The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-03-16
FOR MURDER OF HIS FATHER Will Christmas Taken
 Into Custody. A MULE AS A DETECTIVE ventriloquist Works on Superstition
 of a Darkey. Reported That Several Negroes Have Been Arrested for Compiieity in
 the wiping Ont of
 Family.
A MULE AS A DEFECTIVE

Dothan. March -(special) .--The telephone wires between Dothan ana Completion. Fla, are down. and tnis is the only method of communication with that place. but message tnis morning from Cottonwood. Ala, says that Walter Holland and his WiIe, Who left here yesterday in company with Pinkerton detective for Campeltfons were formally placed under arresl when the party crossed the rlorlua line. and that an additional arrest nsS been made in the person or Wtli Chxtst mas, a son of the murdered man. ~ also reported that several negro sus~ poets have been arrested.
 1 An interesting tale Is related tn Do~ than by persons who say it IS aoso- lutely authentic regarding the moous operandI of the Pinkerton detective from Atlanta, who has bsen pEosecut- ing search for the criminals. said that be began by estapHshfu4 mn self at the home of negro Wnom ns suspected of knowing sometnlns oL tns tragedy. where he posed as an escapsu murderer from Georgia, afraid to ven ture forth Into the open. This nekko brought meals secretly to tne pesuu criminal and the latter operates steaIthily with the negro's nome base. gradually acquiring useful ano m,lchly needed information regardlng inc environments. Finally. when ms researches had progressed 10 Se1'sn nofnt he decided to work on the hS gro's sense of the superstts,oaS. As shs with this end in view. he called lii eHs services of an expert ventrhoauist'
 Mule As Detective.
 Tine v@ntriioduist hid near where the negro and a mule stood. and q mofneht later to the unbounded conslel nA Asauh " of the negro, the mule inquired me identity of the murderer or mufaefeIs of inc Chrtstruases. The negro. tremp~ ling in every limb. replied tnat ne ns1 not know, whereupon he was nroHRts " given the lie by the persistent s. nsn.s. Terrified in the extreme. tne n1@Lo broke down and confessed to wnaAeNes knowledge of the crime he posse sseas
 This Incident, is said to be enAirfty true and soon thereafter arrests Wf.9 made It IS not known just what sNi- dsnes inc Atlanta detective has against Walter Holland. whom ne carried pAeh ta cannpbellton yesterday. The aienth was extremely rettcent Wnile 1ss While he did not hesitate 70 say tn@s M he had the case well in hand ana was sure of his ground SO far, or worus .o that effect, he would Of course go lnio no details nor did he say aught o1 Hsa future plans in the premises. believed here, however, rom els cumstances involved, that further aI- rests will soon follow in the camp beliton neighborhoed, possibly py 'ne
 If is said that shortly before. ms death, Judge Christmas, head or ths ,s
 nnrdered family of three, and himsen one of the victims. had made VII in which he beuueathed all oL his aarthlv possessions. which are believed to have agRregated consideraple amount. to his wife and child Just what part this fact will play m 5 ths ease. of course, remains to be seen: anu anu later developments will probably throw light on this particular feature or it' A start af Last Made.
 Thus it seems that at last start | has haau made by the authorities in tbe work of investigating the most ! horrible crime of recent years ID .his | territory. For while 1t appeared tnet nothing was to be done. and consider l ahle surprise was expressed in all guar | tera that SO terrible a murder should | sro vvithout punishment but 1t would | annaar now that tho Pinkerton man | lnev hIs business and kept down any | ostentatious display of hard work on | the case. with a distinct purpose m | view In allaying suspicion on the paft
 of the suspected persons
 1vaiter Holland. who had been in Do- l man for a short while only. has many | friends and acquaintances here who 40 nal believe he is guilty of any
 wrongful act, and who think that an
 irvestigation will establish his inno- | cence He went with the oeteettN'
 ,,itbout the slightest objection, express
 sing his entire willingness to proceed
 Io Florida without the formality of re-
 ouisition papers, asking only sufneient
 lime to go to his home and change ms
 aiatbinp It is understood that his
 wife. who accompanied him and the de-
 tective to Campbellton. is wanted mere
 ly as a witness.
 All of Dothan and Houston county
 are intensely interested in the latest | developments in the Christmas murder
 case, and further news rom SainPoeti-
 ton ia anxiously awaited. Communi-
 cation is by telephone line from Do- than to Campbellton. This is slow at
 hest. and today this itself is interrupt , ed The local management of the tele-
 nhone company is not certain 7e the wires were cut pur
 1 fere with quick com'