The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-02-06
TWO BODIES FOUND
 STIFF IN DEATH Mystery Surrounds Death ot
 the Friends ONE MANS THROAT IS CUT Body of the Other Found Near En- trance to Country club-5oth Men Were Carpenters Living on
 Red Mountain.
ONE MANS THROAT IS CUT

R. w Bearden and Charlie Slimp, both carpenters who live at Helenbess on the other side of Red mountain, were found dead yesterday morning on the road lead ing toward their home. They were friends and had been to the city together satur- day afternoon.
 The bodies of the two men were within half mile of each other. Bearden met his death by violence, while seemingly Slimp died from alcoholism and exposure to the rain and cold weather of Saturday night.
 The circumstances of the deaths are very peculiar in that both of them should die on the way home after having been to the city together and having been good friends for long time. They also live within a short distance of each other, and both are well known on the other side of the mountain.
 | About 730 o'clock yesterday morning a negro named John Smith found the stiff | body of Bearden near the commissary | at Helenbess. From all appearances he had been dead for hours, as his body was cold. He was lying in puddle of water, | and an empty parlor rife was lying un- | ed and it Is supposed that he was att tempting to defend himself with it.
 Two cuts In Throat. Bearden had two cuts in his throat, evidently made by knife or razor. One of them was about an inch long and two Inches deep, while the other extended l from the top of his ear, which was com pletely severed, to the center of his throat 1 Ia n1af RIaA md fs al inches long and from two to three inches deep. The jugular vein, one of the large arteries in the neck and the windpipe were all severed by the blade of the in- l strument
 The body was brought to Birmingham and carried to Shaw & Sons undertaking establishment by orders of Coroner Paris, who is making an investigation. City Physician Whelan made a post mortem and declared that death must have been | instantaneous.
 | Owing to the rain and the wet ground of Saturday night, there was very little | blood found where Bearden's body was discovered, but 1t was evident that a great deal had been washed Into the ground There were some evidences of a struggle In the gravel about the place. He was lying within few feet of the | Birmingham Mineral railroad tracks. The l DOuS WILL pc iaken nome lHlS morning ana will be inferred this afternoon. He leaves a wife and six children.
 Bearden was seen in the city about 5 o'clock Saturday afternoon. He was then with Slimp and the two had been drink | ing. It Is supposed that they started | home and Bearden was attacked by ne- groes and killed. Coroner Paris will con tinue his investigation today.
 Found Near Country Club.
 Simp's body was found on Highland avenue near the Country club entrance about o'clock yesterday morning by Motorman Taylor, on the Lake View car line. He was lying near the tracks and the body was still warm and the limbs had not stiffened when discovered. He Lad evidently been dead only a few min utes when found.
 The body was carried to the undertak- ing establishment of Lige Loy yesterday morning and City Physician Whelan held a post mortem examination at the in- stance of Coroner Paris. No signs of violence were visible on the body except small place on the face where the skin was bruised, evidently by a fall. It Is supposed that he fell on his face and was not able to get up again and fell asleep on the ground, dying from the exposure
 both sides having contested every inch
 
 cision that the deceased came to his death by exposure and alcoholism. The body will be taken to his former home this afternoon and the interment will take place today. The deceased leaves a wife and one child.
 Coroner Paris expects the furt her in- vestigation of the death of the two men to show some interesting and sensation al facts. He does not believe and the evidence does not tend to show, that the two men had a fight or that either of them was in any way responsible for the death of the other.
 The coroner expects to ascertain when the two men parted company. and how they arrived at Lake View, near where slimps body was found. It Is supposed that they started home and rode as far as Lake View on the street car. The peple living over the mountain are ac- customed to ride that far on the car and then to take a short cut over the noun tain to their homes.
 From the indications Bearden must have left Smp somewhere near the place when the latters body was found. and proceeded across the mountain by this short cut
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