The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-12-30
SAYS KILLING WAS
 IN SELF DEFENSE
HARRY MOORE ACKNOWLEDGES THAT IT WAS HE WHO SLEW WILL BEAVERS IN NORTH BlR. MlNGHAM.

The coroner's jury, which was empan- elled yesterday to investigate the circum- stances surrounding the death of Will Beavers, returned a verdict to the effect that he was killed by Harry Moore in self-defense.
 Beavers was found in the road in front of the Country club in North Birming- ham on Christmas eve night with his throat cut. Jim Marks, a miner, was ar rested and placed in the coun,y jail charg- ed with the killing and on Saturday liar " Moore came to the sheriffs office and surrendered, saying that he had killed Beavers in self-defense.
 Both of the men are still in the county jail and are being held on warrant which was sworn out before Judge Aber- nathy. They will be arraigned before the court and it Is understood that the case against them will probably be mol pressed
 At the investigation held yesterday by Coroner Paris about a dozen witnesses were examined, the most important Of whom were Minnie McBee and Annie Me- Bee, who were with the two men at the time of the killing.
 Their testimony was conclusively to the effect that Moore was assaulted by Beav- CTS and that Moore was compelled to do the killing in self-defense.
 1t has been learned that the home of Beavers was formerly in Danville, Ill, and that his relatives now live there. Undertaken E. T. Shaw Is in communlca- ton with them as to the disposition that shall be made of the body.
 ~-~-----~~-~~-@---~-----~ paper is entirely adequate. The use that these papers are put to is so very small that it does not pay for the expense of binding one set of them. to say nothing of the other three sets together with the subscription paid therefor.
 Too Many Dsbursing Heads.
 Summing up the situation, we find this state of facts, viz. Practically, five dis bursting heads or bodies of the funds of the county wit:--The board of rev enue, the coroner, the solicitor, the san itary commission and the different judges for their salaries are paid direct by the treasurer upon their own war rant.
 My opinion is that there should be but one general disbursing body for the whole of the countys finances, and this disbursing body should be made re- sponsible, at least, to the extent of keep ing the expenses of the county well within the scope of it's resources.
 'The above are the local laws to which had special reference which, in my humble judgment, needed revision and repealing. as the case may be. l may humble judgment needed revision or but this is the way I see it. l do not pretend to set my judgment up against many who are much older and wiser than I, but 1t seems to me that this state of facts should suggest that some rem edy is needed to aid in decreasing the expenses of the county
 Reference Made By Predecessor.
 "Reference to this same subject of To- cal legislation will be found in my pre- decessor's annual reports. Some, to which I now refer, are new enactments, others are the same as then.
 "The net cash balance in hand on October 1. 1903. did not represent net gain in the receipts over the previous year. at the previous years rates, s2l'- e0076 of this years receipts is the bridge tax levy, which was not collect ed last year, so you will see, if you elim- mate the bridge tax the net gain IS not