The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-07-17
Mrs. s j. Smiths Body is Found on Road Leading
 to HammOnds Mines
MOB AT THE COUNTY JAIL
 DEMANDS FIVE NEGROES
Woman's Awful Struggle Is Evidenced By the Scenes About the Place Where the Body Was
 Discovered

Gadsden. July s.-(special.) )-one of the most horrible crimes ever perpetrated in the history of Gadsden took place some time last night between u:So and 12 o'clock, when Mrs. S. J. Smith. a white woman. was repeatedly criminally as- saulted and afterwards murdered on a lonely road in the outskirts of the city and left in clump of bushes on the side Of the road. News Of the crime reached the centre of the city soon after daylight when word was brought to the officers that a white woman had been found dead in the woods on the road leading to the Hammonds mines.
 Chief White was notified at once and he and several of his officers went to the scene with an ambulance and the remains were brought to the undertak- ing parlors of the Woodliff-Dunlap Fur 2 iture company. The remains were found by a negro man named Vance Garner, s.who was coming to town and saw where some heavy object had been dragged across the road and following it found the body of the woman. He told an- other negro, who in turn told white man nearby, who sent word to the of fcers.
 Scene of Crime Is Lonely Spot.
 The scene of the murder Is on the side of the mountain opposite the city chert bed and on the road which leads to the Hammonds mines, and Is about three-quarters of mile from the city Mrs Smith was seen in the city about 10 o'clock Saturday night at a street fakir show on the corner of Broad and Sixth streets She was seen to leave the show, followed by two men. She was next seen at the old Coosa furnace on the river bank, where she went to one of the boats and asked if her two boys had been seen. She said they were drink fig and she was hunting them to go home with her.
 Not finding the boys she started home, taking a near path which would take her to the road leading to the Hammon6s mines, where she lived with her two sons. It Is evident she was attacked near the road, for the ground showed struggle From the scene around the road 1t seems that she was attacked and evidently criminally assaulted being afterwards dragged by the hair some twenty-five yards to the road and down the embank- ment which Is three feet deep, across the road and some thirty yards further over the rocks and small trees and left her head lying down the incline, where she was found.
 Made Desperate Fight for Life.
 The poor woman evidently made a des- perate fight for her life. pair of scis- sors and an old case knife were found near by, both being broken. Her little finger on her left hand was cut near the end and she was bruised over her back, where she was dragged. Her neck was broken Mrs. Smith was large woman and would weigh 225 pounds. and the pulling of her body by her hair evidently broke her neck. Her false teeth were found on the road, while her shoes and stockings were found on the side of the hill where she was first attacked Her clothing was in shreads and her body was almost nude. When found she was lying on her back with her feet drawn up against her body. One peculiar fea- ture of the crime is the finding of four leaves crossed with a twig fastening them to the ground where she was attacked.
 Five Negro Men Arrested.
 Chief White and his officers got to work quickly and soon had arrested five negroe men and one negro woman, who are in the city prison charged with this foul crime. Those arrested are Will John son, Vance Garner, Ed Johnsey, Bunk Richardson. Jaff Afford and Fannie May or. the latter woman and sister to the notorious Morris Mayo, who has given the railroad officials here so much trou- ble. From the very best information pos sible 1t Is stated that the officers have the right parties and have evidence enough to convict the guilty ones
 Vance Garner, who was arrested first, was the negro who found the woman. He has admitted enough to convict him. self He states that he heard cries of murder about midnight and that he an- swered the cry for help, and that when he reached the scene he found negro man trying to stuff a towel in the wom- ans mouth and that he told the negro to ston hut was told to go about his busi- ness and that he left. This story is not believed by the officers.
 Mob Gathers at Jail.
 mob of some 300 people have been gathered on Broad street since dark and about 10 o'clock they marched to the Jail, some two hundred strong, and demanded that the jail be opened. One young man had the rope ready to swing Vance Gar ner. one of the negroes implicated in the killing.
 Sheriff Chandler and Judge J. H. Disque were prepared for them. Company c, with First Lieut.. A. R. Brindley in eharyA was called out and pickets were