The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-08-11
thing would ever have occurred again

.hins would ever have occurred again
 T have withheld this report until af- | ter camp, in order that the righteous in. | dignation of the soldiers. caused by the
 unfounded report of this negro, Holmes | might not find vent. and in order tc | prevent violence to the false accuser Of 1 the soldiers of our command"
 In his report Colonel Bricken calls | attention to the careful examination he and Special Policeman W. F. Payne of the Montgomery force. made of all features of the case. Large discrep-
 ancies were noted in the accounts of 1 the robbery and mischief committed in Holmes store during the encamp-
 ment. These he made to the Cover nor. the city officers and Colonel Bricken. They differ. according to Colonel Bricken. very materially in the statements of the articles and cash stolen.
 For instance. to the Governor Holmes reported that a sergeant and two privates strode into his store at an early morniug hour and robbed him of the following: Cash from safe. s90: cash from register. $6; three quart bottles of whiskey; three pints of whis- key; six one-half pints bottles of whis- key; two boxes of cigars; seven beer glasses and one dice-cup.
 In making this cia;m on the State of Alabama through the Governor. Holmes appears to nave forgotten a memorandum of his losses given by him to the police of Montgomery. Ac- cording to Colonel Brickens report, which says he has the memorandum, Holmes soon after the alleged rob- bery. reported to the police that he had only lost one quart of whiskey, two or three half-pints of whiskey and $2 or s3 in cash. And when he was examined some time later by Colonel Bricken and Officer Payne in their per sonal investigation he is said to have summed up his losses as follows: One pint bottle and a half-pint bottle of whiskey. a few cigars. sack of flour not being known, but not exceeding $3.
 Colonel Bricken and Oficer Payne say that they made a minute exami- nation of the safe which Holmes said was broken into by the soldiers. No sign of violence was discovered and they are of the opinion that the safe was never opened by any soldiers or by anybody using force.
 Against the claims of Holmes, the report to the Governor shows that at midnight of the robbery the squad of soldiers, thought to have visited Holmes place, spent about three hours playing pool across the street in a saloon of Clanton Abercrombie. a white citizen. Ware Hampton. a negro em- ploye of Mir. Abercrombie, testified that the soldiers played pool in the bar until nearly 4 o'clock in the morn ing and took a few drinks at inter- vals for winch the house was paid.
 After finishing their games. the sol diers were seen to visit Holmes place. According to the report. Alfred Bas- kin. a negro in the employ of Holmes, had said the men left his establish ment about 4 o'clock after doing their mischief. Colonel Bricken holds that this would be impossible on the strength of the testimony of a relia- ble white citizen of the neighborhood who says that about o'clock in the morning the soldiers appeared at bis house and wanted to buy some chick ems to carry to camp. This witt ness is J. L. Kitchens who lives on