The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-09-17
TOUT HS HELD. .ON CHARGE IF M|TING
Revenge Declared Motive For Wrecking Of Office And Warehouse At Forest Hill Cemetery Early Sunday
BOTH MAKE CONFESSION, TWO OFFICERS DECLARE
George Jemison Is Said To Have Told Detectives He And Brother Were Drunk When 0ffenSe Committed

Charged with dynamlting the of fees and warehouses of the Forest Hill Cemetery company, George and Philip Jemison. brothers, residing at 52oS Grand avenue, were being held In the city Jail Sunday. According to P. Elledge, George Jemison. the younger of the two men, has made a complete confession to them.
 Residents in the neighborhood were awakened about 2:30 o'clock Sunday morning by an explosion in the cem- etery The few that arose to inves- tigate the source of the disturbance had hardly gotten out of their homes when they were startled by a second and louder explosion. It was also heard at the Woodlawn city hall by Officers R. S. Urquhart and A. l.. the scene few minutes after the second explosion occurred. Officers Paul Cole and E. w. Jackson re- sponded from the central station.
 The motive for the crime was at first thought to have been robbery. and both explosions were thought to have occurred in the same building, but upon Investigating, Officers Cole and Jackson found that the ware houses in the rear of the cemetery were also destroyed,
 Quick Work By Officers.
 Detectives T. N. Williamson and W. 1 P. Elledge were assigned to the case at ' o'clock Sunday morning and by i 2:30 o'clock Sunday afternoon had made the arrests The detectives said that Philip Jemison had an old i grudge against the Forest Hill Gem etery company, growing out of case wherein the cemetery company charged that Jemison stole a watch and lawn mower several months ago. l Working on the assumption that the crime was committed through re- yenge, the detectives imme mediately be- ' gan tracing the movements of the | two Jemison boys during the night i The officers foQ1af. q negro nsAo posi- l lively described the two boys and stated that he saw them entering | the cemetery at 11;30 o'clock Satur- day night. The officers also found a necktie at the scene of the first explosion which George Jemison later admitted belonged to him.
 According to the officers George Jemison told the entire story to them and gave as his reason for partici- pating in it that he was drunk at the time. The detectives stated that Jemison said that In company with his brother he entered the cemetery at II 30 o'clock Saturday night and ttat both lounged on the grass until they had drunk the liquor which they had with them. George stated that he did not remember the first ex- plosion but came to himself when he fell from the porch of the main off, flee after they had placed the dyna- mite inside. He showed fresh bruises on his head and body to check this part of his statement. He stated. according to the detectives. that after the last explosion he re- membered everything and realized what they had done. The two then left the cemetery, going to their he me, where the detectives located them Sunday afternoon.
 According to Philip Jemison he affair and was too drunk to remem- Ter going home.
 Dynamite On Premises
 The dynamite used was the prop erty of the cemetery and part of a stock kept on hand to be used in cleaning up the grounds.
 The main offices and the ware house of the cemetery were a total less. The main office Is situated at the entrance to the grounds and was the scene of the second explosion. The warehouse Is situated in the rear of the grounds. It is thought that this building was wrcked first. The main office was destroyed with some of the dynamite taken from the warehouse, the officers say.
 The main office contained two safes, but it is thought by the offi- cers that nothing is missing from them. The safe which contained the money was not locked and had rob- bery been the motive it would not have been necessary to blow the safe. The safe contained several hundred dollars in bonds and a small amount in cash. The safe was completely al haf the contents scattered over tha grounds.
 A checkup of the contents of both buildings revealed that nothing was missing according to the detectives.