The age-herald., 1898-11-03
PREFERS DEATH TO LIFE IMPRISONMENT Rosa BuiOrd Wept When Informed Her Sentence Had Been Commuted.' DECLARES SHE IS INNOCENT Of the Crime for Which She WaS Convicted. : SHE BELIEVES GOD WILL SAVE HER Was Charged With Assisting in Grim inal Assault on Nellie Lawton at
 Decatur History of
 the Crime.
 
DECLARES SHE IS INNOCENT
SHE BELIEVES GOD WILL SAVE HER

Sheriff Ryan, of Morgan county, has been spared the unpleasant duty of hanging a woman. Governor Johnston has committed the sentence of death passed upon Rosa Buford, an eighteen-year-old negress, by the circuit court of that county, to lire Imprisonment in the penitentiary.
 The girl is at present in the county jail in this city, having been brought here some months ago for safe keeping.
 When she was informed yesterday that the governor had commuted her sentence, she wept bitterly, saying that she would rather hang than spend the rest of her days in prison, for a crime she had committed. She looked the picture of despair yester- day afternoon when an Age-Herald re- porter called at the jail to see her, and at first declined to talk Finally however, claimed:
 ''They tell me that they are going to take me away, but God will never let me sui fer for something did not do.
 q am innocent, and if I had had a trial I would be free. God has told me that I would not suffer- anAI believe it. but un- less they turn me loose I would rather they would hang me, for then my suffering would be over"
 Story of the Crime
 The crime for which the girl was con- victed of taking part in was committed near Decatur about eighteen months ago. Nellie Lawton, the 12-year-old daughter of a well known railroad man was criminally assaulted at her fathers home by Walter Neville and Lewis Thompson, two negro
 
 held her, while the negroes committed the assault.
 Neville and Lewis were arrested and placed in jail. The crime aroused the en- tire community and an attempt was made to lynch the negroes who were taken to Huntsville, about thirty miles distant. The infuriated people were not to be- out witted in any such manner and large bodies of men were organized and followed the prisoners. They again attempted to. lynch them An appeal was made to the governor and several. companies of state troops were ordered out to protect them. A special term of the circuit court was called and atrthe request of Judge Speak, of the Ninth district, Judge Banks of this city tried the cases
 About two months after the commission of the crime, Rosa Buford was arrested in Nashville and was taken to Huntsville where she was placed in jail
 The negroes were taken back to Hunts vile under a military guard and it is due largely to the vigilance of the officers and the firmness and detrmination of Judge Banks that they were not hanged during the trial. All three of the negroes were convicted and sentenced to hang.
 Were Brought to Birmingham
 After the trial they were Immediately brought to this county for safe keeping. The cases were appealed to the supreme court, and because the papers were not properly prepared and presented, Rosa Bu- ford's case was thrown out. Pending the hearing of the cases against Thompson and Nevile the governor granted her a respite. Some months ago the two boys were granted new trial.
 Several persons have interested them selves in the woman's case and an appeal was made to the governor to commute her sentence, unknown to her.
 The girl is above the average in inteli- gence and claims that she is innocent. She was at one time employed as servant at the Lawton residence, and says that she left Huntsville about seven weeks. be- fore the assault is said to have been com- mitted, claiming that she went to Nash vile where she was afterwards arrested
 Sheriff Ryan, of Morgan county, arrived in the city yesterday and returned to De- catur on the midnight train last night in charge of Thompson and Neville, who will be re-tried next week.