The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-05-04
RY w. T. STEPHAN.


 Decatur. May 3-(Staff Correspond ence.l-For crime whose horror IS indescribable and inconceivable, liar yey Smith, the oil mill negro of New Decatur, will die upon the gallows.
 A jury of Morgan County has de- clared him guilty of the inhunan mur- der of Miss Belle Bloodworth and guilty, too, of a more revolting crime than murder.
 Hardly had the clerk finished the reading of the verdict before John Gel Her, a negro giant, with heavy, evil face, was put on trial as participant in tho crime. Looking at thls negros massive shoulders and great arms one could well believe the theory of the State that it was he who aimed the ter- rife blow with stick of stovewood that crushed the head of Miss Blood worth and robbed her. perhaps merci- fully. of life.
 When night came on and the court adjourned Solicitor Almon and hts as- sociates were weaving about Collier the same chain of circumstantial evil dence that dragged Harvey Smith to the steps of the gallows.
 Night and day the court house and fail is watched sleeplessly by cordon of sentinels from the Birmingham mill ltary. If there was ever any danger of friction between Captain Gregorys men and any citizens of this section who might wish to injure the prisoner that danger has passed away. The sentineIs walk back and forth, the corporals make the rounds with their reliefs, the officers inspect the senti- nels and chat with friends at the guard tents and no menace of any sort disturbs the serenity of Camp McKle- roy.
 All the people and the soldiers un- derstand each other and there is not a hint of unpleasantness or friction be- tween them. Every private in the ranks appears to understand the re- responsibilities of his position and the necessity for caution and self-restraint The freedom, the chaffing. the good natured raillery that IS noticeable at the National Guard camps is conspi2- mons here by its absence. It Is said that not a member of Captain Greg ory's company has entered Decatur saloon and that not member has left The court house camp to go up town without the permission of the com manding officer.
 The trial of Collier was delayed this morning while Judge Speake for a while experienced some difficulty in se- curing attorneys to defend him. Sena- tor s. A. Lynne and E. W. Godby were first appointed but as their busi- ness prevented them from taking up the task they declined. A fine of $10 against each of the attorneys was en- tered on the minutes of the court.
 Captain Gregory today received from Colonel W. H. McKIeroy, the new commander of the 3rd Alabama lnfan- try, letter expressing his thanks and appreciation for the honor done him in the naming of the camp. He con- graduated Captain Gregory on the fine record the company was making.
 A pathetic incident ct the trial to-
 
 stand of MT. B. NJ. Bloodworth. the father of the innocent victim of the awful crime in the alley. He has plainly suffered keenly and deeply since that terrible night in January when 1t was reported to him that his beloved daughter had disappeared In person he directed the search for her throughout New Decatur and 1t was his feet that lead by intuition into the alley and It was his. hand first of all that was placed upon the mangled body of his daughter as she lay in the dark In describing his finding of the over lus which lead to the arrest of Smith and Collier, MT. Bloodworth declared Tt was a direct revelation from ProvI- Hence. pointing to the murderers."
 His overwrought nerves broke down while he was being questioned by Mir. Callahan as to the exact location of the spot on which the overalls were ,ound.
 q can't tell the exact distance from