The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1921-08-11
TAXI DRIVER KILLED;
THREE men IN JAIL
BODY OF YOUNG MAN HIDDEN
WOODS IN LEXINGTON
COUNTY

COUNTY
Augusta, Ca, Aug. 8-F. ]. Kirby,
| C o. Fox and Jesse Gappins, three
white men of Columbia, are in Jail
at Augusta, Ga, charged with the
murder of William Brazell, 10 year
old taxi driver of Columbia, and, ac-
cording to Sheriff ]. T. Plunkett Of
Richmond county, confession was
made in the Jail Monday night at II
o'clock where the men were lodged
shortly after their arrest 20 miles
south of Augusta Monday morning.
According to the confession, Bra
zell was killed e;rly Monday morning
at point in Lexington county, on the
Augusta Columbia highway, between
Leesville and Gilbert. He was black
lacked and stabbed in the heart with
pocket knife and the body then drag
ged to a secluded spot near the high
way, The confession stated.
After the murder the men made
their way south in an automobile
and were arrested near Waynesboro,
Ia, by Richmond county officers after
they had had some tire trouble. They
were first suspected by mechanic
named Roberts, who is employed in
work on Mclean creek, one Of the
men having made a partial confession
to him it was stated. Their arrest fol-
lowed.
Kirby's Confession.
"About 10 or II o'clock these two
fellows were about half a block
away watching me. They sent me
off to get a negro. They told me
to get big Bill, the fat negro, in his
car. When Bill come in he and his
driver were having some words about
some soldiers l went across and got
another car which they told me to get
ii did not get big Bills car. 1 come
back and big Bill said his car was
gone but would be back in about Sd
minutes, but they had told me if I did
not get him to come right straight
back. We all three went up Assembly
street To ever with the postoffice ard
turned up to the hotel by the possof-
flee, to see if there was a Cadillac
there. There was no Cadillac there
and Gappins said all the drivers there
knew him. They went on the. left
hand side. Of Main street coming
uown and made me come down the
right hand side. I met Mr.. Allen, one
of the city's plain clothes men. stop
ped to talk with him. He asked me
| if | was still living at the same place.
1 told him yes. They were on the
other side of the street. We went on
d. wn and they motioned for me to
come back on Assembly street. They
asked me what I was talking to MIR.
Allen for, ana they asked me if told
Allen they were going off with some
girls, and that if 7 did they would cut
my Internal head off. They sent me
back to the same place and said that
| if 1 could not get the negro to go
across the street and get a white
mans Cadillac. They had already
made me go down the street about a
half dozen times until my toes were
blistered and across the top Of my
feet.
81 come and met them at the Sea-
board depot. l got the Cadillac and
went to the depot. They had not
got there but came in few minutes.
They told me to tell him to drive to-
wards Lexington. They were going
sbout two miles this side of Lexing-
ton to get some girls. We come over
there and had to stop and get out
of the car myself. Gappins got out
If the car. He told me to keep telling
the driver that he had not come to it
vet (the house) till he said that was
far enough.
eve drove for about IL miles this
side of Lexington, Gappin said, till
we had done passes the house. The
dead man (Braze.D turned around
and looked at his gas and said that he
did not have enough to 90 back to
Columbia and turned back around and
went to Leesville, S. C. I got out 20
wake up gentleman. He told me to
go wake up another gentleman across
the street. This gentleman got up
and let him have len gallons Of gas.
Then we started back towards Colur,-
bIa.
"We went five miles. Gappins had
him stop the car. We ali got out and
etretcbod ourselves except Fox. Then