The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-08-03
Cutting Occurred in Rear of Atlantic 6 Pacific Tea Com- pany'S Store and There Were No Eye Witnesses.
Negro Used a Springback Knife and Struck Cotton Between the Eyes, the Blade Pene- trating to Brain.

Walter L. Cotton. chief clerk of the Atlantic and Pacific Tea Company, was stabbed and almost instantly killed yes terday morning about 10:4j o'clock by Albert Jones, a negro employe in the store. The stabbing occurred in the rear of the store and Is supposed to have been the result of a short quarrel between the clerk and the negro. No one witness ed the affair and only the statement of the negro throws any light on it. He claims Cotton struck him because he had cursed Cotton.
 The knife used by the negro Is of the spring back variety known as frog stickers." The blade is nearly four inches long and very heavy and wide. It is in the possession of Chief of Police Aus tin.
 The wound which caused death Is just between the eyes. The knife blade passed through the bone of the nose and pene- trated two and on-half inches into the head. At least an inch and a half of the blade entered the brain. Had this wound not caused death. another on the inside of the right leg between the knee and thigh which severed the large artery would have caused death in very few minutes from loss of blood.
 No Eye Witnesses.
 Although there were several other clerks in the store at the time, none of them saw the stabbing, or knew it had been done until Cotton rolled a barrel of sugar into the front of the store and
 
 physician and Dr. Barclay was summon ed. It was nearly three-quarters of an hour after he was stabbed before death came.
 About two-thirds of the length of the store there is a partition and a number of barrels and boxes are piled up against it. There Is only a narrow passage about four feet wide, leading to the rear of the store which is used as store room. It was here the stabbing occur red. The rest of the clerks were in the front of the store and therefore did not witness it.
 After he was stabbed Cotton rolled barrel of sugar through this narrow pas sage just past the partition When he reached that his strength failed and he fell to the floor, unconscious Here he died in a few seconds. There are several barrels of sugar in the rear of the store i and on the sides of these blood is smear ed. There was blood on the sugar in the barrel which cotton rolled to the front of the store.
 The Negro's Statement.
 Jones was arrested by Policeman Will Patton who caught him at Sixth alley and Thirteenth street. The negro stated when caught.
 "Mr. Cotton told me I could eat for my breakfast lot of stun I mad swep. up on tho floor I cursed him and he hit me, knocking me down. I then stabbed him with the knife, which I had in my hand" Jones was taken to the city jail and a charge of murder placed against him.
 When seen at the Jail yesterday after noon he told story which contradicted l in many ways the one he told the police man who arrested him. He said "Cotton knocked me down and fell on me and the knife" When asked how many times Cotton fell on him and the knife he replied: 'Three or four times" r | the stabbing.
 | The body of Cotton wss earned to War ner-Smileys undertaking establishment and prepared for burial. He was un- married man about 22 years old and boarded at College station, on the East Lake car line.
 w IT. Cotton, father of the deceased, arrived in the city last night and ar ranged for the remains to be shipped to l Athens, Ala, today.
 Large Crowds Gather.
 Actuated by morbid curiosity large crowds gathered around tie piace where the killing occurred and blocked the side walk and filled the store. It required sev- eral policemen to keep them back, ana threats were heard on many sides against | the negro's life.
 At the city jail and the undertaking establishment equally as large crowds gathered, and several policemen were standing around each place in anticipa- ticn of trouble
 Policeman Patton did a good piece of work when he caught the negro. He fol- lowed the negro to his house, arriving there within few minutes after him. He pointed hIs gun at the negro and com manded him to surrender. He did so with- out troulle. The negro's house was near ly mile from the place where the killing occurred.
 uoar Miss Norrna Schoo1ar