The log cabin Democrat. [volume] (Conway, Ark.) 1901-1982, 1915-09-16
THREE YOUTHS HELD
FOR Y00DO0 KILLING
BURKETT DENIES GUILT
TWO CHARGED AS ACCESSO-
RIES IN MURDER, OTHER
CHARGED WITH PERJURY.

with being accessories to the murder
Of Agus Medley, an eccentric old ne
gro killed on the night of December
Is, 1914, at his home near Wrights-
vile, and Earl Price, charged with
perjury in connection with the same
case, are in the Pulaski county Jail.
w. r. (Buck) Fisher, Ashley Ward
and Andrew Holmes, young white
men, are now serving life sentences at
the state penal farm at Cummins for
the murder.
Hare was arrested Saturday six
miles southwest of DeValrs Bluff by
! Deputy Sheriff j. J. Hawkins of Lit
tie Rock, Sheriff A. V. Harris of
Prairie county and his deputy, Charles
Mention. Burkett was arrested just
before daylight yesterday morning by
Sheriff w. wv. Bishop of Faulkner
county, at the home of Sam Cowan on
the Martin plantation, about Is miles
southwest of Conway, where the
young man was working. Price was
arrested at his home near Keo yester-
day afternoon by Deputy Hawkins.
Prices wife is cousin of Will Hare.
Hare and Burkett are charged with
having aided in planning the murder
of Neeley and with having waited
with horses while Fisher, Ward and
Holmes killed and robbed the old ne
gro. 1t is charged that the two young
men now in Jail received a part of
several hundred dollars of which it is
believed Neeley was robbed. Price is
charged with having sworn falsely
during the trial of Fisher, Ward and
Holmes, when the latter were endeav-
oring to prove an alibi.
Deputies Hawkins and George Ri
son say they have conclusive evidence
that Hare and Burkett were accesso-
ries before and after the murder, and
that the deed was planned for many
months before it occurred.
When the deputy sheriffs became
convinced that Hare and Burkett
were connected with the case they
tried to locate them. Both had left
the vicinity of England where they
formerly lived. Hare was found at
DeValPs Bluff by Deputy Hawkins
and arrested. Burkett was believed
to be in Faulkner county, but several
days were spent in trying to locate
him.
His apprehension was due to the
fact that he was corresponding with
Young woman in England. Sheriff
Bishop was notified, and at the sug-
gestion of the Pulaski county officers
arrested him early yesterday MORN
ing while the young man was in bed
asleep.
Neeley, the murdered negro, was a
native African, who lived alone on the
Homestead plantation near Wrights-
vile. He was very eccentric, never
wore hat nor shoes and boarded every
cent he could. He was believed to
have about $500 concealed in his
cabin. His clothing consisted of sew
eral pairs of trousers and shirts,
pieces of carpet and other rags, all
of which were sewed on him. In front
of his door he had placed a carved
totem pole. His negro neighbors
feared him and believed he had super
natural powers.
On the night of December Is, shots
were heard at Neeley's cabin, but ne
groes who started to investigate were
ordered by men whom they could not
identify to return to their homes.
The following morning Neeley's body,
riddled with bullets, was found in
p, front of his house. The house had
been ransacked.
Deputies Hawkins and Rison were
detailed to the case and secured a
chain of evidence which, at the trial,
convicted the men. Testimony was to
the effect that Fisher, Ward and
Holmes came to Little Rock on the
morning of December Is, bought am
munition and a magazine for an au-
tomato pistol, which without its mag
azine, had been stolen. They then
went on a train to Rottaken, mile
from Wrightsville. Witnesses testi-
fled seeing the three going toward the
lnegro's cabin. Tracks were found IN
the snow leading from the negro's
house to the bank of the river. An
empty boat and tracks leading from
lit on the opposite side of the river
were found. Testimony was given
that Ward, Holmes and Fisher Sc
cured horses short distance from the
river. 1t was testified that the three
had more money than usual after the
killing and that one of them bought
several cattle.
There were two trials before the
men were convicted. The first began
on February 16 and lasted until Feb
ruary %. The jury disagreed, stand
ing II for conviction and the death
sentence and one for acquittal. The