The age-herald., 1898-01-08
MURDER IN FIRST DECREE This Was the Verdict in the
 Pritchard Case. WAS SENTENCED FOR LIFE Considered Fortunate in Having Escaped the GaIIOws--FuII Account of the Killing of
 a Negro By John Starr.
Special to The Age-Herald


 Montgomery, Jan. 1.-The jury in the case of George Pritchard, the negro who murdered the negro editor and school teacher, Patterson, in the Columbus Street Baptist church here last July, brought in a verdict about noon today of murder in the first degree and assessed the penalty at life imprisonment. It is considered that Pritchard is exceedingly fortunate in hav- ing escaped the gallows. The jury had the case under consideration for almost twen- ty-four hours before they announced a verdict
 The cases of Revs. Stokes, Brown ct al., charged with having been consprators with Pritchard in the murder, were mol pressed
 The killing of negro last night by John Starr, a 22-year-old suburban storekeeper. which was buletined in brief way to the Age-Herald last night, has been the sub ject of considerable comment here today.
 The crime which MT. Starr conscientious ly believes himself justifable in having committed was the killing of Matthew Will Hams, a negro, near the formers store about 4:30 o'clock yesterday afternoon.
 According to the story of eye-witnesses the negro owed MT. Starr debt for goods, which the latter tried to collect about o'clock. They were at the store when the trial began, when the negro considered he had been insulted possibly, and to avenge the insult, as he thought, he threw several bricks at MT. Starr, striking him on the head and in the back. Starr picked up his shotgun, snapped it at his assailant, who walked away towards his house, about fifty yards distant. AS he retreated, he continued to throw bricks at MT. Starr, who finally leveled his gun again and fired. The negro had got inside the house, but was still throwing bricks, and the contents of the gun, going, it is said, through window, taking off nearly one-half the head.
 Starr was placed under arrest by Mount ed Officers Taylor and Taylor, who after ward turned him over to Sheriff Parks
 Coroner Stokes was summoned, but he deemed it unnecessary to hold an inquest. Special correspondence from Bestor, Ala, to the Montgomery Journal says: Last Friday night was watch night" at the local Methodist church. large number having assembled and began to sing the old-fashioned and touching hymns, they were rudely interrupted by the entrance of a crowd of inebrated young men. One of the young men drove the organist from the instrument and began to play Hot Times in the Old Town Tonight" the other young men joining in in very loud key. The person who had been leading the meeting asked the young men to de- sist, saying they were in the house of God One of the invaders said that "cut no ice," and the invaders remained until 1898 was ushered in.
 The Builders and Painters Supply com pany has satisfactorily arranged with it's creditors, and has reopened its store on Commerce street. The firm has been public spirited one, and its resumption is a matter of general congratulation here.
 The supreme court met today, but ad- journed until Monday without handing down any decisions.