The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-04-08
THREE ARE SLATED
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GERS will be placed before the grand
jury Monday. The officers have
stated that the case is one of the
most completely worked up they
have ever handled, and it is believed
that indictments will be returned
late in the week. Should the indict-
ments be returned. those accused
probably will face trial at the same
time Yerby, Newman and Jacks are
arraigned.
DR.. Bowling was abducted from his
home near Roebuck on the night of
May II. 1922. when a man appeared
at his residence claiming he needed
an automobile accident near the
Bowling house. DR.. Bowling, who
had retired for the night, partially
dressed and accompanied the man.
When they reached the automobile
nearby, number of men leaped upon
the health officer, overpowered him
and placed him in the car. They
Pinson road where the doctor was
tied to tree and beaten. Here the
story must be taken up by Tyson's
statement. There were ten of u.s.
he is alleged to have said, "and we
each took turns beating DR.. Bowling
with piece of rubber buggy tire"
The story told by Tyson and that
this point. The health officer was
released and left to find his way
home across country.
News of the flogging was kept
secret for number of days but was
released the following Sunday. 1t
created a sensation in the city be-
cause of the prominence of DIR. BOWL
ing and the brutality of the beating.
Officers began work Immediately.
C. w. McPhail, department of justice
agent. headed federal, county and
city officers investigating. The Law
and Order Enforcement league was
organized, a special fund was sub
scribed by the doctors OF the city
and a number OF private investiga-
tions started.
Public Interest Wnnes.
The flogging was placed before tho
grand jury but no indictments were
returned. During the late summer
and fall the number of floggings in
the Birmingham district ceased and
public interest in the case waned. 1t
had almost been forgotten when a
North Birmin CHAM negro taxi driver
was kidnapped by four men. The
negro was placed in an automobile
headed for the Lewisburg road. Two
men held pistols at his head. He
watched his captors and Selling an
opportunity when the car slowed up
to avoid striking rough place In
the road he grabbed one OF the pis-
tolls and leaped from the car. A gun
battle ensued. The same night a
man turned up AT the South High
lands infirmary with a pistol wound
under his right eye.
Officers began an investigation.
The man in the hospital could not
explain his wound satisfactorily. A
few days later Porter Newman was
arrested on suspicion. He had taken
the man to the hospital. The grand
jury returned four indictments, two
against Newman and two against w.
M VERIFY, the man in the hospital.
The grand jury investigation un-
earthed evidence pointing to the
bowling flogging. Investigators re-
doubled their efforts. Annie Laurie
ightner, negro maid employed D,
jail. She had answered the door
that night DIR. Bowling was logged.
She declared the moon had shone on
the race of the man who had aske
for her master. Newman was led
before her with a number of other
men. She is said to have, picked him
out at once as the man who asked
for DIR. Bowling.
This occurred on Friday afternoon.
on Monday morning the grand jury
was called into special session to in
vestigate the bowling case. The
grand jury conducted a three day In
vestigation and adjourned for two
weeks without making a report.
1t reconvened late in March and
on March 80 returned indictments
against VERIFY, Newman and Jacks.
Saturday, March 81, officers uncov-
cred additional evidence in Tyson.s
statement. The case has since grad
ually unfolded until Investigators
pr onounce it in excellent condition.
Detectives working on the case stated
Saturday night that some of the men
placed on trial would be identified
by a number OF persons and that Ty-
sons statement would be corrobo-
rated.
rs Men Knew OF Case.
1t has become known during the
last week that approximately rs men
knew of the flogging and that at
least six of this number were invited
to attend the party but refused. 1t
is rumored that farmer witnessed
the flogging and that a man and his
wife heard number Of men discuss
it the following day before 1t had
been made public.
City officials, former city officials
and court house attaches have been
connected with the case by .rumor.
None Of these rumors has beer con-
firmed by officers in charge or the