The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-09-17
THREE MEN HELD FOR THE KILLING
 OF TOM THOMAS Mysterious Case Is Not Cleared Up by Cor
 Oner's Trial WOUNDS IN BACK ARE NOT EXPLAINED Stab in Shoulder Also Not Cleared Up by Witnesses Who Do Not
 CorrOborate Each
 Others Story

As the result of the inquest held yester- day morning by Coroner B. L. Brasher over the killing of Tom Thomas early Sunday morning a a boarding house. No. 1l21a North Twenty fourth street. Homer J. Hale. Carl R. Lowe anl Tom Lowe were yesterday morning committed to the county jail on warrants sworn out by the coroner before Judge l. H. Benners. No bail will be allowed the prisoners. A pre- liminary trial was set for September 26.
 At the inquest yesterday six witnesses were examined by Coroner Brasher. They were Mrs. Homer J. Hale. wife of the man accused of the shooting of Tom Thomas Icie Thomas. sister of the dead man: Mrs Ton Thomas wife of he dead cook by the Thomases: Tom Lowe, brother of Carl Lowe, and Johnnie Thomas. broth of the dead man.
 Still Mysterious
 The details which are puzzlinG the au- thorities and the coroner were not cleared up in yesterdays trial. although the wit nesses were questioned closely. The testi- HiOHy UT two Ol Iue NDIieH DdGl1allY showed how tlie bullets which caused the death of Thomas entered at the back. ii was stated but not one of the witnesses could explain the cause of the stab in the dead mans shoulder. nor could they re- member having seen a knife in his hand or in the hand of any of the other men.
 The question Of the position of the ax with xyhiph 10 dead man is said ta bava attacked Hale has also become the center of much interest. It was brought out fir. the testimony yesterday morning that this aX could not have been in the hands of the dead man when he fell, as it was over seven feet from him, near the door of the room where it is said that he went to get it before he attacked Hale. The door of the dining room, whcn Thomas is said to have smashed in with this ax about 3:30 o'clock. before any of the other trouble came up, was smashed around the lock, and the negro cook. who was .n there, said that Thomas had given 10 reason for this action Mandy Burton testified that after breaking down tAe door Thomas dropped the ax on the hall floor. and that it lay there until after the shooting, thus contradicting the stories told by other witnesses. She says that she was locked in the kitchen at the time of the shooting as she become scared when Thomas started fighting with Carl Lowe
 Previous Trouble
 Ii was also brought out in the testimony sworn to before Coroner Brasner that. according to the witnesses, Homer Hale had had previous trouble with Thomas and it was alleged he had bought. the gun to kill him. Both the brother and sister of the dead man testified to this, to the best of their knowledge.
 The case, since the inquest, rather than having been cleared up has grown more perplexing and confusing. The stories told by the witnesses on the stand yesterday did not corrohorate each other.
 Yesterday Coroner Brasher said have not yet been able to arrive at q definite conclusion as to the facts in the case, and 1t is puzzling to it's smallest de- tail The case will be sffted to the bot tom and the guilty ones brought to jus tice."