The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-07-21
DIAL ARRESTED IN THE COLEMAN
 POISONING CASE Young Drug Clerk Charged With COmplicity in
 Crime
PRISONER STOUTLY
 DENIES THE CHARGE
Is Prescription Clerk at Endsley Drug Store-Placed in County Jail
 After Stiff Legal Fight ~ Is Made

John W. Dial, a druggist, was arrested last night about dark by Deputies Steele and Hartsfeld and lodged in the county jail. charged with the murder of Guy R. Coleman and Steve H. Strickland by pois- oning. Dial was arrested on a warrant sworn out by Coroner B. L. Brasher and issued before Judge l. H. Benners several days ago.
 The deputies found their man at the home of his brother-in-law, ". H. Duran. at 3S03 Fourth avenue south about ' o'clock. He was taken from there to the office of Sheriff w. K. McAdory. MT. Duran, his brother-in-law. accompanied him. Immediately after the deputies left with their prisoner Mrs. Duran, the sis ter of Dial, called up Attorney Arthur L. Brown at his home and told him to meet the party at the sheriffs office.
 After a long talk with the deputies and Chief Deputy Sheriff Walter Met calf, during which the prisoner emphatic ally denied any knowledge of the crime or complicity therein, Deputy Sheriff Irv- ing Steele announced his intention of executing the warrant and placing the man in jaiL Attorney Brown objected, saying that owing to the condition of Mir Dial, that he should not be confined in a jail, and asked if they might have the privilege of paying for a deputy sheriff to guard the prisoner at the Hotel Hill man. His request was refused.
 Denies Guilt
 In the presence of Deputy Sheriffs Steele and Hartsfeld. Attorney Brown then asked the prisoner to tell anything that he might know of the murder. to which Dial declared that he knew absolutely nothing about It. and could not tell any thing as he had nothing to Ien
 Refusing to await any further efforts of Brown and Duran to free the pris- oner the deputies carried ttler prisoner to the county jail, where hs was locked up.
 Attorney Brown then talked with So- licitor II. P Heflin, whom he asked to come down to the sherifis office and see if anything could be done to obtain the release of the prisoner
 Solicitor Heflin met MT. drown and MT. Duran at the Title Guarantee building, and the three went up to Browns office. The matter was laid before the solicitor, and Duran said that no matter what might be the amount, that bond could, be naade for the prisoner in few minutes Owing to the fact that he did not know the nature of the evidence against Dial MT. Heflin refused to go any further un- til he had talked with Deputy Sheriffs Steele and Hartsfield.
 These deputies were sent for and after a long conference, lasting almost an hour, Solicitor Hefiin announced that he could not allow the prisoner to make bond, ow- ing to the evidence against him.
 Prescription Clerk
 John Dial has been a prescription clerk in the drug store of R P. Endsley at the corner of Fourteenth street and Third avenue for the past two years, and it is understood that around this central fact is wound the chain of evidence that re- suited in his arrest last night. At the time of the murder of the two prominent young men detectives working on the case gave out the information that they had secured clue that implicated a certain drug clerk, whom they stated had pre- pared the drink that was sent to Cole man.
 Dial Is a young man about 30 years of age. MT Duran is the secretary and treasurer of the Empire Coal and Coke company of this city.
 Some time after MT. Dials confinement in the county jail he was brought to the jail office.
 Did you know the two men. Coleman and Strickland?" he was asked
 T did not know them and cannot un- derstand how I have been drawn into this matter" he said.
 Gan you tell anything at all that might lead to the unraveling of the mystery that surrounds their death?"
 CT cannot I know 0thine whateVpr of this matter he said.
 Deputies Are Silent
 Chief Deputy Sheriff Walter Metcalf said; ''I have nothing to say. Steele and Hartsfeld are working on the case. and they would not have made the arrest un- less they had had conclusive evidence" Deputy Sheriff Irving Steele said; We can give out nothing other than has been made public already. Publicity will block our plans. The case is progressing beau tifullv and we are in hopes of having all of the guilty parties in the county jail in the near future"
 It had been rumofed that Dial had obtained information that he would soon be arrested and had fled from Birming- ham. but his brother-in-law denied this. He said:
 Dial has been rooming at my house for over year, and during that time  he has not been out of the city for over 10 days at a time. He was on visit to south Alabama two weeks ago, but only stayed two days. Lately he has been in bed with rheumatism and had only been out of he'd 20 inmates when the off cers came to the house and said that they had warrant for his arrest. II was the first time that he had been out Of bed for over a weeK. l am sure that the boy knows absolutely nothing oi the matter. He is innocent of the charge.
 Although the report that Ola Gunters had been rearrested would not be con firmed at the sheriff's office. it was rli- mored downtown last night that this gir had been arrested again on the same charge for which she was brought tc this city from Jacksonville. Fla, some time ago. A telegram last night to law yer interested in the case stated thai she>had been arrested in south Alabama city and was on her way to this city
 Mrs Ida Schmidt Is still confined fir the county jail, charged with complicity in the murder of Coleman and Strick land.