Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1909-05-19

all traces of thJ dastarily crime.
Detective Funk was present al
the inquest held by Justices Park
er and TempIeton, and be there
gained much valuable info rmation
1t was shown that the back OF
Drawbond's skull and his should
ers had been penetrated with shot
from a shot gun, and thDt the
murderer was about twenty feet
from his victim when he fired
Funk had heard that the house
occupied by Rudolph Drawb bond, a
son of the murdered man, had
been broken into the day before
the murder, and double barrelled
shot gun, watch, etc., he'd been
stolen. Rudolph Drawbond's wife
is sister of Howard Bragg, and
she Suspected her brother of the
theft. Bragg's reputation in the
com munity was bad. He had been
convicted of petit larceny. These
circumstance led Funk to believe
that Bragg had murdered Draw
bond, and his suspicious were In
tensified by the fact that Bragg
was missing.
On the following evening Funk
was informed that Bragg was on
irish Creek and that he had ap-
piled for work at q saw mill, four
teen miles from Midvale. A war
rant was at once sworn out. charg'
ing Bragg with the murder OF
rawbond. Detective Fank, &C.
companied by Constable j. j.
Campbell and several others, start
ed on the journey in search OF
Bragg. The party reached George
Tyree's home about midnight and
there found Bragg in bed asleep.
When awakened by the officers, he
accepted the situation and submit
ted to arrest without resistance.
While at the Tyree home Detec-
tive Funk learned that Bragg had
sold a seventeen jewel Elgin watch
to Dave Tyree, and a Smith and
Wesson revolver TO Milton CLARK.
He also found a bunch Of keys,
among them a Norfolk and West
ern switch key. which Bragg had
given to David Tyree. Bragg gave
q pocket knife to George Tyrees
wife. All of these articles were
positively identified as having been
on the person OF Drnwbond on the
night Of the murder.
In q statement to the justices
and to the detective, Bragg at
tempted to lay the blame of the
murder on a young man named
Waiter Barley. He claimed that
he and his brother, Charles, and
BARLEY met at about 10:40 on the
night of the murder; that BARLEY
had a gun in his hand; that Bart
ley left them and that shortly
Afterwards he heard the report OF
gun that BARLEY then returned
and offered to give him the articles
which were found in his { Bragg's)
possession, provided he would
leave the country.
Mrs. Thomas +. Drawbc nd, wild
ow Of the murdered man, testified
that or the night Of the murder,
Friday, March 10th. her daughter
was at the Rouse. The boys, Wal
ter BARLEY, Elmer BARLEY and
Charles Bragg, who had played the
banjo for Drawbond, left be-
fore No. 2 was due. They wet
south and Drawbond went north.
Ste heard shot just after train
went south, The boys did not
have q gun. She identified tie
watch, knife, pistol and switch
key. but not by mum bers.
DR.. O. H. McCluug, who made
examination of RENAME, testified
that he found evidences Of Draw
bonds having been shot with a
shot gun, and had been killed be-
fore the train struck him. He
probably died Instantly.
Mrs. Mollie Hostster, daughter
OF Drawbond. Heard gun just al.
ter No. 2 went north. Charles
Bragg, Walter and Elmer BARLEY
were at the house. Heard voices
of boys going south. Drawbond
followed train into cut, and Il lit
tie after she herd report OF gun.
George Drawbond, half-brNther
of murdered man Identified the
watch and pistol. Let his brother
have the switch key. Charles
Bragg and George Drawbond
found the gun last Wednesday
MAY 12) in straw-tick at Bragg'c
house. Tom Bragg SAID gun was
at Templeton's straw-stack. Infor-
nation leading to finding of gun
was given by writing in a maya
zine which Howard Bragg had
given his brother in the jail. Tom
Bragg put the gun in the bed tick.
Adolphus Drawbond, son of
ID an, and brother-in-law
of Howard Bragg. Identified
watch. Bought gun from Patter
son. His house was broken into
and shot gun, watch, shoes, over
shoes, etc., taken. Said over
shoes fitted tracks at the cut.
Writing in magazine by Howard
Bragg gave information where art
icles were concealed, and they were
found middle Of last week
Mrs. Adolphus Drawbond, sister
of Howard Bragg. Went with