Deputy Sheriff Baxter Arrested for Killing Fred Allison, Dec. 31, 1922

Hold Baxter Under Bond for Killing Allison. . . Take Deputy is Word Sent by Solicitor. . . Lincoln Sheriff Writes and Serves Warrant Charging Slaying. . . Gives $10,000 Bond. . . Huffman Acts After His Talk With Brother of the Slain Man

W.D. Baxter, deputy sheriff of Lincoln county, was arrested late Saturday night at his home, 15 miles from Lincolnton, by Sheriff Abernethy, who acted on instructions by wire from Solicitor R.L. Huffman at Morganton, to arrest the deputy on a charge of “feloniously slaying” Fred Allison, Charlotte automobile mechanic and alleged rum runner, who was killed Sunday night near Lincolnton.

Deputy Sheriff Baxter gave bond in the sum of $10,000 for his appearance to answer the charge.

This information was given out at midnight by Deputy Baxter, in a long-distance telephone conversatin with The Charlotte News.

Efforts by telephone exchange operators at Lincolnton to locate sheriff Abernethy up to 1 o’clock Sunday morning had proved unavailing. The News was informed by the night policeman at Lincolnton that the sheriff had gone to the home of Deputy Baxter and probably would not return until the early hours of the morning.

Deputy Baxter said his bondsmen were E.L. Beam, Tom P. Beam, John W. Houser, E.D. Best and J.C. Wehund.

The deputy said he was not informed of the next move the solicitor plans involving him. He added that he understood the solicitor is expecting to go to Lincolnton probably Tuesday after spending Monday at Charlotte in connection with the investigation of the Allison killing.

From the front page of The Charlotte News, Dec. 31, 1922