The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-01-09
YOUNG BOY KILLS
 HIS STEPFATHER Parent Was Beating the Boys
 Mother HELD TO BE BLAMELESS Will Holden Is Captain and c. L. Done hue Is Manager of New Basket ball Team Organization
 at Annston.

Anniston, January S.-(special )-Dave Christopher, who formerly lived in this city, was killed early Thursday at Burns cross roads, near Bynum, and Claude Presley. a n-year-old stepson of Christo- pher, fired the fatal shot
 According to the facts furnished Coro- ner Murphy, who went out to investigate the killing, Christopher was found by the boy on his return from a rabbit hunt engaged in cruelty beating Mrs Christo- pher with a piece of stove wood, where upon the boy raised his gun, took delib- crate aim, and fired load of shot point blank into Christophers heart, killing him instantly.
 The coroner held the boy blameless for the killing of his stepfather. The evil dence furnished by the people of the com- munity and by the abused woman was regarded as ample proof that the conduct of Christopher toward his wife and her children, by former husband, Sam Pres ley, who was killed by gas in well sev- eral years ago, was such as to justify the boy in staying him on the spot.
 On Tuesday, January 19 the celebration of Gen. Robert E. Lees birthday anni- versary will take place at the courthouse, and an elaborate programme has been arranged.
 The committee on entertainment is as follows: Mesdames Henry McCarty, Will liam kilby, J. H. Snodgrass and Miss Nan Kelly. The committee on refresh ments consists of Mesdames l.. F. Ander- son. H. H. Montgomery, L. H. McKib- bon, J. J. Arnold and Columbus Smith.
 ic afaip al nd I. O. hue is manager of a basketball team which was organized at the gymnasium last night with the following members; E. M. Whiteside, Will Holden, Tap Klein, Frank Butenshon, Arthur Slattery, Charley Kohl and Howell Rivers. The team will play a team from the Synodical college on January 14, pending which 1t will practice regularly. This will be the first year that basketball has been made popular in Anniston.
 The monthly meeting of w. H. Forney chapter, U. D. C., was held with the pres ident, Mrs. o. M. Reynolds, at p. m. Thursday. Mrs Henry McCarty, the leader, had arranged a programme of unusual interest. The members were asked to give some incident or data from the records of their ancestors who had enlisted during the Civil war, and a large number responded.
 Mrs. Reynolds read from the diary of her father, Col. Randolph Smith, who was in the siege of Vicksburg and suffered the hardships of that Hateful period Mrs. G. q. Anderson and Mrs. Anslem Sterne gave thrilling accounts of their husbands ex- pereinces Among others who gave memorable accounts was Mrs. William Kilby, whose ancestors are from South Carolina
 Miss Florine Smyth sang carolina with much feeling. A feature was the recitation of an original poem on Je1- ferson Davis by Mrs. Mitchell who is prominently connected with the genera! divisions of the U. D. c. Mrs. Reynolds served refreshments during the afternoon.
 The Free Kindergarten executive board will meet with Miss Emily Tyler at Il a. m. Monday. The board consists of Mrs T. l.. Robinson, Mrs. A. l.. Ty- Ter. Mrs. J. c. Sproull, Mrs. E. w. Led better, Mrs. Leon Ullman, Mrs Paul Murphy, Mrs. John B. Knox, MISS lyier and Miss Brewer.
 W. B. Merrill of Heflin says that the report that the night riders had broken loose in the free state of Cleburne, does the people of that section an injustice. He says that the gin which was burned in the Oak Level neighborhood and which was credited to the night riders was f1red in some manner by band of serenaders during Christmas week. He says the story of the burning had been exaggerated. Inst who burned the gin, though, mas not been ascertained. He says that Ben son was not whipped as the frst report had it.