The Alaska citizen., 1917-03-26

Judge Lgwler disappeared near Whitesburg Ferry Alabama, on the night of June Ii. 1916, and his body was recovered in a slough near that place on June r. Following his death, Shelby Peasants. an attorney, and Sheriff Phillips both committed suicide. leaving notes stating that they were unable to stand the strain of being under suspicion of having committed the crime.
 The finding of the body of Probate Judge W. T. Lawler in the Tennessee river near Whitesburg Ferry. Ala, on the morning of June 17. 1916, was followed by the suicides in the next week of Shelby Peasants, Hutsville attorney, and Robert Phil lips, sheriff of Madison county, who, it is alleged, killed themselves be cause they believed they were sus- pected in connection with the Lawler killing.
 In May preceding the murder Judge Lawier Was elected probate judge over David D. Overton and Sac Drake, in what was one of the bitterest po- litical campaigns in this section of the state The election was con tested, ana an investigation into al legged violations of the election laws was ordered. A special grand jury was to report the day the body of Judge Lawler was found.
 Judge Lawler disappeared from Huntsville the night of June II. He left his wife at Chautauqua meet ing. telling her he was going to meet a man" down town. It was alleged he received a note from someone to meet him at the court house When he parted from his wife this was the last time he was seen alive The first mtimation that friends of the jurist had of his dis appearance was the next day when his automobile was found in front of the court house.
 Two days before the body was found Sheriff Phillips received an anonymous note saying that some thing" could be found in the slough of the river near Whitesburg Ferry The body was found weighted down in the slough with heavy railroad irons and tied with baiIing wire. Bullet wounds were found in the chest and the skull had been crushed with some blunt instrument.
 The news of the murder spread simultaneously with the report that David D. Oyerton had disappeared, and crowds of men and young boys gathered about the streets of Hunts vile, and hints of lynching were circulated. The fear of disorder grew to such proportions that the state militia was ordered out, and two companies of guardsmen remained on duty for about a week.
 On June 30 the body of Shelby Peasants was found in his office. He had killed himself With a pistol, and left a note saying he could stand the strain no longer" Three days later Sheriff Phillips. killed him self in a bedroom in the city jail. In a note to his wife and children, the officer stated he could not stand the suspicion" any longer, It is al legged the sheriff had been severely censured and was accused of allow ing Overton to escape
 After the three tragedies, search for the missing Overton was com menced, and the man-hunt was car ried into practically every southern state and parts of Canada.
 In the meantime, C. M. Nails, who succeeded Overton as circuit court clerk of Madison county, when the latter resigned in January, 1916, to enter the race for probate judge. was arrested, charged with complicity. Two days previous Percy Brooks, a ferry boat keeper on the Tennessee river, was taken into custody. De tectives charged that Brooks was dis covered trying to paint out blood spots on the Whitesburg bridge
 Overton was arrested Sept, 25, 1916, l near Smithville, Tenn. Though he admitted antagonism had existed be- tween himself and Judge Lawler, he maintained that he was not connect | ed in any way with the murder of the jurist