A. Protis McKeithen Killed, Montgomery, Alabama http://files.usgwarchives.net/al/montgomery/newspapers/apmckeithen.txt ================================================================================ USGENWEB NOTICE: All documents placed in the USGenWeb Archives remain the property of the contributors, who retain publication rights in accordance with US Copyright Laws and Regulations. In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, these documents may be used by anyone for their personal research. They may be used by non-commercial entities so long as all notices and submitter information is included. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit. Any other use, including copying files to other sites, requires permission from the contributors PRIOR to uploading to the other sites. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. This file was contributed and copyrighted by: David Franklin ================================================================================ July 2003 Montgomery Advertiser, July 21 1922, page 1. PORTIS M'KEITHEN'S BODY FOUND COLD IN DEATH; GIRL CONFESSES TO COMMITTING DEED, IS REPORT --------------------------------- MISS BREWER SURRENDERS TO OFFICERS --------------------------------- Popular Baggage Master at Union Station Slain in Woods Near Hayneville Road Thursday Afternoon; Bullet Hole in Temple --------------------------------- CORONER CONTINUES PROBE INTO CASE --------------------------------- Prisoner Declines to Talk to Newspaper Men; Occupies Apartment in County Jail, Facing Charge of Murder; Authorities Probing Case --------------------------------- Cold in death, the body of A. Portis McKeithen, 36, married, Union Station baggage agent was found in a secluded spot near the Hayneville Road six and one-half miles from Montgomery early Thursday afternoon when officers went to the scene after pretty Mildred Brewer, 15, a cousin of the dead man's wife, appeared at police headquarters and announced, according to the police, that she had killed him. McKeithen's body lay face upward, his head turned slightly to one side. The bullet had entered at his temple and his life blood stood cold on his face. Beside him was a revolver, with one chamber empty. A few feet away were his coat and hat and a woman's hat, believed to belong to the girl that surrendered. Then there was a small dog stretched calmly on the ground a short distance from the man's body----perhaps an eyewitness---that kept an innocent vigil while the girl rode to the police station in Montgomery. Miss Brewer was brought to Montgomery in an automobile in which McKeithen is said to have left here several hours before. It was driven by a Negro porter at the depot, a chauffeur for McKeithen. Miss Brewer was detained at police headquarters after her alleged confession of the killing. Early Thursday night she was transferred to the county jail on a warrant charging murder. She maintained an unbroken silence insofar as making any statement for publication in regard to the tragedy. At police headquarters she declined to be interviewed by newspapermen and still refused to talk after being taken to jail. It was a gruesome staggering scene where the body was discovered, approximately 150 yards from the road to the rear of a Negro church. A dim winding path leading across a wire fence marked a part of the way toward the scene. For two hours or more the body remained in the isolated section of the woods. Because of the density of the growth the place is virtually obscured from view from any distance. Sheriff's forces, the coroner, and others visited the scene soon after the report of the killing reached Montgomery. The officers removed a silver watch, a handkerchief, keys, and about $3.50 in money from the trouser pockets of the dead man. Letters and a magazine were also found. The contents of the letters were not made public. Neither coroner John J. Diffly nor the other investigators offered any statement that threw light on the killing. The coroner said Thursday night that he was continuing his investigation in an effort to entirely clear the case, which caused rumors that the officers may not be fully satisfied with the alleged explanation as to the manner in which McKeithen met his death. Miss Brewer was transferred from the police station to the jail by the sheriff. Her mother accompanied her to the compartment in the jail. Two revolvers are held in the case, Miss Brewer is said to have delivered one pistol to the police when she arrived in Montgomery. It was a 32 caliber. The killing apparently occurred about 1:30 o'clock Thursday afternoon. C.W. Bond, a farmer living a short distance away, said he heard the report of a revolver in the woods at that time in the afternoon. The girl, when brought before Desk Sergeant T.E. Williamson at police headquarters Thursday afternoon, stated that her name was Mildred Willis Brewer. The police official entered this name on the police blotter, and gave her age at 15 years. The girl is known, it is said, among her relatives as "Mints" Brewer. She is the granddaughter of the late Col. Willis Brewer, former congressman from this district. Her mother who was formerly Miriam Brewer, who married the late Ware Brown who was the father of the girl who is held on a charge of murder. The mother is now Mrs. Frank Richardson, and resides on the Hayneville Road, about a mile from the scene of the shooting. Miss MacMillan, who is acting probation officer at present, has charge of the girl during her detention at police headquarters. A letter was given the officer by the girl to be given to the girl's mother. "Just give the note to mother," said the girl to Miss MacMillan. Miss MacMillan said that she had read a letter or two, alleged to have been written by McKeithen to Mildred Willis Brewer. "The contents of the letter were horrible for a man to write to such a young girl," said Miss MacMillan. The young girl held on the murder charge was dressed in riding habit, and shortly after the arrival of Miss MacMillan requested her to secure clothes for a change. "The girl did not appear excited in the least, only said that she did not want to go through the streets in the riding clothes," said Miss MacMillan. Coroner John Diffly examined several witnesses at the scene of the shooting, and also questioned several Negroes living in the vicinity of the shooting. Late Thursday night, coroner Diffly stated that he had been unable to reach a decision in the matter. "Just say that the investigation is being continued," said Coroner Diffy, "and the girl is held on a charge of murder, following her own confession that she killed McKeithen. The warrant for the girl's arrest was sworn out from the sheriff's department. McKeithen leaves a widow, Mrs. Mildred Brewer Russell McKeithen; four sisters, Mrs. Rebecca Barber, Birmingham; Mrs. Bessie Jackson, Coosada; Mrs. Rivers Outlaw, Chicago; and Mrs. Mary Eller Russell, of Thomaston and his father, J.D. McKeithen, of Robinson Springs. Mr. McKeithen moved from Montgomery to Robinson Springs about a year ago. Mr. McKeithen was thirty-six years of age, and had resided in this locality practically his entire life. He was union station baggage agent for many years. He was Catholic and attended St. Andrews Church. Requiem mass will be held Friday morning at 7:30 o'clock, and the body will be carried to the residence of J. D. McKeithen, at Robinson Springs, where services will be continued and interment will take place in the family burial grounds there. Services will be conducted by Rev. Father P.S. English, and the following will act as pallbearers, Sidney Clark, Terry Hardaway, Ed Hales, John F. Mulvoy, Harvey Blue, and John Patterson. Henry Payne, a Negro porter in the baggage room of the terminal station, who drove Mr. McKeithen to the point where he lost his life was found by Advertiser representatives at his home late Thursday night. Payne said he left with Mr. McKeithen in the latter's automobile at about 9:30 o'clock Thursday morning and that when he reached the point where Mr. McKeithen desired to stop he parked the car behind a church. The girl, dressed in the uniform of a soldier, met McKeithen and the two walked away into the woods, the Negro said. Payne waited sometime for McKeithen, according to his story, became drowsy and shortly before 12 o'clock fell asleep. He said he waked up shortly after 1 o'clock and looked at his watch. He said he heard one pistol shot in the woods at a distance, which he estimated at 150 yards. "I paid no attention to the shot," said Payne, "as I thought they were down in the woods killing snakes. Sometime later the lady came up to the car and said: 'Drive me to town. He's dead.' 'What do you mean---he's dead? Did somebody shoot him?' I asked. She said again: 'He's dead' and that was her only remark. "She told me to bring her to town and to the police station, which I did. When I reached the police station she stayed in the car until someone came down. Then she told the person that came down that someone was dead and she wanted an officer to go with her. She was searched and when the pistol was found on her the police locked her up." Payne said that he carried McKeithen to the church three or four times previous to Thursday, and that the girl always dressed in the uniform of a soldier met him at the church. He said that his last preceding trip with McKeithen was made Tuesday. "On your other trips, did McKeithen always stay as long as he stayed this time?" Payne was asked by an Advertiser representative. "No, he did not; he always returned to the car in a short time," answered Payne. Payne said that he had been employed at the baggage room of the union station twenty-nine months.