The age-herald., 1898-02-04
MRS. MASSEY
 IN BIRMINGHAM She Hill Not Testify Unless Forced
 to Do So. CAME HERE FOR SECLUSI0N Her Whereabouts First Discovered By
 The AS0-Herald. DECLINES TO BE INTERVIEWED And Her Relatives Will Not Answer Ques tion-lt is Thought if Forced
 She Will Appear for
 the State.

A woman bowed down in grief and try ing to escape further connection with one of the bloodiest tragedies that ever plotted Aabama's criminal annals, Mrs. Kate Miller Massey. came to Birmingham from Greenyille.
 It is supposed that Mrs. Massey intended to elude the attorneys both for the state and defense, who want her to testify in the trial of John Gafford for the killing of Francis Barlow Lloyd which is set for to- day at Greenvlle.
 She did not remain in hiding long. The Age-Herald was appraised of her presence and on the Fist of January contained an interview with her. She not only refused to state on which side she would testify in the impending trial, but also refused to have anything whatever to say about the matter. She then politely told the reporter that the interview was at an end.
 Most Important Witness
 She is unquestionably the most important witness both for the state and for the de- fense, and it is supposed that she has been subpoenaed by both sides. It is evident that Mrs. Massey does not intend to testi-
 
 the time of the murder all the newspaper accounts stated that she would protect Lloyd's character and her own even though her testimony hung her brother. Whatever Mrs. Massey's intentions were at that time or whatever they are at present, she quietly left Greenville and endeavored to hide herself away from public gaze and remain in seclusion, if possible
 Dispatches from Greenvlle say that Mrs. Massey is supposed to be in Birmingham. She is in Birmingham unless she departed last night to be present at the trial, which begins today. An Age-Herald reporter sought an interview with her yesterday afternoon, but this was positively refused. Her brother-in-law would not admit that she was in Birmingham, but it was learned from other authoritative sources that she was here, and it is thought that she will remain in seclusion until forced out by law.
 Cannot Force Her
 It is said that under the Alabama law a witness in criminal case cannot be com- pelled by the defense to attend trial in person if he or she is at the time residing at a distance of over 100 miles from the place of trial, but the testimony can bo gotten by deposition. The state, 1t is claim ed, is not permitted to take depositions in this manner, and any witness, no matter in what part of the state they reside, may be forced to attend in person.
 According to this construction, Mrs. Mas sey will be forced to leave Birmingham for the attorneys for the prosecution are push ing the case vigorously, and they, with the powerful public sentiment in Green vile urging them on, will not leave stone unturned that will aid in sending Gafford to the scaffold.
 Miller Her Correct Name
 The name which she now bears, that of Massey, Is that of her first husband, by whom she had one daughter, who is now living at North Birmingham. She after ward married man named Miller, by whom she had several children and from whom she was divorced. Miller was found to have another family living elsewhere. In South Alabama she is now known as Mrs. Miller, but here, in order to more effectual- ly conceal her Identity she subjoined her two names and is known as Mrs. Kate Miller Massey