The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-03-11
EDMONDSON
 MAY BE ALIVE Mysterious Stranger on
 an Island. BOB CLEMENS IS HOPEFUL Crime at Woodland Mills May Be
 Cleared. strange Story Brought to Decatur by Tennessee River Boatmen and Omcers VIII Investigate
 the Report.
 

l. Decatur, March tlo.-{SpeciaL)- | With Bob Clements held in the count,
 prison here, and lifetime sentencs
 hanging over his head, for the mur' der of the Edmondson family. the
 question of Edmondson's death again arises. r, If Tom Edmondson Is alive, he |. guilty of the foulsst of all Morgan
 county crimes. and Bob9Clements who
 has; been tried and convicted of the
 murders is an innocent man, made to
 undergo a most humiliating and try ing ordeal. because of the circum-
 stances which linked him with the tragedy.
 Ever since the murder of the Ed
 mondsons and the cremation of the
 bodies in the fire which destroyed their residence and barn. at Woodland Mills many people have been of the opinion
 that Tom Edmondson did 1t himself and then made good his escape. This
 was the verdict rendered by the cor oner's jury that investigated the case and this was the opinion of Circuit Solicitor D. c. Almon and many oth- CTS at the time the crime was com mitted and this Is still the opinion of many people.
 In the trial of Bob Clements several days ago. the plea was set up. that 1t had never been shown that Edmond son had perished with the rest of the family. ani that he was not still at large. while an innocent man was be- Ing tried for his life.
 4 Mysterleus Man.
 On lonely island in the Tennessee river several miles below Decatur. there lives a strange and mysterious white man with a negro family. ac- cordins to stories which have heen brought here by Tennessee river boat men. Decatur officers tonight are planning trip to the little island for the purpose of Investigating the mys- terious inhabitant.
 When this man arrived on the river and from whence he came. are ques- tfons which are of mysterious na- ture. So far. no one here has been able to receive an answer as to the wanderings of the man. The white man himself is deaf to all questions concerning himself and has never told any one his name.
 As far as can be learned 1t is be- lieved that he came to the island on a skiff. It is, said that he does not ap- pear to be crazy. but Is strange and mysterious in his actions. so much so that the white people would have nothing to do with him and the ne- gro family. out of sympathy for him, took him in and gave him shelter when all others had denied him the shelter of their homes. The, man 1t is shid. has a growth of several weeks beard on his face.
 By some this strange man is thought to be Tom Edmondson, who was sup posed to have been murdered and his body cremated with the other mem- bers Of the family at Woodland Mills on the night of November 25, 1908 Those who have seen this strange man upon the island and have read the de- seriptfons of Tom Edpondson. say that the description of the two men are one and the same.
 According to witnesses who testified h the trial of Bob Clements A few lays ago. Tom -Edmondson was a sim le-mfnded man. but a good farmer md able to look after all matters to his farm
 Clements fs Hopeful. Bob Clements. who lies in the coun- Y jail here awaiting the action of he Supreme Court on his case. and | who stoutly maintains that he is | suiltless of all connection with the | murder of the Edmonisons is buoyed | ID with hope tonight by the. news rom his lawyers that there is a pos ible chance to prove that Edhondson Id not perish in the flames which de- troyed the house.
 50 far as Edniondson Is concerned 10 trace was ever found of him in the ufns. It has never been satisfae. orily proven whether he was dead or ! live. In the ruins of his home the harred remains of Edmondson's little irl and little boy were found and tbe artial remains of two other bodies 'hfch could not be identified. were al. 0 unearthed
 The family consisted >of' Tom Ed. londson. his wife. his mother and wo children. six in all and as the re- lains Of but five were accounted for the ruins. one member of the Ed ounted for.
 The attorneys for Clements tonight ave great hope that the missing mem or of the Edmondson family will he In the person of the mvs- 'rious man of the Tennessee river.