The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-04-14
By c. H. MANDY

By c. H. MANDY
 An awful story of cold -blooded crime was revealed yesterday in the private office of Sheriff McAdory. when Arthur and Walter Jones, two white men un- der indictment for the murder of a ne gro named Holland, confessed to so- licitor H. P. Heflin that they had killed with their own hands half dozen persons and were implicated in the death of many others
 The confessions were made volun- tarily and in the presence of Solicitor Heflin, Borden Burr. Walter Metealf, John Cole. Chris Hartsfeld, Fred Hud- son and the official stenographer. who took down their statement.
 Previous to the confession Solicitor HefIin informed both the men that no hope of immunity or clemency from the state could be given them; that the evidence they gave might be used against them, and that they were not compelled to answer any questions that were asked unless they chose to do SC.
 They told their gruesome story warily and with much craftiness, duplicating themselves only when they learned that the coroner's jury that is Investigating the Lewisburg killings was in posses sion of damaging testimony agains, tLem or that confession had been made by others of their gang.
 A startling feature of the confess zion was that both the self-confessed uurderers charged Felix J. Ellard, de- ceased. with being the instigator and abettor of the carnival of crime that had terrorized the western part of Jeff rerson county for period extending back to the 1904 strike. They accused old man Ellard of of- rering money for the removal" of De- Armond and others who were subse- uuently killed; with ordering the exe- cution of anyone of their member who | showed the least sign of being feather legged" and that Ellard saw to it that complete alibi was established in the event of capture and trial of any of their gang.
 They told of the cold -blooded assas- sination of negroes, many Of them wanton and without motive except the lust for human blood, and of a num- Der of killings for the purpose of rob- tery when often few pence consti- | tuted their only gain.
 The appalling story revealed eondi- ] ton that is hard to believe could exist within a few miles of Birmingham A story of murder and robbery. and as- sassination, and terror, and iawless ness. almost without a parallel in the history of the United States, was re- vealed
 Terrible stories have been recorded from time to time of crimes committed with gain or revenge for motive, bul the Jones boys in their confession told Of crime after crime that had been committed in Lewisburg without the motive of fear, revenge or profit
 Began Killing for Fun
 The seeming immunity from punish ment rendered the perpetrators bold md from killing for fear they went to killing for the mere fun of it. Hu- man beings were used as targets to test markmanship and men were slain in order that someone might carve q ttVNtii III HE IPictpi-
 So long as the gang stayed together conviction was impossible At the coroners inquest. held over the vic- tims, none dared testify and if per- chance suspicion was stron genough .o justify an arrest. money and influence and again the dread of testifying pre- vented the introduction of dana gins evidence and the accused would not only be discharged but either fully via dicated or justified.
 But as Is often the case it was a dis agreement among themselves that brought about their undoing
 The nemesis that brought them to bay was the fact that several of the gang had been ''spotted'' for removal Then 1t was that the skein began 10 unravel, and one after the other crimes were traced back and net of undeniable evil deuce woven around the guilty parties and they were confronted with their crimes, and as q result came the confes- i, sicns.
 The full confession of Claude Eilard, the preacher son of Felix Ellard, to the nUr- der of Will Rhea. In which he implicated Arthur Jones and others. probably led to the confessions and other information that is in the possession of the eoronsrs