The Birmingham age-herald. [volume], April 05, 1913, Page 12, Image 12

About The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950

Image provided by: University of Alabama Libraries, Tuscaloosa, AL

                
FOUR FORFEIT LIVES
ON GALLOWS FRIDAY
AT MONTGOMERY
;Walter Jones, John Adams,
Arnold Gilmer and Cole
man German Hanged
JONES STRANGLES
TO DEATH SLOWLY
Marvelous Fortitude Displayed hy All
Four Men—Jones First to Ascend
the Callows—Brief Re
view of the Cases
Montgomery. April 4.—(Special.)—Two
tvhtte men and two negroes were hanged
In the Montgomery county Jail here to
day. They were Walter Jones and Ar
nold Gilmer, white, and John Adams and
Coleman Gorman, negroes. The crime
for which the men gave up their lives on
the gallows was murder.
Walter Jones expiated his crime on
the gallows for the murder of Sloan
Ttowagi, a prominent Ijowndes county
merchant. The killing occurred In the
union station here last July.
Arnold Gilmer w-as executed for the
murder of Mrs. laiclle Tippets. Gilmer
•hot the woman In a drunken frenzy.
John Adams paid the extreme penalty
of the law for the killing of Policeman
Berry', more than two years ago, and
Coleman German was hanged for the
murder of his sweetheart.
The hanging of Jones and Gilmer
marked the first time since the civil war
that a white man suffered the death sen
tence In Montgomery county, while four
executions on ths same day in the same
place Is believed to be without parallel
In the criminal history of the state.
Marvelous fortitude was displayed by
nil four men in the last moments of
their lives on earth. All four of them
were cool and collected at the end,
mounting the scaffold with a firm tread,
and displaying not the least evidence of
fear. They all declared that they had
made thetr peace with God and were
ready to go to the great beyond.
Jones was the first to mount the scaf
fold, and the trap was sprung by Dep
uty Sheriff Eugene Naftel at 6:18 o'clock.
1A grewsome spectacle was presented at
the Jones exeeution. The rope slipped,
COKER CASE UP AT,
Mrs. Leland, Who Lost Sight
as Result of Shooting,
Star Witness
Anniston. April 4.—(Special.)—Xiee Coker,
who was indicted by the last city court
rrand jury on two charges of murderous
assault and with carrying a concealed
weapon, will be arraigned for trial before
Judge Thomas W. Coleman, Jr., next
Monday. He is charged with having shot
Mrs. Lillian Iceland in the eyo, with tho
result that she completely lost her slg'ht
in that member.
Mrs. TJllian Leland Is . expected to be
the chief witness in the case, which has
attracted considerable attention, as all
of the persons connected with the affray
are well known.
Coker ia said to have gone to the home
of Mrs. Iceland's sister, a Mrs. Bradford,
where he created a. scene. He was ordered
to leave and on Ills refusal to do so w-as
engaged In a difficulty with Mr. Leland.
who knocked a revolver out of his hand
and thrashed him. On being allowed to
rise, however, he regained the revolver
and fired at Leland. The latter fell and
as he did so his wife ran forward, think
ing her husband, whom she had Just mar
ried about a week previous, had been
shot. Coker’s aim went astray and one of
the bullets penetrated the woman’s left
eyeball.
and gradually the condemned man was
strangled to death, the fall falling to
break his neck. Jones was not pro
nounced dead until 6:54 o’clock, hanging
by his neck for 35 minutes before the
end came.
The next man to ascend, the scaffold
was Arnold Gilmer. Gilmer was pro
nounced dead In 14 minutes after the trap
was sprung. Then in rapid succession
John Adams and Coleman German met
their death, Adams dying In 14 minutes
after he fell and German in 16 minutes.
Altogether it took the four men 80 min
utes to die.
History of Crimes
Walter Jones’ crime is considered the
greater of the four for which the men
were put to death. He entered a pas
senger coach of the Western Hallway of
Alabama while the train stood in the
union station on the night of July 16, 1912.
and fired a load of buckshot Into the
body of Sloan Rowan, a prominent mer
chant and business man of Benton,
Bowndes county.
Jones was arrested and an Indictment
returned within 24 hours. Bess than two
weeks after the crime was committed
Jones 'had been declared guilty*of murder
in the first degree and sentenced to death.
The convicted man appealed, but the su
preme court affirmed the case. An ap
plication for rehearing was made. It
was denied. The state board of pardons
j Fragrant with the Breath of Eternal Youth J
THE LOVERS
OF SKYE
A New Novel by
FRANK WALLER ALLEN
A Joyous, open-airy love story, as refreshing as
the morning breezes and as bright as the summer s
sun, that will make you smile with happy satisfaction
and feel the thrill of abiding pleasure.
It tells of the rebirth of romance in a little, old
fashioned Kentucky hamlet that had been laid away
in lavender so long that courtships- had become as
rare as hobble-skirts and “love marriages’’ as impos
sible as the Tango. f
Abounding in gentle humor, poetic fancy, and
charming play of thought, it ripples along as spontan- !
eously as the beautiful Ohio along whose shores the
scenes are laid |
PictureJ ty Z. P. Nikola# and W. B. King. At all Boo#ellen. Price $ I net
mm INDIANAPOLIS ; THE BOBBS-MERRILL CO- Publisher. . NEW YORK —
Do You Know?
That a woman of Birmingham has built a house
and store with her own hands? Mrs. J. B. Reid will
tell about it in Sunday’s Age-Herald, presenting
an unusual interview with an unusual woman.
* * #
The Sunday Age-Herald always makes an es
pecially strong appeal to women readers.
* * *
Karl Kaffer is a very bright Alabama woman
who is too modest to use her real name. Tomorrow
she will have another of her prose rhymes under
the title “The Poetry Man and Songs of Ye Olden
Time.”
Dolly Dalrymple presents an illustrated inter
view with Emile Levy, now a Birmingham citizen
and intimate friend of the great violinist Ysaye.
* *
Marion Harland writes about “The Trained
iNurse in the Home.”
Laura Jean Libbey will tell tomorrow “Some of
the Causes Which Break Up Homes.”
* * •*
But aside from the wide range of subjects cov
ered by women writers, The Sunday Age-Herald
Vdll be full of notable features by men.
You can keep up with what the whole world is
(doing by reading The Sunday Age-Herald.
* * *
By the way, Bill Vines has an amusing article
tomorrow on “President Wilson and the Office
Seekers.” -
FEELING INTENSE
IN THE HILL TRIAL
—
Detective to Be Tried Today
in Anniston Charged
With Murder
Anniston, April 4.--(Special.)--In tense
feeling has been manifested by the two
factions that have grown up as a result
of t,he killing of Lee Carson at Jack
sonville a short time ago, and It Is said
that tht» authorities will take special
precautions to prevent trouble when the
case is brought to trial in this city be
fore Justice C. D. Cryer Saturday.
Owing to the fact that the accounts of
the affray are widely divergent. It Is
doubtful if the taking of testimony can
be. concluded In one day, as about 30 wit
nesses have been summoned.
C. W. Hill, the man accused of the
alleged murder, is still in jail here. His
attorneys state that an attempt will be
made to secure his release on bond on i
a plea of self-defense, it being alleged
that he was knocked down and severely
beat by Carson before he shot the latter
in the abdomen. Hill Is a detective of
the Wiggins agency of Birmingham, and
had been employed to break up the al- !
leged sale of liquor at the Profile cotton
mills.
W. I. Greenleaf, manager of the mills,
and Will Carson, a brother of the dead
man, came near having a personal en
counter on the streets of Anniston a few
days after the shooting at Jacksonville
and a case is pending in the police court
here against Carson, who is charged with
disorderly conduct.
last Monday reported by Governor O’Neal
that it could see no reason why the sen
tence should he commuted and Governor
O Neal announced that unless new evi
dence was found he could not substitute
life imprisonment for the penalty given
by the jury.
During the trial the fact was brought
out that Jones killed Rowan because he
feared he would be the means of bring
ing out evidence that would be against
Jones in the trial of a case charging
Jones with aiding in burning several
stores at Benton and being interested in
other crimes, including illegal whisky sell
ing. Jones’ defense was that he killed
Rowan because Rowan circulated reports
that Henry P. Vrandlver, a prominent
Montgomery business man, had been Inti
mate with (Jones') wife. The Jury threw
aside the defendant’s plea of not guilty
and ordered him executed for the crime.
Appeal after appeal to Governor O’Neal
was made In Jones’ behalf, but t'he one
which acted against him was the request
of Mrs. Rowan that the law be allowed
j to exact "eye for eye and tooth for tooth’
and that. Jones be required to suffer the
I death that was forced on her husband
' by Jones’ bullets.
“Never Had Chance”
Born in a poorhouae and never allowed
the association furnished by those trained
to respect law were Arnold Gilmer’s pleas
in justification of 'his crime, but the law
said ho was guilty of murder in the first
degree when he shot and killed Mrs.
Lucille Tippets in a rooming house on
Madison avenue December 23, 1911—two
days before Christmas.
Gilmer all along maintained that he
was intoxicated and out of his normal
condition when he killed Mrs. Tippets.
•‘And 1 never would have done it had I
known,” Gilmer has said time and again.
Gilmer was a cabinet maker one time,
then he became a bartender at a saloon.
He has always been regarded a~s a “bad
character” and was often docketed at
police headquarters, one time being ar
rested for highway robbery.
Efforts were made to secure a com
mutation for Gilmer, but the pardon
board refused to recommend it and
Governor O’Neal said he could not in
terfere unless mitigating evidence was
presented by Gilmer’s attorneys. Such
evidence could not be secured.
Adams Convicted Twice
John Adams killed T. W. Berry,
mounted policeman, October 6, 1910,
when the officer attempted to arrest
him to answer a trivial charge. For
several days it was thought a mob
would attempt to kill Adams and mil
itary men were kept about the county
jail. Adams was wounded in the fight
with Policeman Berry and physcians
said he would not recover.
He was convicted early in 1911 and]
given a death sentence. He appealed and
secured a new trial on a technicality.
He was convicted again and again he
appealed. This time the supreme court
issued an affirmative order. Adams
asked a rehearing. It was denied. He
appealed to the hoard of pardons. The
pardon board refused to recommend
commutation. Governor O’Neal was
asked to exercise the power granted by
the legislature. “Bring new evidence,”
said the governor, and Adams’ hope
failed here. There was no new evidence.
Two years passed between the time
the crime wfas committed and the date
for the second trial. In the meantime,
Adams’ attorneys worked night and day
to secure evidence and witnesses that
could strengthen their case. New wit
nesses appeared in the second ease, but
the verdict was not altered. "You arc
guilty," said the jury.
Adams’ attorneys for several days dis
cussed the advisability of carrying the
case to the supreme court of the United
States because Judge Armstead Brown
refused to grant Adams’ request for a
change of venue and told Adams, in
sentencing him to death, that he had
received a fair trial and had been given
justice by the jury.
Killed Negro Woman
Coleman German killed Pet Robinson,
negro woman, al London, in tile spring
of 1012. Witnesses swore that, he saw
the woman and remarked: "I am going
to kill that — — —and he fired a
bullet into her body. German appealed
to the supreme court, but a new trial
was refused. He requested a commu
tation, and Governor O'Neal and the
board of pardons would not change the
Jury's order.
The four men several days ago de
clared that they had made peace with
their Maker and were ready to go.
Jones and German were confirmed by
the Catholic church of Montgomery
several weeks ago. German was bap
tised into the First Baptist church
(negro) by the pastor last week, and
Adams has been a member of the church
«inre lie was sentenced to death the
first time.
Many citizens appealed for the lives
of the men, but others—a majority, it
Is thought—wanted the law to take its
course. Governor O'Neal took groat In
terest in the trial and conviction of
Jones, and lie was anxious to avenge
the murders and uphold the law. In his
statement made public when he refused
to commute the sentences last week.
Governor O'Neal said the appeal of
relatives and friends of Jones. Gilmer
and the negroes were touching, but
that the interest of citizens had to he
protected and the jury's verdicts up
held.
Suits Filed
Til© following were among the suits
filed yesterday in the city court:
Hester Oberg vs. Tennessee Coal, Iron
and Railroad company. $3000 damages
claimed for alleged personal injuries.
Charlie Ball vs. Louisville and Nash
ville Railroad company. $3000 damages
claimed for alleged personal injuries.
K. E. Donovan vs Birmingham Rail
way, Light and Power company, $10,
000 damages claimed for alleged per
sonal Injuries.
Ed Lowe vs. Birmingham Railway,
Light and Power company, $3000 dam
: iepi claimed for alleged personal In
juries.
i 1 '
Loveman, Joseph & Loeb
Loveman, Joseph & Loeb
I
Loveman, Joseph & Loeb
The Men’s Store Has Made
Special Purchases
for This Sale Today
Men Can Save Real Money
Saturday on Shirts, Ties,
Handkerchiefs, Night Shirts
Mon who buy furnishings in a department store
expect more for their money—their highest expec
tations will not be disappointed here today.
Men who have not time to come here would do «
well to send their women folks to see these special t
i
economies. ^
Special Purchase 25 Dozen ^
MEN’S WHITE SHIRTS, $1.15
Worth $1.50, for 1
Plain or pleated Shirts. Made of first quality cambric. Cuffs attached. Coat style.
Pleated Shirts are much desired in small, fine pleats.
Special purchase all-silk solid colored Four-in-Hand Ties
in new Spring and Summer colors. Same ^ P* q
Rep silk as in 50c Ties, for
25c Linen Hand
kerchiefs, 3 for
Men’s full size, pure linen Handkerchiefs,
with small, neat hem.
SPECIAL
NIGHT SHIRTS
Soft, cool Summer Night Shirts, perfect
ly plain or trimmed. Made without collars
in full, unskimped sizes.
(Men’s Store, Main Floor)
Demonstration
Talking Machine
Record free today
in Music Rooms
Free to owners of Vic
trola or Grafonola—Can
be used on either.
(Third Floor)
Are you reading Marion
Harland’s Recipes in the
Age-Herald?
In the Book Store today, as long
as 100 copies will last, we will
sell Marion Harland’s Complete
Cook Books, pub
lished to sell at $2
a copy, for
(Book Store, Main Floor)'
Diamonds
Strict adherence to
correct standards of
cutting, and main
tainance of our supe
rior qualities pur
chased from reliable
brokers and selling at
a moderate profit,
makes it possible to
offer unusual advan
tages to those wish
ing to purchase dia
monds.
(Jewelry, Main Floor)
Loveman,
Joseph & Loeb
Usual
Saturday
Music Sale,
The iM'Nf mill uewcNt
of (he popular nook hit*
puhllnhed to *ell at -5<*
and 50c a copy.
“Tenneimee Moon”
“Snooky OokuniM”
“Good Ylglit, Yurwc”
“Melancholy”
“Find Me a Girl”
“Till the Sand* of the
llewert Grow Cold”
“Trail of the Louenome
Pine”
“Lovely Lane”
“Dl»le*w Promlwe"
“When I Lost Yon”
“I nderneath the Cotton
Moon”
“Here Contew My Daddy
Yow”
“Ole Mammy”
“Then 1*11 Stop Loving
Y uu"
“Come Down, Mr. Moon
“Yot Till Then”
“Come Dowu Mr. Moou
Man”
“In Yoriland”
“That** How I Yeed
Yon”
“When the Mldutght
Choo-Choo Leaven for
Yin ham”
Book Store, Main Floor
NOTIFYING STOCKHOLDERS
OF ALABAMA CONSOLIDATED
Referee Edward H. Dryer yesterday
was busy mailing out notices to the pre
ferred stockholders of the bankrupt Ala
bama Consolidated Coal and Iron com
pany, who prior to the date of the decree
issued Thursday, have not subscribed to
the plan of reorganization, as is to be car
ried out by the reorganization commit
tee, Joshua Levering, chairman. These
notices, in accordance with one of the
terms of the decree, gave notice to these
preferred stockholders that they could
come into tlie reorganization plan and
share In the future business of the com
pany within 30 days from the issuing of
the decree. This matter is one of the
modifications placed in the plan of sale
by United States Judge William I. Grubb
before he would approved the offer made
by the reorganization committee.
In connection with the settlement of
the long drawn out negotiations in regard
to the sale of the property of the plants
to the reorganization committee, it'was
stated yesterday that too much credit
could not be given to Harry W. Coffin
and W. E. Leake, the two Birmingham
men who have been conducting the af
fuirs of the company since it was thrown
into the bankruptcy courts. Mr. Leake
arid Mr. Coffin were at first made re
ceivers of the company and later
Mr. Coffin was named trustee and
Mr. Leake assistant trustee. Under their
management, it Is stated, the affairs of
the bankrupt concern have been conducted
upon a high plane and after good busi
ness policies, with the result that the
plantH have been operating at a profit
and, according to the decree of the
court the plan of sale made Thursday is
the best possible deal that could have
I teen made for all parties concerned. Re
ports are now In circulation /hat Mr.
Coffin will be made president <M the re
organized company.
The transfer of the deed is expected by
April 20 and the new company In opera
tion In the course of two or three weeks.
laaAaaaMMaaaMaaMMM****************************
Following His Arrest on
Warrant Sworn Out by
Policewoman
Supernumerary Policeman C. S. Price
was dropped from the police rolls yes
yerday morning and his badge taken
away by Chief Bodeker following Price’s
arrest on a warrant Thursday evening by
Policewoman Elizabeth Hutchinson,
charging him with conduct unbecoming
an officer.
Price is at present out on $5000 bond
and his hearing will ho conducted in
Judge Benners’ court Friends of Price
assert that the deposed policeman will
be able to clear himself of the charge.
PERSONAL
Accompanied by E. o. Toombs, local
managed. 30 agents of the New York Idle
Insurance company left yesterday morn
ing for Richmond, where they are to at
tend a meeting of tin agents of that
company. T-hev occupied a private Pull
man on the Binning ham Special for Rich
mond*
JURIES DISCHARGED
AT HUNTSVILLE
Large Number of Criminal
Cases Disposed of in the
Equity Court
Huntsville. April 4.-(8peeial.)-The
juries of the week In the law and equity
court have been discharged and the court
has finished practically all of the work
of the present term. Saturday Judge
Rallentlne will hear a motion lor a new
trial in the case of Percy Hrooks, con
victed of attempted criminal assault, on
a young school teacher and Brooks will
he sentenced. The court will also render
a decision on the demurrers against the
Indictments In about a dozen eases In
which well known citizens are charged
with buying votes in the last city elec
tion. The term of court just ending has
disposed of a large number of criminal
cases Which have been pending for some
lime. _ ,
A petition in Involuntary bankruptcy
has been filed In the federal court here
li.v Kalin. Telhelmer & Co., of t Incinnatl.
against Chandler Bros. & Watts, a large
mercantile firm at Haneeviue,
Tlie Maker Planing mill, which was de
stroyed by fire in January, \» being re
built ou Green street ou a larger scale
Abercrombie Appoints Ma
rion Institute Student
to Annapolis
Marion, April 4.—(SpecIal.)—News lias
.Hist been received in Marlon that Con
gressman Abercrombie has appointed R.
•J* Johnston of the Marion insti
tute to the Naval academy. Young
Johnston lias made a brilliant record as
a student in the army and navy course
at Marion and he will leave college next
week for ills entrance examinations.
than before. It will be housed in a sub
stantial building and will employ 25 men.
4
Marion Grocer Arrested on
Warrant From Clerk of
the Circuit Court
r?Wv
Marion, April 4.—(Special.)—.1. W. Cun
ningham. manager of the Dozier Grocery
and Hardware company, was arrested on
a warrant from the clerk of the circuit
court at Cullman this afterioon charged
with arson and carried to Cullman to
night. Mr. Cunningham wras manager of
the Welbourne Mercantile company at
Cullman that was destroyed hy fire dur
ing the holidays.
Time For Light Weight
Underwear—Buy Today
—Slaughters'
—This spring we’ve secured the best and handsomest line
of UNDERWEAR we’ve ever been iii position to offer you.
—The fabrics are right for wear and to keep you COOL.
The garments are cut on generous, full lines—:and to fit.
Short or long sleeves; knee or ankle lengths.
A Big Underwear Special,
the garment
Extra good nainsook or pongee. Coat shirt and short
sleeves; knee drawers. An unusually good Underwear val
ue; in fact, a quality you’d hardly
expect at (the garment) . vVFv
Other Underwear at $2.00 to $3.00 the Suit
JOE & LEE SLAUGHTER
TAILORS—HATTERS—FURNISHERS
113 and 115 N. 19th Street
0 f ... ' - 1.