The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-02-11

Mrs. Robertson, who keeps small store about half a mile from the place where Finley was found. The negro women, Sue Haney, whose house Is [ trifle over a hundred yards from the place. had telephoned the news to her. Later investigation established the fact that the body had first been seen by Will Davis and Tom Porter, negroes who went to her house. the nearest telephone, and told her to inform the police.
 Body Found In Hole.
 Immediately upon receiving the news. Officers Avant and Payne noti- lied the Coroner. and preceded him to the place where the body was reported to be. They found it in little hollow at one side of an infreauently used road leading west from Cleveland Ave- nue about Quart ter mile south of its intersection with Mill Street. The pocket was turned inside out. On the ground were the two receipts, the pass to the union passenger stationg and a letter written by his sister, a Mrs. Siocum, who, it was afterward ascer- tained. lived near Auburn. On the en- velope were written the following names and addresses. all in the same handwriting. which. it is supposed, was that of the dead man: "Dr. O. M. Steadham," Miss Josie L. Adkins. I.oachapoka," and Mrs. Cadies. High Street." The name of Miss Adkins ap- peared twice on the envelope.
 The body. when the officers first arr rived. was lying with the head and feet extended from a northwesterly direc- ton toward the southeast. The ground was crimson where 1t had drunk Fin ley's blood. Shortly after the arrival Of Coroner Tice, the body was removed from the spot to the undertaking es- tablbishment, where 1t was prepared for the jury.
 In short time after the arrival of the body, the news of the murder had spread through the down town streets. Many members of the Knights of Pyth- ias and of the Khorassans, visited the undertaking establishment and identi- ned the body. Word was sent to his boarding place on Bibb Street, and his friends were notified.
 4 Knight of Pythias.
 J. r. Letcher. Grand Chancellor of Central Lodge No. g. K. of F., of which Finley was a member, was notified of the death. An examination of the trunk of the dead man showed that he carried a life insurance policy of the k. of r. for $3.oo0, made cut in the name of his sister, Mrs. Fannie Slocum, who lives near Auburn. A telegram Wdo SSbt U HCt, AdSI HiSHt HSt father-in John Slocun, with whom she lives, came to the city. The body will be taken to Opelika as soon as the authorities have completed their in- vestigation, where it will be buried The Central Lodge, K. of F., will at- tend the funeral in body.
 Information in regard to the young man was i.fficult to obtain yesterday. He came originally, 1t appears, from Center vile to Montgomery some five or six years ago. He is about 25 years of age, and was unmarried. When he came to Montgomery he brought with him a transfer card from the Center vile Lodge, K. of P, and was affiliated with the Central Lodge here. When the local chapter Knights of Khoras- sans was organized two years ago, he became an active member.
 He is spoken of by his friends in the house where he lived, as being man of peaceable disposition. and to have had, so far as is known. no enemies. While not a member of any church, he was a regular attendant at the Adams Avenue Baptist Church. For several years he was employed by B. Helburn. a liquor dealer. on Commerce Street. About the first of November. 1908, he was appointed a member of the city fire department. and assigned to the North Montgomery station. Two weeks or ten days ago, he left the depart ment, and entered the employment of H. Nj. Austin and Company as a sales clerk. He was regarded by all those who testified before the Coroner's jury yesterday. as a man of good habits.
 Examined by Physician.
 When the body of Finley had been removed from the place where it was found to the Coroners establishment, a jury was empanelled and an examl- nation of the corpse was made by Dr. Kirkpatrick. The jury consisted of the following: Max Pincus, W. E. Dove, J. R. Oglesby, W. W. Chris tian. E. W. Graham and A. c. Min ter. Mir. Mlnter is an officer in the Khorassans, and fraternity brother summoned to represent the State Tn the inquiry and stenographic notes were taken of the testimony by Pat McGauley.
 When the jury convened at II o'clock the first witness called was H. M. Austin, Finleys former employer. He testified that Finley had been in his store only a week. He knew little about him personally. He had paid him Saturday night SIP as wages for the week. At the close of the day he
 
 him as far as Court Square. leaving him at that place about 6:30 o'clock That was the last he had seen of him until called upon to identify the body at the undertaking establishment. Fin ley was entirely sober when he left him.
 The most important testimony offer ed was that of Dr. Kirkpatrick. He testified there were in the nelghbor- hood of forty five cuts about the head and neck. There were no marks of violence about the body below the neck except a scratch on the hand, and a bruise ou one arm. There were six cuts about the neck. the remainder be- ing higher on the head. One cut had caused death severing the juguIar vein. the windpipe and the pneumogas- tric nerve. It was the only cut of the entire number which would necessarily have resulted in death After receiV- ing It. the victim could not have lived more than four or five minutes.
 Struck from in Front.
 The instrument with which the deed was committed had a sharp point It might have been an ordinary pocket knife. He could offer no opinion of the position of the assailant when the blows were struck beyond that they must have been struck from in front. Some of them might have been struck while the victim was standing, and the others while he was lying on the ground. This, however, was only sup position. Finley must have been fac. ing his combatant The blows could not have been struck by Finley him. self.
 It was hard blow which caused death. The weapon must have been