The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-06-01


great effort that he assembled the steps
leading up into the court room.
On reaching the bar the prisoner found
the judge, clerk and solicitor and but
few spectators. He glanced nervously
around the court room, drew a long
breath, took his seat and tried in vain
to compose himself much as possible,
but one under so great a mental strain
requires an iron nerve to accomplish this
feat. which Williams does not possess.
Pronounces the Awful Words.
Everything in readiness Judge d. w.
Speake in a clear and distinc. voice and
with perfect compusure pronounced the
words. prescribed by law, that will. bar
ring all accidents and interferences from
a higher court, seal the doom of John
Williams. The execution was set for
July "A, 1905.
Son Offero to Expiate Crime.
The eldest son of the defendant was, as
heretofore, an attendant, and at that
juncture of the death sentence where are
pronounced the words hung by the neck
until you are dead dead, dead and may
the Lord have mercy on your soul"
williams collapsed completely, the son
came over to him father and son fell
upon each others shoulders and wept
bitterly thus furnishing a heart-rending
scene that, though vile as he brought
tears to the eyes Of many of the hardest
harted spectators
| Turning to Sheriff ORear and Deputy
Dunlap the son of Williams asked that
he himself might expiate the crime ON the
gallows in his fathers stead
Prisoner Regans Composure.
nj. tu,, t.,ly
the Jail, a death watch placed over him
| and in the course of an hour, when he
! seemed to collect some composure, your
! correspondent in company with Leonard
| j. Wagner, photographer, visited the jail
| and took a likeness of the unfortunate
man and Intercepted him closely regard
| ing the finding Of the court.
| When asked whether or not he thought
| he deserved the punishment placed upon
him, he replied that he didn't think that
| he did but | don't want TO talk much
| now. | am afraid | may say something
| injurious to my case.
do you wish to make any statement for
publication, Mr. Wlliams?'
NO not until after the supreme court
shall have acted upon my case"
do you think the supreme court will
interfere with the decision of the lower
court, in the face of the evidence that
has been produced?'
well 1 can but hope-that's all that's
left me-this is the hardest proposition
| was ever up against, and | never
dreamed / would come TO this, but one
can't tell what's in store for him, can
hep
Further than this the reporter coull
draw comparatively nothing from him
that would be of interest to the public.
Notice of Appeal Given.
Immediately following the sentence
Earle ePttus. who has so ably conducted
the defense, gave notice of an appeal to
the supreme court.
First Case of Extreme Penalty.
Cullman county was formed in 1874 and
many cases of murder have been tried
in the county, and several are now pend
ing. but this Is the first time In the his
tory of the county that the extreme pen
atty of the law has been given. The
verdict In the Williams case, however,
meets with general approval throughout
the county Williams is 81 years of age.
has been married twice and has eleven
children by his last wife, all of the last
named living