The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-05-23
Fox Owens Of Pike
Foully Murdered,
NEGROES ARE UNDER ARREST
Prominent Young Alabama Man
Is Killed.
Foreman of Road Work Shot by
Unknown Persons While Sitting
In Store Talking to
Friend.

Troy. May Especial Fox Owens.
son of Milton ]. Owens Of Josie beat,
and nephew of Judge A. H. Owens of
this city, was foully murdered last
night about IL o'clock at Babe Powelrs
store, about six miles from Troy. on
the Orion Road. His death Is believed
to have been due to abconspiracy among
negroes.
Mr.. owens WAS in charge of the Orion
road squad and had just completed the
road from Troy to the Montgomery
County line. He and his wife were
boarding with Mr.. Powell, where he
was making headquarters. He was in
Powells store at the time of the muir
der, having settlement with Mr.. Pow
ell preparatory to moving his squad
the next morning to another road. He
was leaning on the counter talking to
Mr.. Powell. who was behind the coun-
ter, and was just in the act of taking
his seat on the counter when some un-
known person just outside of the door
shot him with gun, loaded with squir-
rel shot. the load taking effect in tho
left side near the spine, the whole load
entering his body in a space that could
be covered with the hand.
Mr.. owens cried to Mr.. Powell that
he was dying and asked that his wife
be sent for. She was just across the
road from the store and arrived almost
Immediately, but he lived only few
seconds after she reached his side, and
was not able to speak to her.
Negroes Threatened Owens.
A negro, Ephraim Brown, who re-
sides on the Siler place, near whore
the shooting occurred. Is suspected of
having committed the murder, but a
conspiracy is also thought to have ex-
listed among a number of the negroes
in the community. Mr. Owens had a
difficuIty with the Brown negro a few
weeks ago and Brown was severely
whipped by Mr.. Owens. He had been
heard on several occasions to make
threats against Mr.. Owens since the
time of the difficulty. and other me-
groes had also been heard to make
threatening remarks.
Sheriff Cisna Carroll was telephoaec
last night directly after the killing and
was on the ground with posse in a
very short time. They arrested Eph-
RAIN Brown soon after their arrival
He was at his house in bed.
As soon as day broke, the posse
traced bare foot tra~K from the store
to the house of Brown and the track
fitted Browns foot exactly. Since then
eight more negroes have been arrested
in the same community, charged with
having entered into q conspiracy with
Brown to murder Mr.. Owens. A num-
Der of fresh tracks were found in an
oat patch near the store, where dozen
or more negroes had evidently been
standing at the time of the shooting,
and 1t is thought were ready to finish
the work IL Brown failed to accom-
plish his purpose.
The names of the negroes arrested
since Brown was locked up are: Early
Smith, Mike Smith. Jim Kimble. Shut
Johnson, Lee McGrady, Did Kimble.
Little Lawson and Van Allen.
Several more ARE SITS will likely be
made tomorrow morning. and the off,
GERS are leaving nothing undone that
will aid them in ferreting out the per-
petrators of the crime.
None of the road hands worked by
Mr.. Owens is suspected of being impli
Gated in the killing.
Mr.. owens will be buried tomorrow
morning at Shiloh Church, In this
county, about sixteen miles east of this
city.