The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-07-01
FIVE NHO BURNED ]
 .CHOCTAW YOUTH IN NET. HUNT CLAIMS
State Agent Declares Drag Net Has Closed Around AL
 Ieged SIayerS

Sufficient evidence for the convic- tiOn of five of the 13 men, arrested in Choctaw county by operatives of the state law enfocement department and department of justice for alleged compicity in the killing and burning of William prue Conuor there in 1921, has been secured. according to k. F. Hunt, special representative Of the office of the attorney general, in an exclusive stateDent to The Age-Herald Saturday night.
 The killing and burning of Connor was one of the most gruesome in an nals of the department of justice and state law enforcement department. The murder was the cuiminatlon UL oootlcgEers war in the southern counties of Alabama, covering period of several years.
 Agents of the state and government are also working on several clues that a revenue agent vas killed in the same section. Officers stated the 2 gent was forced to dig his own grave and then was shot by q squa t of mocnshiners. COnnor was an dl- legged moonshincr, charged with hay ing given information to government agents.
 According to the soath's father the last time young COnnor was seen alive was on December If, 1921, oA the way Go thc home of his uncie.
 
 ed to have seen him pass the school Four weeks later, Il bleached, legless skeleton was found strung betweeG two trees by wires A baSl1et-lIke a1 rangement had been placed aroui the thighs to hold the body above |. fire. F9,
 Among the bones were found small amount of change, box e. snuff, shot gun with two exploded shells. The leg bones were gone, but Connor's father was practicaHS certain the remains were those ui his son.
 The corpus delicti has been proved in the finding of the skeleton, ac- cording to Hunt The remains have been taken to Mobile by the agents where they are beins held pending the completion of the investigations Five More Arrests Due. Five more arrests will be made iG connection with the killing, accord ing to Hunt, and when these are made. the trial of the Is defendants l will be made.
 one of the men arrested is c. Connor father of the dead yout' who | disclaimS all Knowledge of e mur- ] der. The other men d- sted are | farmers who reside in the community where Che killing occurred All are being held on a conspiracy charg ]
  | bition Jaw. l It was reported that at the tim4 1 young Connor met his death he Wal i paying some attention to the daugll- i ter of Choctaw county resident aud | had been warned to stay away. l Agents who have conducted the in vostigation stated Connor met his death in bootleggers war rather 1 than through the grievances of the l girls father.
 Towns which have seen investiga l tions in the case are Slas, GiIber- town and Souwilpa, accessible by the | Alabama, Tennessee and Northern railroad and the Tombigbee river. Officers who have been working on the investigation and madeth ar- rests are R. F. Hunt of th1 state 1 law enforcement department, Walter K. McAdory. state law enforcement chief: w. h. Boiling, special agent ! of the department of justice: c. W. l McPhan of the department of jus | tice and W. D. NeSmith of the fed l eral department