The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1909-03-03
Powell Earnest Shoots His Fa-
ther D. C. Earnest, At
JoneSboro Home
BOY TRAILED BY DOGS
WAS AT ROBINSON HOME
Says His Father Was Whipping Him
and Pounding His Head on the
FIoor-Boy Ran Long
Distance.

Another tragic murder was added to
afternoon, when Powell Earnest 16 years
of age. shot and instantly killed his faith
err D. C. Earnest, at his home in Jones'
boro. The youth ran after doing the
shooting, but was captured after FIVE
mile bloodhound chase lasting nearly
three hours, and is now confined in the
county jail
His capture was effected at the resi-
dence of J. M. Robinson, near the Besse-
mer pipe works, Robinson being the man
who shot and killed the negro Jim Brown
in the Bessemer courtroom several days
ago and who was released from the
county Jail Monday night under $1,000
bond.
There were no eye-witnesses to the trag-
edy, but the boy alleges that his father
was whipping him; that he was pounding
his head on the floor, and that he became
so mad that he shot him.
He used a Smith & Wesson 32-caliber
revolver and fired three shots into his
fathers body Death was almost instan-
neighbors who had rushed to the house
on hearing the shots reached him.
After shooting, the youth ran out of
the house and into the woods. He ran in
a zigzag course, circling round several
times, and while the distance between
his home and Robinson's house was only
about a couple of miles, he ran many
times this distance.
W. M. Doyle of Bessemer, who owns
some fine bloodhounds, took his dogs to
the Earnest home. The trail was struck
Immediately and the dogs held it without
a break until they reached the Robinson
house. Earnest was found inside and
submitted to arrest without resistance
The killing occurred shortly after 4
o'clock and his arrest was effected short
1y before 8. He appeared to be very much
worn out and was lame, having run near
ly all the way. He arrived at the Rob-
inson home only short while ahead of
the dogs.
He was turned over to Deputy Sheriff
George Jones and sent to Birmingham
and placed in the county jail. In talking
OF the killing he said that his father had
been cruel to him for some time.
The father and son were the only ones
in the house at the time of the killing.
1t appears that the father had gone up
stairs to his sons room to get the latter
to do some work about the place which
resulted in his administering a whipping
to the son.
The other members of the family, con-
sisting of the mother and several chill
dren, were Frustrated with grief over the
sad affair
Earnest ran small farm and stood
well in the community. He was regarded
as quiet man, and the news of his death
caused the most intense excitement in
the vicinity
The work of Doyle's bloodhounds was
especially good Mr.. Doyle has had the
dogs since they were small puppies and
trained them himself They are only a
year or two old and have made num-
Der of excellent runs during the past few
months. This capture is one of the first
to be made with bloodhounds in Jefferson
county In a long time, the many railroads
running through the district generally
serving as an excellent break In the trail
for fugitives.