The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-01-29
MYSTERY IS
 CLEARING UP Police Believe H. D. (. Roy IS Drowned. NEGROES TELL THEIR STORIES Men Who Last Saw Missing
 Farmer Are Held. Parties Drag River for Body and Use Dynamite--Launch Makes
 Trip Looking for

The mystery in the disappearance of H. b. c. Roy, the farmer who attempt- ed to take his team of horses ana wagon across the Coosa Street ferry Saturday night. Is believed by the po- lice 10 have been solved.
 Investigation yesterday deveiopeo several facts which now lead to the conviction that the man was drowned while returning from the ferry after his second unsuccessful effort to cross the stream shortly after midnight. The fact that the boat in which he rowed to the ferrybcat Is missing and that the man was known to have been drinking, incline the police to the the- ury that he fell overheard and was swept away by the current.
 Nevertheless. the police department is holding two negroes, Joe Bradford and David Armstrong, until more ir- formation can be obtained with the possibility in view that later develop ments may change the present aspect of affairs.
 The negroes told a plausible story yesterday of their commerce with MT. Roy. but will be Kept in custody until positive explanation of the missing mans disapearnnce csn be made.
 Chief of Police Taylor said last night he thought MT. Roy's body was in the river. but he declined to express q DOHitlNe theory aS tHc Caub0 Vh Hto death. He has detailed five special men to the case.
 Tho river near the ferry landing was dragged yesterday without result, and the use of dynamite was equally fruit less of result. Mir Roy's brother has offered reward of s25 for the recov. cry of the body.
 Stories Differ in Detail.
 Bradford and Armstrong were ar. rested yesterday morning. When ex- amined last night their stories differed in one imI ortant detail Armstrong said he accompanied Bradford and MT. Roy after leaving Booths store as far as Commerce Street as the entrance to the unuerpath leading to the river Bradford said Armstrong was not with them after they left Booths saloon
 Bradford and Armstrong were closes ly examined last night by Chief Of Po- lice Taylor Police Captain Miles Smith and a. friend of MT. Roy.
 Armstrong, who was first questioned, said he did not know Bradfcfd by name. Saturday night about 12 o'clock Mir. Booth, in whose saloon he was. asked him to accompany Roy to the river and assist him in getting his team off the ferry boat He accompanied Mir Roy 1 and the man called Bradford as far as the entrance Of the subway and then turned back. He said he knew nothing | more about either man.
 Bradford stated he was offered by l Roy all the whiskey he wanted K he would assist him in getting his team ] He said when they left Booths saloon. Armstrong came with them, but turned south on Commerce Street and did not accompany them. When they got to the waters edge they embarked in e small boat which Roy propelled with a shovel or a spade as paddle. When they reached the ferry boat in mid stream they stepped aboard. Roy had handled the boat with case and though he had been drinking was in full pos- session of his faculties
 Saw Hlm Leave Boat.
 They attempted to move the ferry $boat but could not, and after several minute toll Roy said he would go asnore for assistance. Bradford climb ed into the wagon as Roy embarked in the boat and saw Mir. Roy leave the ferry boat. Bradford then lay down fin the wagon, he said, and did not see Roy after he had gone few feet from the boat. Bradford said that he himself was drunk.
 It was after sunrise Sunday morn ing. Bradford said. before the ferry boat was brought to the Montgomery side by the ferryman. A white man present, ne sald, Oruered hlm 10 get out of the wagon and go home because he was drunk. He denied that he said he was afraid to be a witness in that case" He went home and stayed there until he was arrested He repeated that he knew nothing of Mir. Rove fate after MT. Roy left the ferry boat.
 From other sources than the two ne- groes, little evidence not known Sunday night was obtained yesterday MT. Roy Ts said to have conie to Isooth's saloon about 9 o'clock Saturday night His clothes had then been wetted and he said that he had been in the river. Until nearly midnight, 1t is said. he searched for ferryman. His team was then on the ferryboat in midstream.
 Yesterday the river near the ferry landing was dredged with hooks. but no trace of the body was found. Chief of Police Taylor and Police oficer H. c. 'Evans used several charges of dy- namite yesterday afternoon for the pur- pose of making the body rise to the surface, but without avail. A party went down stream in a launch to search for the body or the boat in