The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1921-08-12
YOUNG TAXI DRIVER
SLAIN ON HIGHWAY
COLUMBIANS IN AUGUSTA JAIL
CHARGED WITH KILLING
Prisoners May Designate Place
Where Body Of William Brazell
Lies.
The State.

Augusta, Ca, Aug. ST. J. Kirby,
C. o. Fox and Jesse Gappins, three
white men of Columbia, are in jail
here, charged with the murder
William Brazell, 19 year old taxi
driver of Columbia, and, according to
Sheriff j. T. Plunkett of Richmond
county, a confession was made in the
Jail tonight at II o'clock where the
men were lodged shortly after their
arrest 20 miles south Of here this
morning.
According to the confession, Bra-
zell was killed early Monday morning
at APPOINT in Lexington county, on the
Augusta Columbia highway, between
Leesville and Gilbert. He was black
lacked and stabbed on the heart with
a pocket knife and the body then
dragged to secluded spot near the
highway, the confession stated.
After the murder the men made
their way south in an automobile and
were arrested near Waynesboro, Ga.,
this morning by Richmond county Of
ficers after they had had some tire
trouble. They were first suspected by
mechanic named Robert, who is en-
ployed in work on McBean creek, one
of the men having made partial con-.
fession to him, it was stated. Their
arrest followed.
Sheriff Plunkett and other. county
officers will leave here tomorrow
morning for Leesville, where they
will join Sheriff T. A. Heise of Rich
land county and Sheriff Roof of Lex
ingtcn in a search for the body OF
Brazell. One or more of the prison
ers will be taken along to point out
where the body was disposed of.
Kirby gave written statement to
the officers as follows:
"About 10 or II o'clock these two
fellows were about half 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 came in he and his d. river
were having some words about some
soldiers. l went across and got an
other car which they told me to get
if / did not get big Bills car. / came
back and big Bill said his car was
gone but would be back in about 80
minutes, but they had told me if l did
not get him to come right straight
back. We all three went up Assem-
bly, street to even with the postoffice
and turned up to the hotel by the
postofice, to see if there was Cadil-
lac there. There was no Cadillac
there and Gappins said all the drivers
there knew him. They went on the
left side of Main street coming down
and made me come down the right
hand SIDE. l met Mr.. Allen, one of
the two plain clothes men. stopped
to talk with him. He asked me if l
was still living at the same place. 1
told him yes. They were on the other
side of the street. We went on down
and they motioned for me to come
back on Assembly street. They came
I'D to me and asked me what | was
talking to Mr.. Allen for, and they
asked me if I told Allen they were
going off with some girls, and that
if / 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 white mans Cadil-
lac. 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. / got the Cadillac and
went to the depot. They had not got
there but came in a few minutes.
They told me to tell him to drive to-
wards Lexington. They were going
about two miles this side of Lexing-
ton to get some girls. We come over
there and I had to stop and get out
of the car myself. Gappins got out
of the car. He told me to keep tell
ing the driver that he had not come
to it yet (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 passed the house. The
dead man (BrazelD turned around