The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1920-01-12
NEGRO CONFESSES
PART IN KILLING
OF DR.. ALyERSON
More Arrests Expected Fol-
lowing Physicians Murder
at ViCkSburg-GroCer Last
Seen With Victim.

VICKSBURG Miss, Jan. l2.-More
arrests are expected hourly in connec-
tion with the murder of DR.. d. S. Al
yerson, whose bullet-riddled body was
found Saturday partly buried in hole
near the north observation tower in
the Vicksburg national cemetery. Jesse
Watts, grocer, with whom Dr. Alver-
son Is said to have left home when
he disappeared last Monday, is in jail
at Jackson, Miss, for safe-keeping, as
mob violence was threatened against
him.
Besides wounds from .3S caliber re-
volver there was a wound on the back
of the skull, inflicted, it is said, by
a Ford wheel puler, which was found
near the scene of the killing.
Reuben Winbush negro employee of
Jesse Watts. is said to have confessed,
but what he revealed Sheriff B. G.
shannon would not divulge The sher-
iff. however, Indicated Monday that
more persons had been involved by the
negro and that more arrests might fol-
low.
Watts is said to have made threats
against DR.. Alverson following an op-
GRAFTON said to have been performed
on Watts wife, and this is taken as
the motive for the crime.
The prominence of DIR. Alverson, his
disappearance and the brutality OF the
murder has aroused people of this vi
cinity to a high pitch Of excitement.
When Sheriff Shannon was asked
Monday II the negro, Winbush, had
confessed, he would not deny the re-
port, but said: He knows all about it.,
sheriff also indicated that Winbush
had not been taken from the Warren
county Jail when he stated: He is still
under my care and is safe. The SOL
dier boys will protect my prisoner.
DR., s. II. Alverson, of Shreveport
4 I,NI, ion
joined in as leader Of the searching
Marty Immediately upon his arrival
here, and first got down to the few
threads of evidence. First he found
Dr. Norman Henry. who stated the
man calling at his home Monday night
asking use Of the phone and giving his
name as Mr. Smith," was no other
than Jesse Watts, whom he had known
all his life. Watts denied having been
there,
Wilks, the mechanic who had been
called to repair Watts machine, in re-
phone, declared Watts was the man
who called him. He knew him and saw
'affifn frequently. Watts denied this.
A negro residing on Fort Hill claimed
he heard pistol shots on last Monday,
night but as this was nothing Unusual
he did not investigate. The weather
was cold and 1t was sleeting. :
Following these clews DR.. Alverson's 8
brother followed his conviction that his
brother had met foul play and was put
away on that historic hill that marked
the close Of the Civil war around the
city of Vicksburg.
A negro who was aiding the search
ing party Saturday found human
knee protruding from the ground and
called the white folks. County Attor-
ney O'Neil began to pull away the dirt
and found DR.. d. s. Alverson's body
In n rrumnled Dosition Indicating he
had been dragged placed in ravine
and covered with dirt, but not deep
enough to keep the heavy rains that
followed from washing the dirt away
from the knee. His finger rings and
watch were still on the body.
The coroner's jury finished the in
vestigation at late hour Saturday
evening and the autopsy showed that
DR.. Alverson had been shot five times
by a IS caliber pistol, instead of twice
as first Indicated and that he had been
struck a heavy blow in the back Of his
head, any Of which wounds would have
proved fatal.
The deceased physician was very pop
ular, having been born and raised in
this county, IL miles south of Vicks-
burg, and had wide circle Of friends
This fact caused Sheriff Shannon to
remove his prisoner to place Of
safety, and later, at the instructions Of
Gov. Blbo, called on the local militia
the first organized in the state since
the close of the war, to be in readiness
to keep down any disorder.
1t is thought now the determination
of Sheriff Shannon, who only took
charge of his official duties last week,
and the fact that Judge E. L. Brten
has called a special term of court for
Feb. 20 to try the man Watts and his
aecomplice will be sufficient to prevent
any mob violence.