The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-01-14
POLICE bAFFLED BY PECULIAR CASE OF
 DYING WHITE MAN
Skull Crushed and Pockets Rifled Unknown Man Is Found Standing Against
 Building Last Night

An unknown white man apparently l 40 years of age and well dressed was found in n dying condition with his l skull crushed last night about $ o'clock at First avenue and Twenty second street, north. The man was rushed to the HiIlman hospital. where authorities announced he had no chance to recover.
 The attack evidently took place in some other part of the city rather than the section in which the man was found He had been robbed of all his possessions and the majority Of the pockets in his clothing were turned.
 There was not the slightest ciue which would lead to his identity. 50 well were his pockets transacted tha9 nothing but an empty leather cisar case was left.
 Blood on his hands and hair was dry and this led police authorities to believe that he had been attacheo several hours previously. When found he was leaning against the building of Goodan-Brown with his head dropped.
 CONFLICTING CALLS Shortly after 7:so o'clock last night police headquarters was informed that q man, whose head was covered With blood. passed the Majestic theatre, | nroceeded east on Third avenue. ln- vestigation failed to find any clue
 of the report. Later police headquar- | ters was notified of man with hls
 head crushed at First avenue ane I Twenty second street.
 Mystery surrounds the attack. The | man received two blows on his heaa l Over the right eye three-inch cut | apparently caused by blow with hatohet or a big knife, was bleed ing profusely. The top of his head Wal | pounded into a pulp. The wounos oi the top of his head had ceased pleed ing. officers Simms and Payne investi' gated the conditions for several olock' in the vicinity where the man wa found, but no signs or scullie ' foul play could be found.
 When found blood was splotche' over his black overcoat. He also wor' 1 a black suit and tan shoes. He had n'
 hat. His hair Is black with slgh
 tinge of gray. He wore a thin mus
 tache, which was also sprinkled witi
 gray. :.
 officers are of the opinion that tn lman was attacked in the vicinity Q
 Third avenue below Seventeenth street. However, a thorough search 0 that section failed to reveal any sign of an encounter having occurred'
 TWO THEORIES ADVANCED How the man wandered from tha vicinity to where he was found, if h did. is the lone puzzling feature Il inc solution. His head was terrioi crushed Authorities are also puzzie , how to account for the fact that went through such a prominent par of town without being stopped. Officials, however, consider 1t prob , albe that the man assaulted in tn n vicinity where he was found ana tha the man reported passing the Ma
 iestic theatre with his head bleed , ing was another case and several : the officials believe this theory, als i holding to the belief that the victh z was stood up against the wall z The fact that not single mear ' of identification was left on his pei :. son !. explained by officers that tf robbers did not want any clue left ft a his identification or the possible t ;, cation of the spot where the attac q took place.
 = Facts of the case greatly resemb ' tha deeds of the Hammer man Ia
 winter, who recorded 19 assaults
 the city, three of his victims dyin
 He was never apprehended. Police al
 detectives are working on the cas n hut at a late hour last night had o tained no clues.