The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-08-17
Killed Without Warning.

i The two boys, according to Spence | hunted for about an hour and half be- l fore the murder was committed. When i the shooting occurred. the youthful mur- ! derer claims that his victim was sitting on | the log, by the side of which the pool of blood was found eating an apple and that he was standing over him. He de clared that he then reslized his first op- l portunitY to accomplish his foul purpose 1 and believing that unless he did so he 1 would have to suffer as he had been told, l fired the fatal shot.
 | After having salm his companion, he stated that he drag&ed the body to q l small gully close by and there partly concealed it with pinetops. He claims that he then went back home, told his mother and step-father of the deed, changed his clothes. and accompanied Me Clelan back to the scene of the crime, l whereupon the elder darky picked up the corpse and conveyed 1t to the ditch where 1t was discovered and himself arranged it as it was found.
 l The two. the boy says, then went back by their home so that McClellln could change his clothes, after which they struck out across the country to escape arrest. Fearing that he was being pur- sued too closely and not wishing 10 be further worried with him, Spence claims he was left at a darky's house in Pea 1 Ridge by his step-father and there re- malned until arrested.
 Older Negro Talks. Aus McClelland was equally as ready to talk as was Spence. but in almost every assertion he made he was in direct contradiction of the boy. The purport of his statement is that he is wholly blame less for the murder of Raynard Battle and that if he is brought to suffer for the childs death 1t will be because of Spences s lies.
 McClelland claims that the murdered boy came to his house on the Saturday afternoon that he was killed, about 1 o'clock, and asked him to go hunting with him He declined, but upon request after cautloning them to be careful with their guns. agreed to let Spence go and loaned him his gun.
 The two boys had been away an hour and a half. or two hours. he said when Spence came back home with blood all over the front of his cloth es and called his mother and him into room and told them that he had accidentally killed RaYnard Battle. All the time he was relating the manner in which it happened, he claims Spence was chang
 ing clothes and tn at just as soon as he finished his narration, lie (McClel- land) decided that being practically new citizen in that neighborhood. it would be best for him to get away from there quickly as possible, be- cause he did not think that the white people would believe him if he told tn em the truth about the matter, and went up to MT. Holmes and informed them of the accident.
 Flying From Pursuit.
 He denies that he went with Spence to where the boys body had been put, but on the contrary claims that he set out at once for Shuqulak. He said that he had not gone far from his home when overtaken by his stepson and, of course, agreed that he could accompany him.
 The two fugitives, he av0rs, pro- ceeded rapidly as possible in the direction they first assumed and with little delay reached Pea Ridge. Fear Ing that the dogs were gaining upon him and not wishing to be hampered with the boy further. McClelland says that he there left Spence and con tlnued his journey.
 Not having eyer gone to Shuqulak