The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-03-18
w. R. VENABLE SLAIN
tC..t...sa f... Pss. o.e.l

(CsntfnssA frsn Psss one.)
 venabls call the man by nsma. bat h
 does not remember what the nnmS va
 bscause he was not tsying scisss at tention.
 The reply. to Mr. vsnsabls's qusitien
 as heard by the negroes in the stors was:
 Get back MT vsnAble or I'll shoot.
 The witnesses say Mr. venabls's rs
 ply to tbis was:
 "oh. I don't care nothin' about you
 gun" ., le
 They say the person on the staiSu
 now seemingly standing near the bot
 tom. said again: rs tts-sil1 t.g%
 '.0et back or I'll shoot" s.s5S | The next the wttnessess say the,
 heard was . single shot, seeming ths
 sound of the discharge of . pistol. and
 . moment later saw negro. small and wiry dressed in dark trousers. blue overall jacket. and wearing Q black cap. struggle through the rear door | of the store leading into tho ward holding Mr. venabie by the shoulders Lawrence says he did not see the ne- gro's face. for. 1t was turned from the | front of the store, but they distinctly l saw the two men move past the door Tn the partition and out into the. yard. where the negro threw the white man from hinf> Running out of the front door and | they saw MT. venable lying on the ground. and the negro climb over the back fence and run.
 The grocer was killed almost in- stantly by the bullet. which entered the left breast and passed diagonaliy through the chest, coming out of the right shoulder at the back. At the fa hA .~tA there Is a trail of blood leading several feet across the floor to ths back door. but from six feet inside the door to the place where the body was lying. about ffteen or eighteen feet from tho store building, there was no blood. It Is believed that the murderer, in carrying the wounded man, held him so that the flowing blood was caught by his garments. and that when the man is caught. the blood marks will show on his clothes.
 Police Sergeant Ragland and several patrolmen were quickly at the scene. as was Sheriff Hood and several depu- ties Even in the short time given him, the Sheriff had several hounds with him, and these were speedily put on the trail. Following the dogs. some of the officers mounted, and some on foot, the, trail was taken up.
 Cornerss Verdict.
 Coroner Tics arrived at the scene almost as soon as the officers. and took charge of the dead mans effects and the remains. Under his direction. the body was examined by a pifysic4an. who said death had taken place but a moment after the shot was fired.
 The people of North Montgomery. negroes as well as white people. are generally. aroused over the murdr. Ths negroes say MT. venable was the best friend they had, and their grief over nesses stayed at the scene of the kill ing and reportel to the officers as soon as they arrived, telling all they knew of the killing. :.
 MT. yenable seems to have made everyone who knew him friend; they say he cames to Montgomery from Ga, where he is survived by his mother and his brothers, Sam and Paul, seventeen. years ago. He worked for an East Montgomery gro- cer for several yearss and also was an employe of the Western Road. Thir- teen years ago, he started the store on North Court Street, between Chanier and GundaY, and has been operating it ever since. He made c nice living out of the business, and invested his savings in property in that part of town. .fu
 With the grocery business. heN also conducted bar. but with the advent Of the prohibition law, refused even to take out license to sell near beer.
 In the rooms over the store Fred Mosare and R. L. Bartlett lived with Mir. venable, but both were out of.the building at the time of the shooting Bartlett helps about the store, but Is ioIx vStnVad fhara YaRtardav he went out shortly before the shoot ing, to see about some lumber for MT. Venable. and was only short distance away when the killing took place.
 The best clue to the identity of the murderer Is that furnished by Seely Jackson. a negro woman. She says she heard the shot and ran to the door of her house, AS Chandler street. She says that as she reached the front of her house, a small negro man. rather dark, who wore black cap, blue overall jacket and dark trousers sprang into her house, knocking her out of the way in his hurry. and raced on out of the back door. making for the barrel factory. "a stones throw away. She says she saw this man dis appear in the building.
 Hounds Take TrxiI.
 From the woman's house the dogs were put On the scent, taklnR IL up ht once and running for the factory It was not believed that the negro had much chance for escape for the river is high, almost surrounding that part of the suburbs of the city, and all, chance of excape, except through the city, is cut of. save for a narrow alley near the North Court street bridge which bridge is barrfcaded owing to its foundations having been weakened by the high water.
 At the scene of the murder the ofi- cials in charge of the hunt said they did not think 1t would be long before they got the man. There were many threats of 6 lynching made, but it As believed the police can handle this phase of the case.
 It is believed the negro entered the building through the back door and sneaked up stairs intending to rob the grocer. who was known to have some money Although cash box was aft erwards found by the coroner, contain ing considerable sum and several watches, the negro, as far as has bean learned. did not take anything. Re coming frightened, 1t Is thought bv the sound of voices down stairs be tried to make his escape when he was heard by Mir. Venabie.
 Murderer stin Uncauwht.
 Up to an early hour this fmornip~ the man who killed venabIe was st,u