their hands. and they covered the two white men, saying as they did so:
 Hold up your hands and give us your money your life.e Both men shot up their hands without A moments hesitation. The bright glare of the electric light was in their faces, but fearlessly the negroes kept their re- voivers within few inchs of the mems faces and searched each one, securing a quantity of money. not exactly known.
 After both men had been searched and all the money and valuables of each taken from their pockets, one of the ne-. sroes. not satisfied with mere highway robbery. deliberately took aim and fired ct the body of MT. Boyleston. The latter ran, but within twenty steps fell dead. win bullet just between the shoulders
 om behind.
 All four of the negroes then ran from the place. They crossed the yards of the lumber company and ran towards the tracks Of the electric car line and up the Kansas City Railroad. As they crossed the railroad tracks they were seen by Charley Patty.
 One of the negroes Is described by MT. Evans as bsing a stocly. heavy fellow. wearing slouch hat@ but description of the others could not be given.
 Three Negroes Arrested.
 A shorr distance from the place where tho shooting occurred the Kansas City Railroad crosses another road and tbers all trains are required to stop. Shortly after tha killing a freight train stopped at this place. and three negroes bearded tho cars. One other negro took seat cn the tender of the engine
 When the train reached Pratt City the fhres negroes occupying places on the cars were arreSted, but the fellow on the lander ran and managed to make his es- cspe. The oth-ro hsvs not been idsntffed but arc being .seid or suspicion. sn the meantime searchers with biccdhcuads are thrsshtpg ths entire country for the men. and q lynohirs may take plsoe at any time if the right men ara caught
 Mr. Bovlestcn is son-ir-law of J. E. Nvsns and is well-know7l .n this district He is connected with the Georgia Re- dam ption and Loan Company in 4Atlantz He ieavrs a Wife but no children. Tho wiss Is :n Atlanta, bGt has aeen teie- wTnphed about Der husbands death ard r!ii come here today.
 The funeral Of Mr. Bcyiayton will oc- cur at Pratt City. but the arran nzenserts for it have not hsea x1sdo