The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-05-02
BY JOHN T. EVANS.

Decatur, May 1.-(Speclal)--If the testl-
mony of son against a father goes fo~
anything Harvey Smith is almost sure to
be convicted by a jury of Morgan county
citizens of the charge of murder in the
first degree. Smith is on trial now in
the circuit court. Judge d. w. speake pre-
siding, charged with taking the life OF
Miss Belle Bloodworth the daughter of
b, NJ Bloodworth, prominent merchant
of New Decatur.
Seventy-fiye members of the Alabama
National Guard, stationed in Birmingham,
are guarding the Morgan county Jail and
court house, where the trial is being con-
Quoted.
Unlike the recent cases In Huntsville,
when the military was called out as a
precautionary measure, and during trial
men were placed in the court room, the
Birmingham soldiers on guard here have
not entered the county courts building.
Before leaving Birmingham Capt. Robert
L. Gregory of the Jefferson Volunteers.
who is commanding the provisional COM
pany, stated that he would not place men
In the court room unless called upon by
Judge Speake
Such a request was not made and all
of today was spent by the soldiers who
were not on guard duty pitching tents
and making preparations for the CAM
paign, which win evidently last for a
week at least.
Smiths Case Called First.
The case against the negro Harvey
Smith was called first this morning. Judge
L.,
Sample and s. A. Lynn, loca. attorneys
to defend the negro. Solicitor Almond,
appeared for the state The forenoon was
taken up with the organization of jury
to try Smith.
The state and the defense each exhaust
ed twenty-five challenges before the jury
was drawn.
On five different occasions Sheriff Wig
gins was ordered by Judge Speake to sum-
mons two men at "A time from the court
room, to serve as jurors
Judge Speake announced before court
adjourned at noon that no females nor
boys under 1S years of age would be per-
mitted to attend the trial Although the
court room was crowded at the morning
session. this announcement of the court
seemed to have an influence towards in
creasing the crowds. The gallery of the
court room was packed this afternoon
the court room was thronged
Found Miss Bloodworth's Body.
When court was called to order this af-
ternoon, C. j. Curry Of New Decatur was
called to the witness stand He told Of
finding the body OF Miss Bloodworth on
the night of January 21. the skull being
crushed A stick Law near the body, and
the clothing Of the young woman was
covered with blood
DIR. Watson told the court of seeing
the body on the night of the killing and
testified as TO two holes each side OF
the temple of the young woman.
Mrs. T. D. Wilkerson of New Decatur
told of Miss Bloodworth being in her
store just previous to the killing. The
witness testified that the young woman
was talking to her mother over the tele-
phone at that time and that Harvey
Smith was present. The defendant. the
witness said. followed the young woman
out
Matte Clarke, Young negro girl en-
ployed by Mrs. wilkerson substantiated
the statement made by her employer. The
little negro said that she heard Miss
Bloodworth tell her mother over the phone
that she would be home right away. and
then the defendant followed her out on
the street.
Defendants Son Star Witness.
Lacey Smith. the son of the defendant,
proved to be the star witness of the day
for the state. The witness said that early
on the night of the killing John Collier.
also indicted for the crime, asked him
where his father was. The witness said
he could not reply. and Collier then went
to Mrs. Wilkerson's store.
Papa left the store first" said the de-
fendants son. and the young lady fol-
lowed. Then came John Collier. Papa got
home that night between 10 and II o'clock
1t seemed to me that he had been run
ming when he got there He told me that
.contlnued on Second PaasA ~