The age-herald., 1899-06-11
FAMOUS DECATUR
 CASE REVIVED Thompson and Neville Taken to Lawrence County, CHANGE OF VENUE GRANTED Two Negroes. With the Aid of Rosa Buford, Are Alleged to Have As- saulted Young White
 Girl
CHANCE OF VENUE GRANTED

Lewis Thompson end Walter Neville. the two negroes, who with Rosa Buford an 1S- year-old negro girl, were brought to this city and placed in the county jail on Au- gust 8, 1897, for safe keeping, under sen tence of death for criminally assaulting little Nellie Lawton at Decatur, and who were subsequently granted a new trial by the supreme court were yesterday taken to Lawrence county to be retried, change of venue having been granted to that county.
 Sheriff Walter Robertson. of Lawrence county. come in person for the prisoners, who were turned over to him by Sheriff O'Brien who has had them in custody nearly two years
 Great indignation was aroused in Decatur at the time the alleged crime was com mitted, and threats of lynching necessi- tated the removal of the prisoners to Huntsville. An attempt was made to reach them in the Huntsville jail by a crowd of determined men from Decatur and Cover nor Johnston was appealed to and ordered Company K, of this city, to the scene. The presence of the militia quieted matters and the prisoners were brought to this county and held in jail until a special term of the circuit court of Morgan county could be arranged when they were taken back to Decatur for trial.
 Were Sentenced to Han.
 Judge J. J. Banks of this city, then judge of the Tenth Judicial circuit, presided over the special term of the court A grand jury was organized, and after short investiga- tion returned indictments against all three of the negroes, charging rape. The trials ' began on Friday, July 30, and in each in- stance verdicts of guilty were returned against the prisoners, who were sentenced to hang on September ', 1897.
 The most sensational feature of the cases was the charge of Judge Banks, who de- clared in open court in quieting a disturb- ance raised by negroes, that this is a white mans government, a white mans town, which will be run by white men, and you negroes had better go home and stay there.'
 The negroes were placed on board freight train as soon the trials were over and were brought to this city and lodged in the county jail for safe keeping to prevent lynching.
 The cases of Thompson and Neville were appealed to the supreme court and the judgment of the Morgan county court was reversed and new trials granted.
 Rosa Buford's case was debarred from the supreme court by neglect, but an appeal was made to the governor, who commuted her sentence to life imprison- ment, which she is now serving in the penitentiary at Wetumpka.
 Was a Revolting Crime
 The crime which the negroes are charged with having committed, if true, was one of the most horrible in the history of the state, but fin the face of circumstances surrounding the case some doubt has been expressed as to their guilt.
 Rosa Buford, the negro girl, was em- ployed by MT. Lawton father of the little girl who, it Is claimed was assaulted by the two men in the absence of her father, while she was held by the negress.
 All three of the negroes stOutly maintain ed their innocence, and claimed that the charge was made against them fin spirit of revenge. Rosa Buford claims that MT. Lawton, the father of the little girl, fre- ouently had improper relations with her, and threatened to get even with her if she left his employ, which she spoke of doing.
 According to her story she did leave and went to Nashville, where she claims to have been when the alleged crime was com mitted. and where she was afterwards ar rested and taken back to Decatur.
 The term of the Lawrence county court begins tomorrow, and Thompson and Me- vile will probably be tried at once