The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-06-16
NO HOPE FOR NEGROES
THREE TO BE HANGED AT DECA-
 TUR TO-DAY.
Pardon Board Hears Argument by MT. Chiffon to Commute Sentences of Miss HlOOdwOrth's Slaycrs
 to Life Imprisonment.

All hope of life has gone from Har- vey Smith and John Collier, the ne- groes convicted of brutality murdering Miss Belle Bloodworth in Decatur one night in last December. Their hopes were dispelled yesterday when Gov ernor Jelks declined to interfere with the sentence of the special court con- vened to give them a trial. The ne- groes will be hanged at Decatur at l2 o'clock today. and Smith and at the same hour, Will Jackson. negro, whosshot and killed Policeman Steele of Decatur, will te linked with that of the other two ne- groes. Their crimes aroused the peo pie of North Alabama to a high pitch and the three negroes were tried by a special court; since their conviction and sentence they have been in the Jefferson County jail in Birmingham for safekeeping.
 The three men will be escorted to Decatur on a train leaving Birming- ham early this morning by the troop of cavalry stationed m Birmingham, under command of Captain Clifford S. Price
 It developed yesterday that for sev- eral weeks Rev. Claude l.. Chiffon of Montgomery, formerly a minister of the Methodist Church, had become in terested in the negroes, Smith and Col Her, and had appealed to the Cover nor to commute their sentences to life Imprisonment. This appeal of MT. citizens of Decatur and hearing be- fore the State Board of Pardons was requested.
 The Board sat Wednesday night in the room of Governor Jelks at the New Mabson Hotel and the Governor was present. Although 1t was an execu- would not discuss what transpired there, 1t Is said that Mir. Chiffon arr gued that the sentences should be commuted to life Imprisonment. Hon. D. C. AlmOn inc GOiicttar who nroaa- cuted the cases; Hon. H. A. Skeggs, Mayor of Decatur and Hon. Samuel Blackwell of Decatur, one of the fope- most lawyers of North Alabama are said to have supported the sentence of the court.
 Secretary of State E. R. McDavid as members of the Board of Pardons, and Governor Jelks, listened to the arguments until well after midnight and the Board soon decided against
 Early yesterday morning Governor Jelks announced that he would not in- terfere with the legal hanging of the two murderers and sheriff J. H. Wig gins of Morgan County, was advised to be prepared to execute the sentence of the court.
 Solicitor Almon the Governor directed Captain Price of Troop "D," stationed in Birmingham, to take his troop and go with Sheriff Wiggins and the three negroes to Decatur this morning. The presence of the military was thought advisable merely as precaution against any unseemly conduct
 It Is said that thls is the first time in many years that a troop of Ala bama cavalry has been called into sor- vice of this kind. Cavalrymen are not usually called Tor this duty because of their impedmentu. The Birmingham troop was ordered to Decatur because of the fact that all of the infantry companies in North Alabama are in practice camp at Anniston.
 Captain Price of the Birmingham troop is held in high regard by off, cials at the Capitol. In fact 1t was said yesterday that the greatest re- r bis abiiity and I courage S % It is mot not 1mu he- lieved, however, that any necessity will arise for action on the part S~ the soldiers commanded by Captain Price.