The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1901-03-07
FATHER AND SON ARRESTED.
Young Man Charged With rlur-
der of His r1other and Husband
Held as Accessory.

Held as Accessory.
Charged with the murder OF his
mother, Arthur R. Foote, q youth
nineteen years of age, was arrested in
Atlanta, Ca, Saturday morning on a
telegram from Bessemer, Ala.
At the same time news was received
from Birmingham that the father OF
the boy, Charles A. Foote, was in
Jail there, charged with being acces:
sorry to the crime.
The following is the telegram re-
ceived from Birmingham:
"Mrs. Charles A. Foote, the wife OF
a respectable mechanic living in q
modest and comfortable home at Bes-
semer, twelve miles south Of here, was
foully murdered ten days ago, while
working on some sewing for small
children. A big case knife was used,
and the assault was horrible. The
woman was found lying in pool Of
her own blood by one of her daughters
returning from school, and the knife
was under her body. An alarm was
given in the neighborhood, and many
people were attracted. Members of
the family were not willing for an e1-
tensive parading of the story, and an
impression was given out that it might
be d case of suicide.
"Coroner Paris was summoned, and
taking in the situation at once, empan-
neled a jury to investigate the affair.
Mr.. Foote, the husband and Arthur
Foote, the eldest son of the woman.
carried the remains to Atlanta for in
terment, and the elder Foote returned
to Bessemer few days later.
The coroner's jury for the first few
days were not satisfied that the death
was not case of murder, though the
impression of suicide became more
prevalent. It was learned that Mrs.
Foote had several hundred dollars in
the bank in her own name, besides
there were insurance policies held on
her life to the amount of $4,000.
evidence became more tangible
and later on the jury returned a YER.
dict that the woman came to her death
by foul means, and her son was ac-
cused of her murder. Her husband
was accused of being an accessory 10
the crime and brought to Birmingham
to the county jail"
ARTHUR FOOTE'S STORY.
Arthur Foote was seen by reporter
in the Atlanta city prison shortly after
his arrest He was sitting disconso
latly on the side of small iron bunk.
he said he was nineteen years old.
s'I do not like to talk about it to
Anybody" he said. 81 am not guilty.
You can say that for me. It is enough
that my mother should have been MUIR
dered without having me humiliated
and disgraced by being charged with
the crime. I will tell my whole story
to you, and I hope you will treat me
az kindly as you can"
He Strengthened himself up and
continued:
"I was the last member of the family
to see my poor mother alive. Ny
father left to go to his work, and my
little sister went to school. I saw
mother sitting near table in the kitch-
en-, and she was lively and appeared
to be better than she had been in many
days. She had been i'll with4he grip,
and was complaining for two or three
weeks. I believe she was sewing, or
she might have been washing dishes.
I told her good bye and went to q
meat market, where I remained some
time. Then went to q butcher pen; ;
was there when somebody rode up in
buggy and said that would have to
go home at once, as my mother. was
very ill. He did not tell me she was
dead, and I did not know it until I
reached the house. thought she had
had relapse of the grip. was told
that my little sister had come home
from school and had found our mother
murdered in the kitchen. The news
was a terrible shock to me. They
would not allow me to view the body.
"I came to Georgia to attend the fu-
neral, and I and my father and sister
were in Atlanta few days last week.
My uncle kept my sister with him and
persuaded me to remain here. I &C.
cured a position with Mr.. Baer. of tie
Atlanta meat market, and was doing
well. Today the officers walked in and
showed me telegram telling me that
I was charged with killing my mother.
It is all like some horrible dream to
me. am innocent, as innocent as an
angel in heaven, and shall not rest
until I know why it is they have &C:
cused me of such an awful crime"