The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-09-16
JURY WILL PROBE
 THE WISE KILLING Preliminary Investigation Was Held Yesterday Morning GOES TO THE GRAND JURY The Mother of the Dead Man Tells the Coroner How She Saw Her
 Favorite Son Meet His
 Death.
GOES TO THE GRAND JURY

The result of the investigation of the death of Joseph Wise, who was killed by deputy sheriffs of Jefferson county at his home. near New Merkle Friday morning ] at Il o'clock. held at the undertaking parlors of Lige Loy yesterday morning at 10 o'clock, was that the witnesses were 1 ordered to appear before the grand jury | Tuesday morning at 10 o'clock and repeat the testimony they gave yesterday before Acting Coroner w. & Russell. Though Justice of the Peace Russell decided that coroner's inquest was unnecessary, he thought the facts presented by the wit nesses of sufficient weight to warrant more thorough investigation of the shooting
 Laid to Rest
 The body of Wise which had been held 1 at Loys awaiting the outcome of the investigation, was buried on the plot of ground he had called home since his birth, and to preserve the title of which i he had lost his life. The funeral ser vices were simple, but impressive. More than 400 of his friends and neghbors 1 were present, when the coffin was low | l day afternoon
 When Justice Russell began the inves- tigation of the death of Mir. Wise who 1t Is claimed by his relatives and friends. was murdered in cold blood by the off l eers, the chapel was crowded with friends and relatives of the dead man and with ! friends and representatives of the dep uties, who claim to have shot Wise to prevent being brained with an axe in his hands. It was rumored that the off cers would arrest George and Henry Wise, who escaped them at the time of | the tragedy, and some trouble was ap- | prehended. The two brothers, who with C. w. Wise arrested at the time of the shooting, and was released Saturday morning on bond. were present. but no i attempt on the part of the representa- tives of the sherins office was made to take them into custody.
 Mother Testlfles.
 Interest was intense at every point of the investigation, but especially so when Mrs. Wise, mother of the dead man, trembling from the terrible strain under ] which she had been laborng for the past three days told how her favorite son had been shot before her eyes while he was endeavoring to protect his home, as he understood the matter Mrs Wise re- lated her account of the killing most graphically, as did the three brothers of the dead man. who were within few feet of him when he was killed. Only one of the party who was representing the 1 deputies spoke of the affray, Deputy Hell ton, who arrested C. w. Wise when Dep uties Curl, Cowan and Byers the latter being an agent of the Tennessee Coal Iron and Railroad company, were engag- ed with Joseph Wise.
 Following the advice of their lawyers the Wise family it is said, will soon ln- stitute proceedings against the Tennes- see Coal, Iron and Railroad company in the city court. It>is claimed by them that the plot of land upon which their home stands, and which Is claimed by the corporation, was deeded to Ephraim Wise, the former head of the family, more than thirty years ago. Mrs. Wise stated yesterday that she had lived there 3l 1 years. The case was decided in favor of the corporation In January. As no repre- sentatlves of the family were present at the hearing, 1t went by default
 The officers claim that Joseph Wise was advancing upon them with an up raised axe when he was shot They had been on the premises some time serving u warrant of dispossesslon when the three boys came home to dinner. The story of the affair as told by representatives of either side differs greatly. The Wise family allege that Joseph was murdered when attempting to protect the family property. while the dputies state that they were acting In self-defense and were only carrying out their duty.