The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-11-26

Greensboro, Nov. 25.-sherif Gewin has captured three negroes who are accused of the murder of former sher- if c. W. Drake. near Laneville. Hale County. last night, and has them in jail here.
 One of the captured negroes. Char lie Taylor, confessed and implicated the other two. He says. that he held the light while the other two negroes kified Mir Drake by Wnocking him in the head with an axe. and they then saturated his clothing and bed cloth ing with oil and set ire to them.
 After the murder the men broke into Drake's store and tried to get into the safe. They got only s7.
 Steps have been taken to call spe- cial term of court to try the negroes, because feeling is running very high. It is not believed there will be any violence tonight. The town is quiet at 10 o'clock.
 A gloom was thrown over Greens boro by the news received today of one of the most horrible crimes ever committed in Hals county--ths mur- der of Mi. Drake last night at his home in Laneville.
 Sheriff Gewin was summoned by a message and left at once for the scene.
 It seems some negroes were having a quilting party nearby. Between Il and 12 o'clock the alarm of ire was given by a negro named Charlie Tay- Tor, whom Mfr. Drake had recently taken out of jail, and who. after giving the alarm, disappeared.
 The store was in flames and after the fire was extinguished. it was found that the cash drawer had been emptied and attempt made to open the safe, which, however. proved fuiltless.
 MT. Drake's home, only a few steps from the store, was visited. and there he was found on his bed in a pool of blood. having received a fatal blow behind his left ear, dealt with an axe. The axe was found lying near. The fend had poured kerosene oil on the bed and around the room and set fire to it before giving the alarm.
 Mir. Drake's body was not badly burned, as the flames nad not ndo LAino to do the work that had been planned to cover up the villin's tracks.
 MT. Drake was for some years resi- den. of Greensboro, filling the sheriff's ofice from 1892 to 1896. He. was very popular and was one of the best known citizens of Hale County. It has been said of Mir. Drake that he did not have an enemy in Hale County. He was a man of education and of un- usual information on all subjects. He was socially well-connected, having married Miss Hattie Osborn of this place, who preceded him to the grave twenty years ago. Deceased was about 65 years of age.
 He leaves two daughters. Mrs. John Jackson of Greensboro, and Miss Ethel Drake, who is visiting relatives in and Osborn Drake, who are engaged in business at Faunsdale, one in the bank and the other with a mercantile company.
 The remains will be brought to Greensboro tomorrow for interment, and services conducted at St. PauPs Episcopal Church. of which he was a
 The negro, Charlie Taylor. was caught this afternoon on Madison Tones' black sand plantation, twelve miles from here.
 The negroes brought here tonight are Charlie Taylor Ed Allen and Shed Williams. Taylor confessed and impli- cated three other negroes. One of the three is still at large Everything is nerfectly quiet here. The negroes are in the county jail.