The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-11-29
CONFLICTING CLUES ADDS ID MYSTERY OF R|SB|N'S DEATH Found Dead In Box Car With GhaStIy Wound en
 Head
CARBOLlC ACID PLACED
 NEAR DEAD MANS HEAD
Two Men Arrested Who Were Seen With Risbin On Night Previous To Death-Officer Stokes
 Adds To Mystery.

The facts incidental to the death of Joe H. Risbin in a Southern box car on Avenue A, near Nineteenth street. yes- terday morning, together with the evil dence now at hand, point to what is believed will prove one of the blackest and most treachero homicides ever re- corded among the murderous deeds that have been committed in Jefferson county. The dead body of Risbin was found yesterday morning between and o'clock in Southern car No. 132664, which was standing in the rear of the Wimbery Thomas Hardware company's warehouse on Avenue A between Eighteenth and Nineteenth streets. by J. F. Scott of 2312 Avenue I, and George Gam of 6OS South Fifteenth street, while the two men were switching cars in the yards.
 In spite of the strong evidence point ing toward foul play, however, there is much good evidence which might pro- mote the theory of suicide The placing of small drinking glass and an empty carbolic acid bottle near the body might have been, and probably was, the scheme of murderers to thwart suspicion, but
 
 stances are considered and when a state ment of Police Officer Stokes in refer ence to talk he had with the now deceased man on the night preceding the morning the body was found is given it's due con sideration, it throws somewhat of a damper on the murder theory. There is indeed the greatest doubt on both sides and the affair is shrouded with a mys- terious tnge that has not yet been cleared away.
 Two Men Arrested.
 In connection with the mystery F. S, Carper, age about 60, and Louis Domer age 30, have been arrested on suspicion, and the small amount of evidence against them looks exceedingly ugly. The mur- dered man and both of the men arrested are all white men and of fairly good ap- pearance.
 As soon as Scott and Gam, who are switchmen, found the body of Risbin in the box car they notified Acting Coro- ner Justice w. S. Russell of the discovery and he hurried to town to investigate the matter and take the customary official action.
 Case Is Very Mysterious.
 On the face of the finding of the mans
 
 The body of Risbin was lying near the door of the box car and the door was open He was lying on his back and between the legs were a small, thin glass and an empty carbolic acid bottle The skin was not broken in any place on the body, but just above and little back of the left ear there was found a heavy bruise, and from the left ear a considerable amount of blood had oozed out. Near the left hand lay a bloody handkerchief, and in one corner of the car there stood a heavy cleaver, such as is used on railroads.
 The appearance of things, with the ex- ception of the wound on the head, points directly to a suicide, but a post mortem examination held later completely breaks down this theory. It Is the opinion of Acting Coroner Russell that the deceased met death at the hands of other men and by foul means, and that the glass and carbolic acid bottle were placed near the man merely as a hoax to thwart sus- picion. It is his opinion that Risbn was struck in the head with the railroad cleaver or some other similar instrument and although the cleaver left in the car showed no signs of blood. this is ac- counted for by the fact that the skin was not broken.
 Bloody Handkerchief Near Body.
 The bloody handkerchief found near the body is believed to have been used by the murderers to wipe the blood from the dead mans ear and thereby hide the evidence of the wound on the head but being unable to get the blood deep down in the ear they placed the handkerchief near the hand to leave the impression that the dead man had used 1t.
 On the dead mans person were found several cards and letters which were the first means of Identification, and in one of the pockets $1.35 in money was found Risbin is supposed to have had $l22 when he was discharged from the service of the Louisville x Nashville railroad on November 2l. It is known that he had considerable part of this amount on Tuesday night, and the fact that all but $1.35 was missing when the body was found yesterday points to a highway rob- bery motive.
 All the facts heretofore stated point plainly to a homicide. Yet statement of Police Officer Stokes last night would materially promote the theory of suicide.
 Officer Stokes Adds To Mystery.
 Officer Stokes states that on Wednes- day night he was standing on the corner of Morris avenue and Twentieth street when a man of Risbins description ap- preached him. He states that the man told him that he was sick and further more asked the officer to help him. Of- ficer Stokes told the man that he could not help him, but that if he would go to the Hillmap hospital he could obtain help there.
 The man then asked for instructions and MT. Stokes pointed out the direction of the Hillman hospital and started the sick man off toward the hospital. It Is stated by MT. Stokes that the man went off and got far as across the street. then turned back and again approach ing him told him that if he was refused admittance to the hospital he would be found dead the following morning. With this statement the man left the officer, and yesterday morning a man, Risbin, was found dead in the box car. Officer Stokes went to the undertaking establishment of the Cfaudin Undertak- ing company, where the body lies, last night and positively identified Risbin as the man who talked to him on Wednes- day night.
 A telephone message from the Hilnan hospital last night was to the effect thas no one was turned away from the hos pital Wednesday, night.
 These facts, with the presence of the carbolic acid bottle, are strongly indica- tive of suicide
 Does Not Uphold Suicide. But despite the evidence pointing to the suicide the post mortem examination does not uphold this theory. When the body gof the dead man was removed to Z md l. inc