The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-03-29
Frazier's Condition.

TTdZIeT OOHulItOn.
 The condition of r. J. Frazier, who was shot by William West yesterday. was reported to be as good as could be ex- pected under the circumstances.
 Frazier was shot four times Three shots went in the back and the bowels were punctured eight times and his liver was also punctured. Another bullet hit his left hand. He also has fracture of the lamei1ae or wing of the spinal column
 As soon as he was brought ito the in- firmary Dr. A. H. Montgomery and Dr. Gaston Greil performed an operation.
 MT. Fraziers father and brother ar- rived this morning from their home at Mobile to be at the bedside of their son and brother.
 The double tragedy is still the talk of the city. It occurred at an 1hour of the day when hundreds were o1 the street, who witnessed it.
 West Had Friends.
 William West, who first shot J. F. Frazier and then killed himself. is spoken of in the highest terms by those who knew him intimately, and they are of the opinion the charge against him so pressed upon his mind that it made him prac- tically insane. He was on the streets all the morning and had converse tions with several friends.
 Significant Remark.
 He went into Gibson's bar early in the afternoon, accompanied by friend MT Gibson stated to a Journal reporter this morning that West was not drunk, and not even under the influence of whisky.
 He looked as if he had had no sleep" said MT Gibson and this was verified later when he told me he had not closed his eyes since Sunday. He told me that he was going to kill Frazier l begged him not to do it. that it would mean he would have to remain in jail possibly a year, and that he would have to spend all his money on the trial
 ' You don't think l am going to jail do you? Well. l am not he said to me
 At first I did not know what he meant I urged him to think of his family and children. He said that he was nerved to do it now. He asked me if I cared to drink with a man who was branded as a thief. I told him that l did not believe 1t, and that the matter would soon be cleared up.'
 After leaving Gibson's place of business, West walked up Dexter avenue and went toward Reese Martins place. Here he talked for some time with the barkeeper. Later he came back and the bartender walked with him down the street. but no mention was made by him of his trouble. He was at a barber shop on Dex- ter avenue about o'clock with his brother -in-law. He waited till his brother-in-law got shaved. In the mean time he had his shoes shined and told the boy to hurry up. The barbers say he was not drunk.
 When the Two Men Met.
 One version of what took place when the two men met is as follows:
 Frazier was with Julius Goldstein a jeweler of Mobile, from whom, it is said, he purchased the diamond, and that they were on their way to the recorders court, where MT. Goldstein was to identify the diamond.
 MT. West met them at the corner of Dexter avenue and Perry street and they both stopped. Frazier is said to have in troduced MT Goldstein and that the two men shook hands.
 'I understand you are here to identify that diamond" West is quoted as say ing, to which Mir. Gosistein replied In the affirmative.
 'I have never been branded as a thief and never will be-" is what West is quot ed as saying, and with that. it is al- legged, he pulled his weapon. Frazier, sec ing the move, turned and began to run, saying: "Will I didn't mean it," and yell ing murder
 No Investigation. Coroner Tice stated this morning that he did not think an investigation was necessary "I did not get 10 the body be- fore it was moved" MT. Tice said, but 1 arrived there shortly after the shoot ing.
 "There were many who witnessed the tragedy. among whom were large num-