The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-04-11
THE MISSING NEGRO
ONE MAN SAYS CLAYTON WAS
 BURIED ALIVE.
Sister Of Man Who AssauIted White Woman Says He Has Been In Mobile Since The Reported
 LynchinG.


 Mobile. April 10.--(Special.) l.)-Ru mors of Walter Clayton are to b' heard on the streets by the score. Al most every one has a different stor, to tell.
 A party of four men from the East | ern Shore came to Mobile last nigh looking for the missing negro. They claim to have positive information that he is, either in or around Mobile With them is a negro woman, for mer friend of Clayton, and the mer expect the woman to assist them ir the capture.
 Another Baldwin county man ap. peared at police headquarters last night and Informed the police that ht had come for the negro. who he had learned was then in custody here. This morning. still another man from the Eastern shore appeared in the city, and states that he knows posi- lively that Clayton did not escape from the mob. but was buried alive head down, by the men who took him from Sheriff Booth
 Neither the police nor the sheriff's department is inclined to treat any of these rumors seriously.
 The party of four men who came from Baldwin county late last night went immediately to police headquar- b~Ao oho SNdlSo tHc OpJCCb VA ehOtA trip. This morning they again ap- peared at headquarters and held a consultation with Chief Rondeau. Charles Hand. of the Hand Lumber Company, was leader and spok esman of the party. He said he had 1t on reliable authority that Clayton came towards Mobile. He believes that the negro is hiding either in the city or somewhere near. This belief is based n PflU ha Pa ot hat I atives live here.
 The party ask ed permission of Chief Rondeau to search the northern. DOT tion of the city for the negro. This permission was readily granted. The men believe that the negro woman they have with them will be of as- sistance in locating Clayton. in that she will be able to more easily mingle with those among whom Clayton is likely to be hiding.
 Buried Alive Story.
 The story that Clayton was not hanged but was buried alive, head down, comes from a reputable man of Baldwin county who made the state ment in cafe of the city this morn ing. He claims that he has been given positive information by q man who was a member of the party who took the negro from the officers, that this Is the fate which Clayton met. He did not know. however, where the unique burial took place.
 Both the police and the sheritf's de- partments are beginning to believe that Clayton did really make his es- cape. The opinion seems to prevail among them that if the negro had been really made away with, some one of the party would. by this time, have given some hint of where the negro's body might he found
 From Mary Scott, a negroes. residing on Wilkinson and St. Michale streets here, sister of Walter Clayton, it was learned today that Clayton has been in Mobile since the escape from the party which sought to lynch him for assault on a white woman in Bald win county last Saturday and a party from Bay Minette assisted by the To- cal officials are now securing Mobile for him.
 Clayton came here Monday and went to the home of his sister. He told her he was going to Plateua until this all blew over. These facts were learned from the Scott woman bv Dora Thornton. "a negress. under ar rest from Bay Minette and Clayton's sweetheart.
 The negFess, it. Is charged, freed Clayton of the handcuffs after his es- cape from the mob and she was ar- resfed and brought here to use in getting evidence. 1t being thought she could mingle among the negroes C1av- ton knows.