The age-herald., 1899-03-22
YEAR IN ADDITION
 TO LIFE SENTENCE ParidoxicaI Procedure in United States Court Yesterday. TWOCELEBRA TED PRISONERS Sentence Day With Judge Bruce-Ens- ley Liquor Case Before Judge
 Coleman-$ Damage
 Suit in City Court.
TWOCELEBRA TED PRISONERS

The rather paradoxical procedure of sentencing a man to an additional years Imprisonment after life sentence had al- ready been passed upon him took place in the United States court yesterday when Chess and Walter Notes, who were con victed of Illicit distlllng at the present term of the court were sentenced by Judge Bruce to one year and one day imprison- ment each in the state penitentiary at Nashville and to pay a fine of $l00.
 It will be remembered that the two Notes boys were members of the famous gang of Talladega county moonshners which were convicted last fall of the mur- der of w. A. Thompson, a government witness, and sentenced to life imprson- ment in the state penitentiary at Raleigh, N. .. Sentence was suspended pending an appeal to the United States supreme court, which will shortly be heard. In the mean time, the prisoners were being held in the county jail in this city.
 FITS. Chapter of the Story
 At the spring term of the United Stales court last year indictments were returned against the 1lotes boys and several others living in the same neighborhood, charging them with illicit distiling. line prineipa
 
 son, father-in-law of Chess Notes. Who came to Birmingham to testify before the grand Jury.
 While returning home through the lonely mountain passes of Talladega county Thompson was brutally murdered and his body left in the lonely path where 1t was found two days later by his son, who had been in search of his father, who was long overdue.
 For time there was no clue to the per petrators of the foul deed, but the case was finally placed in the hands of Special Agent Bell of the department of justice. who caused the arrest of Chess Notes, John Littlejohn, Bob Taylor and Dodger Biankensnp, wno were brought to this city and were given a preliminary hearing before United States Commissioner H. A. Wilson
 Taylor's Confession
 During the progress of the hearing Bob Taylor one of the defendants, took the stand and caused a sensation by turning states evidence, in which he implicated his fellow prisoners and also Walter Notes and Jasper Robinson, who were in attend ance upon the court as witnesses for the defense. Taylor told a revolting story of the crime graphically detailing every nei- dent of the blood-curdling murder, which he stated had been previously planned. The prisoners were held to the grand jury without Ddll, anu tHc Adh lCi III NSiC indicted and after a sensational trial were found guilty and sentenced to life impriSon- ment with the exception of Taylor who was given short term for having turned states evidence.
 The cases of illicit distilling, in which Thompson was a witness were still pend- ing, and at the present term the Notes boys wtrc placed upon trial and convicted of the charge They will be taken to Nashville to serve the last sentence, and should the su preme court in the meantime affirm the life sentence they will be transferred to the state penitentiary at Raleigh to spend the remainder of ther lives.
 Other Business
 Other prisoners were sentenced as fol- lows:
 John Surrett P. M. Morgan and Verlin Gibson, retail liquor dealing; three months Imprisonment and fine of $l00 and costs each.
 Frank Washington, robbing the mails; one year and one days imprisonment in the state pententary at Nashville and fine of $106 and costs.
 In the case of Will Walker, convicted of illicit distilllng, new trial was granted. The regular days docket was then taken up, and the following cases disposed of:
 ". J. Hooley and ". F. Jackson, adju- dicated bankrupts.
 J. Hugh Dunston, illicit distilling; jury and verdict of not guilty
 On the petition of Thomas Caruth & Co.,, an injunction was issued against the chan cery court of Cleburne county to stay all further proceedings instituted against the firm by the Thompson Grocery Company, which was also made a party to the in- junction.
 Circuit Court
 Judge Coleman was engaged during the entire day yesterday hearing the arguments in the case of the state of Alabama ex rel. W. H. Cummings. vs. J. P. Stiles, judge of probate, which went over until this morn- ing. The petitioner seeks to compel the probate judge to issue license for the sale of liquor In the city of Ensley. which was recently incorporated under the general laws. Judge Stiles refused to issue the H. cense on the ground that an act of Feb ruary IA. 1881, prohibiting the sale of whisky within three miles of the Pratt Mines school house was stll operative The hearing will probably he concluded this morning.
 city Court
 In the city court, Savannah and Sam Carpenter. administrators of the estate of Joe Carpenter. deceased. filed suit against the Tennessee Coal Iron and Railroad com pany for s10.0o0 as damages for the death of plaintiff int erstate. It Is alleged that death was caused by the explosion of gas I mine at B,octon on February 20, 1899, v,here deceased was at the time employed, and was due to the carelessness of defend- art company in not providing proper ven tilation.