Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1922-10-10
HECOULDNOT
HAVE INFLICTED
WOUND HIMSELF
Evidently Jumped From Behind
And Killed With Own Cum
No Powder Burns


Elogue, whose dead body was
found in the bathroom of the Nir-
ginia-Carolina Chemical plant
several days ago, and who at the
time it was believed had shot him
SELF was murdered, was contained
in evidence brought before local
and county officers today.
This proof was submitted by DR..
Statham and Nat LeMaster, the lat
ter the undertaken who prepared the
body for burial, who was positive,
after a thorough post mortem ex-
animation of the bo6y, that there
were no traces of pow!er burn on
the skin as would have been the
case without any question, had Tho
man shot himself.
Combined with this, was the fur
ther proof submitted by the authori-
ties, who on reorganization Of The
evidence, found that the dead man
was shot in the head, at the point
where it would have been impossi-
bic for him to have reached with a
C0u. The course. of the BULLETS,
two ranging upward, one cutting
through his straw hat in two places 4
ard missing his head, one entering 4
the back Of the head and almost
emerging at the front, at a slight
angle, the other having been shot
down, apparently by someone stand
ing over the PROSTATE body, these
all have tended to show thai instead
Of suicide, the police authorities
have one Of the most complex mur-
der mysteries that has ever confront-
ed them
The fact were laid before Sheriff
Harvey, Chief John Bragg, mem
bers of the coroner's jury that
brought in the first verdict and 9TH
ers interested in the case at meet
ing at the court house this morning.
At the conclusion of the testimony,
it was ths belief of those preseAs
that instead of the simple act OF y
madness which it was at first beliay-
ed was involved in the death of n
the night watchman, they had a urs-
terious murder to solve and steps
are being taken now 70 pick up th9
loose threads of the case with view
to making a systematic hunt for the
murderer of the mar.
Evidence brought forth today in
dicates that Mr.. Hogue turned in
his night Signal at IL O'Clock as
usual. His next signal was due to
be turned in at 1 O'Clock. It was
never tUrned-ih. This sets is nur-
der as between those hours.
He came into tie office the night
of the murder, sett his lamp down
on the table just outside the babh-
room door, He either laid down
iis pistol, or he had it III his hand #
as he stepped into the Iavatoiys
At this point the evidence indi-
Gates that:Yofheone was in the BATH
room and as he went from The light
into the darkness brief stzuggle
for possession Of the pistol may have
taken place, or the murderer with
pistol in hand, picked it up from the
able where Mr. Hogue left it, step
BED close to him and fired.
The first slot went through the
brim of the straw hat and at an am
sIe of As degrees it ranged upward
through the top part of the hat miss
ng the head. The next shot, let loose
as the murderer arose to his full
Deight from the rear of the victim
vent crashing through his head ON
a less AGATE angle. This shot killed
him. And the cody dropped to.tha
floor, the hat rolled off and the
murderer bending over the body evi-
dently fired one more shot which
Missing his victim, went through the
floor. The dead mans gun was
hon tucked into the space between
lis arm and his body and the man
eft the scene Of the crime.
What the motive for the murder
vas the officials have not discussed
'ut they arc convinced that the man
vas killed by some one and did not
lie from his own band. 81
Mr.. Hogue will today 60 to Monts-
una where he will lay the facts bs-
ore the solicitor and seek IA in-
'estigation Of the murder. He has
,een promised the active aid of tha
ocal authorities to uncover the ones
'esponsible for the crime. Bafpre
le left today he offered a reward VI
800 for any clue that would lead
to the arrest and conviction of tie