The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-02-26
ALL YET A MYSTERY.
No Clue to the Murderer of the Christ.
 mas Family.

I l mas Family.
 Dothan. Feb. 26.--tSpecial. )--Persons
 coming to Dothan from Cottonwood
 near which place was committed sever.
 al days ago the terrible Christmas mur, der. in which three defenceless persons
 were ruthlessly slain while sleeping
 say that there has not yet come te light anything which would serve te
 throw the slightest light on the crime
 If the perpetrators are known to the
 authorities, the latter are keeping quiet I for some reason best known to them | selves, and no hint has yet been given
 out as to the identity of the criminal
 or criminals. As has heen previously told in The Advertiser, several arrests
 have been made. mostly among the ne
 groes, but in every Instance the sus-
 poets have been released for want of
 sufficient evidence to hold. It was re- ported at one time that Will Christmas.
 son Of the murdered man, had been
 taken into custody on suspicion of be- ing implicated in the crime if he was
 not actually the murderer; but this
 rumor. which proved not to have had the slightest foundation, received an early denial. A Dothan man who re- gently returned from the scene of the murder says that there Is in the air an intense degree Of expectancy of some thing star ing in the way of develop ments whien is yet to come. and he be- lieves, from the impression he received while there, that the denouement will be a surprise and a shock when it does arrive. Meantime the fouiest crime which has besmirched the history of this entire section goes unavenged, and people are wondering if 1t Is possible that SO atrocious a murder can go un- punished.
 Messrs. A. ]. Galloway anG !. s. Han xrfaf ffFTaa nf fa.f f,ssk v.s1k serious runaway acident an afternoon or two ago. Near Ashford, in the lower part of the county, the buggy in which they were riding was run into by runaway team from behind, and the two gentlemen were violently pre- cipitated from their vehicle to the ground Mir. Galloway escaped with a few slight bruises and scratches, but his companion was not so fortunate. and for several hours was rendered un- conscious. He Is better now. and 1t Is not apprehended that any serious re- suits will follow the accident
 The entertainment given at the home of Mrs 0. M. Hifl for the benefit of the pipe organ fund of the Foster Street Methodist Church was well at tended, and those present found them selves the guests of one of the most en- joyable occasions in pne history of Dothan's social existence. From a fi~ nancial standpoint the entertainment was successful. also and quite a neat little sum was realized to aid in paying for the big pipe organ In the church
 The members of the Junior Epworth League enjoyed greatly the entertain ment rendered in their hcnor by Misses Gertrude and Fannie Venable at the home of Dr. and Mrs. D. D. Stephens The house had been tastefully decorat- ed ana refreshments served 70 aid ln willing the time away.
 There is general satisfaction here at the action of the Democratic Executive of the Third Congressional District in calling the Congressional primary for April 21. The few sup porters here of Harry Martin of Ozark. who is oposing Hon. Henry D. Clay ton of Eufaula for renominatlon, pre-. ferred a later date, but the consensus of opinion seems to agree with the Judgment of the Executive Comittee. The Democratic Executive Committee of Houston county will meet next Sat urady to name a time for holding the primary In this county, and it is very probable that the date named will be April 21. So far as the Congressional race Is concerned locally. there can be no doubt as to the result In Houston which will so overwhelmingly for Mir. Clayton.