Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1896-03-05
TWO CAPITAL CONVICTIONS
Terribly Cruel Convict Murder
to Be Avenged.
ANOTHER MI RDERER GETS IT
Stories of Crime of Negroes in This County.
Deputy Woods SIayers Being Pun
ished-0ther Court News.
ANOTHER MURDERER GETS IT
.ath for two mnrderers!

Death for two murderers,
That is the criminal courts record thus
far this week.
The grim scaffold at the county jail
which has been the awful scene of the exit
for many hardened criminals, has had
long rest But capital punishment on the
gallows is soon to claim two more vic
Tins. They are John Walton and Will
Smith, both negroes.
The first received the full verdict of the
law Tuesday evening.
His Crime.
In February, hardly month ago, wal
ton was a convict at Coalburg, where he
was sent to work out two-year SEN
tence for grand larceny. These mines
are operated by the Sloss Iron and Steel
company. Walton had a fellow convict,
Jasper Thornton, as his "biddy," or sub
ordinate, in the task work given out to
the convcts. Both negroes were sent up
from Jefferson county on charges of
grand larceny. On this morning in Feb
ruary it seems that Thornton was not
well. Walton had sent Thornton in his
.room," or mining compartment. to load
his task of tram cars. The smoke in the
room made Thornton sick, it is said. and
he came out into the open air for relief,
which one of the mine bosses permitted.
Presently Walton came along and quar-
relied over the mans apparent idleness,
and Notwithstanding the sick mans ex-
cuse Walton sent him back to work. Later
on Walton went into the room where
Thornton was at work and shortly after
wards Thornton came running out fol-
lowed by Walton.
Thornton ran to Jack Johnston, one of
the bosses, and asked for protection, but
before it could be given Walton struck
him cruel blow in the mouth with his
pick. The injured man then fled to Bob
Beatty, another boss, who told Walton to
let Thornton alone, and ordered Thorn
ton back to his ROOM AS he was going
Walton raised his pick again and in
f1lcted slight wound in Thorntons
shoulder. Beatty took the pick from Wal
ton then and Thornton went back to
work. Walton made a threat then, 1t is
said, that he would kill Thornton. Some
time afterwards Walton went to Thorn
toms room and found two loaded cars of
coal. He compelled Thornton to push
them into the corridor, and while Thorn
ton was doing so, bending over in a
erouching position, Walton stepped be-
hind his victim and drove the pick
through his head, killing him instantly
Walton will be sentenced Saturday.
The law provides that the date of execu
ton shall not be less than eight weeks
nor sooner than four weeks after SEN
tence, unless an appeal is taken. AS this
is not probable, 1t is likely that he will
expiate his heinous crime within three
months after 1t was committed, IL not
sooner.
Another Doomed Man.
Will Smith, murder.
In this case the jury returned YER
dict of guilty late yesterday afternoon.
Smith is charged with the murder of
Arthur T. Woods, a white man, who was
the special officer of the Sloss Iron and
Steel company g. Brooksde. The killing
occurred last July. Smith was arrested
in January last
The facts are these: A white man. Gus
Harris, and Charles Jenkins had a fight
in the company's quarters. The negroes
where Jenkins lived seemed to be bad
lot, and Superintendent Culverhouse de-
cided to pay them off and get rid of them.
He accordingly sent Deputy Woods to
notify the negroes of his discrimination.
Woods accompanied by N. e. Harris and
j. T. Baxter, went to the quarters to
serve this notice, when they were fired
on by a crowd of negroes in the house.
Woods fell at the first shot, and death
was immediate. Baxter was also shot,
and while Harris went for assistance the
negroes escaped
Seven have been arrested, four of whom
have been tried, namely: George Hill,
Charley Green, Jim Bridges and Will
Smith, receiving the respective verdiets
of twenty-five years, twenty years, i'm
prisonment for life, and death. The last
is considered the strongest case for the
state yet brought up for trial, as it was
proved that Smith had a rifle and was In
the crowd of negroes when the shooting
was done.
There. are three others to be tried now
in Jail, Wade Brockman, Laura Cook
and Charley Jenkins.
This is the first week in the history of
the court that two capital convictions
have been had in the criminal court.
City Court.
John Lambrie and James Scholes have
filed damage suit against the Soss Iron
and Steel company for $4,000 damages.
This is suit on a contract for furnish
ing coal from "B'' mine to defendants,
which was leased by plaintiffs from de-
PENDANTS in December, 1892. Plaintiffs
allege that $4,000 is due under the con-
tract.
The case of Edgar Smith VS.. Drennen