The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-04-18

autopsy was held The bullet was found under the right arm. The operation was performed by pr. W. P. McAdory and was witnessed by Drs. D. F. Talley, John Davis, Sellars, l. J. Jones, T. M. Barnett and Capt. Frank P. O'Brien.
 Investigations into the cause of the tragedy are being made, and it is prob able some interesting facts will be brought out at the preliminary hearing if there is one held, and if not before the grand jury. There is something back of the trouble, and 1t is stated that Lathem was heard to say to Wise and Havis: 'If have done wrong, you may be sure that I will do the right thing" No one will make an official statement as to the cause of the trouble, but there are number of rumors, some of which con- meet a lady's name with the deed, and still another that 1t was over gambling debt. Friends of Lathem state that he never gambled
 The defense will plead self defense. Under Lathems body in the bar was found a loaded pistol, but none of the shells had been fired. It was not in his hand. The pistol with which the shooting was done was taken by the police at the Florence barroom after the shooting It it stated that Havis handed 1t across the bar just before the officers came after him. Three cartridges had been exploded. As the policemen came in Havis said: Its all up, boys. They have got me. did it." He has never denied the crime, but claims sef-defense, and his attor- neys state that they will be able to prove that at the trial.
 Havis' Position a Mystery.
 Exactly what Is Havis' standing in the case is the mystery, and 1t is on this that the work is being done It is claimed by friends of Lathem that Havis was in no way connected with or interested in the woman whose name is mentioned in con- nection with the cause.
 After being arrested Havis stated that If he made a statement he would impli- cate others, and that he did not wish to do so.
 On Lathem's head there are several bruises which were made by the blows from the slingshot, which 1t is claimed Wise was using. There are two blue places over each eye and one on the back of the head.
 Three statements were secured yester- day from persons at the hotel relative to the affair. The first of these was from the elevator boy and was as follows:
 Elevator Boys Statement.
 ''Wise told Havis to go upstairs and get Lathem. We went up together and we knocked on the door where Mir Lathem was and told him to come out and that he wanted to see him. MT. Lathem didn't say anything and didn't open the door. Havis then came back to the eleva tor and I carried him back to the lobby He went to the older man and talked a few minutes. Wise then told me to go back up and tell MT. Lathem to come down, as some men wanted to see him on the first floor. I went back up and knocked on the door of MT. Lathems room and told him that somebody wanted to see him down stairs. Without saying any, thing to me I carried him down, and when we got to the bottom and I opened the elevator door the two men met him. They took MT. Lathem towards the door of the lobby next to Nineteenth street. As they left me the older man slipped 15 cents in my hand and I thanked him.
 They stood and talked about ten feet inside the door for nearly an hour. and l saw them at times when I came down between trips. About quarter to Il o'clock when I came down the last time before the man was killed I saw Havis pull a pistol out of his pocket and he started to shooting and fired three shots. When Havis pulled his gun out MT. Latin em reached back for his but he was too late and staggered back with his pistol in his hand when the other man was shoot ing at him. MT. Lathem didn't have time to shoot. Mir. Lathem staggered back behind the corner and I didn't see any more of him. A big crowd rushed in about that time but I never left the elevator"
 cIifford's Statement.
 The statement of J. A. Clifford. who was in the private office, was as follows:
 'I was at work when I noticed the three men talking near the window of the of- flee. Their talk became very noisy and several oaths were used. It became so bad that I was compelled to call them down and request that they subside. Lathem turned to me and apologized for the loud talking and it subsided. In 2 few minutes. however, there was a sound of scuffing and I looked out of my win dow. saw Lathem down with Wise holding him in that position with Havis