The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-09-27
LAWYERS TO CONFER
HERE SATURDAY ON
THE OVERTON CASE
Overton would be forced to return
Ala bama within the next two weeks.

Overton would be forced to return to
Alabama within the next two weeks.
"Overton is showing lack of judgment
in fighting extradition," said Solicitor
Tate, land seriously doubt that he will
make a very active struggle against re-
turning to stand trial However, if he
does fight against coming back we will
beat him and get him back in an Ala
bama jail within the next two weeks.
II have written to j. Fritz Thompson
requesting conference for next Satur-
day on the Lawler case. We have only
been waiting for the capture of Overton
to proceed with the trials of the princi-
pals indicted for the killing of Judge
Lawler. Now that Overton is in Jail the
trials will come quick and everything
will be over within the next six weeks
TATE'S WORK ON CASE
Solicitor Tate is one Of the men in AIN.
bama who knows much of the inside
story of the murder of Judge Lawler.
He was selected by Attorney General
Logan Martin to investigate the alleged
election frauds in Madison county last
June by the grand jury. Mr. Tate had
completed his investigation and the grand
jury was about to make its final report.
in which it was alleged grave charges
were to be made when the whole state
was electrified by the finding of the body
of Probate Judge w. T. Lawler in
slough near Whitesburg ferry on June H.
Judge LAWYER had disappeared on the
night of June A. after leaving. his wife
at chautauqua meeting and telling her
that he was going downtown Ito meet a
man." The murder of Judge LAWYER
came as the climax of the bitterest
political battle ever fought for county
office in the state of Alabama.
Oyerton had resigned as circuit clerk
off of y1rnha 10
judge against Lawler. He was defeated
and he is then alleged to have instituted
grand jury proceedings against LAWYER,
charging corruption in the election
LAWLER is MISSED
A night or two before the grand jury
was to have made it's report. LAWYER re-
ceived note to meet someone at the
courthouse. He left his wife to go to the
meeting place and was never seen alive
afterwards.
His automobile was discovered in front
of the courthouse on Thursday morning
and his friends became alarmed. Detec-
tives from Birmingham were called In
and on Saturday afternoon the body OF
Judge Lawler was found. The body was
tied with bailing wire to heavy railroad
iron and Judge Lawler had been shot in
the chest and his skull crushed by blows
from, blunt instruments. On the bridge
near where the body was found, detec-
tives uncovered blood spots that had re-
Gently been painted over.
The murder of Judge Lawler was evil
IDENTIFY the result of a political cabal. G.
M, Nails, who succeeded as circuit clerk
of Maids county, was arrested a few
DAYS after the body was found on a
charge Of murder and removed to Biz
mingham. Percy Brooks, the man who
was discovered painting over the blood
stains on the bridge near Whitesburg
ferry, also was arrested charged with
murder.
TWO SUICIDES RESULTED
Two other sensations directly attribu-
ted to the Lawler assassination were the
suicides of Shelby Peasants and Sheriff
Robert Phillips. Mr.. Peasants, one of
the most prominent attorneys of the
state, was found shot to death in his
office shortly after the finding of Law
ler's body. Near him was note pur-
ported to have been written by Mr..
Peasants stating that he could not stand
the strain any longer. An investigation
followed which resulted in a coroner s
verdict that Mr.. Peasants had committed
suicide because Of mental dependency
caused by an unfounded impression that
| he was suspected of the killing of Judge
Lawler.
Sheriff Robert Phillips was found dead
| in a bedroom of the Madison county Jail.
i
There was note left saying good-by
| to his wife and children, and making the
| statement that he could stand the sus-
picion no longer There has never been
| any great doubt but that Sheriff Phillips
really shot himself, as he was stung
| to the quick by the charge that he had
been derelict in his duty in allowing the
| escape of Overton from Huntsville.
| Developments in the Lawler case were
expected this week when the habeas cor
pus proceedings instituted by c. NJ.
| Nails and Percy Brooks were to have
been heard before Judge John c. Pugh
Of the city court last Monday morning.
However. the state requested postpone
ment and now the hearing will not be
| held. If at all, until week from to-
morrow. With the capture of Overton
| the state is expected to make a bittet
| fight to keep Nails and Brooks in Jail
| If only as material witnesses.
| Associated with Circuit Solicitor Tate
| in conducting the prosecution of the
Lawler case was former Chief of Police
| George III. Bodeker and Detective James
r. DAILY. Both Of these detectives are
| still engaged in gathering evidence for
the conviction Of the alleged murdererl
Of the late Judge Lawler.