The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-11-27
BEEMAN WILL HANG
MONTGOMERY NEGRO WHO PLEAD
 ED GUILTY.
He Murdered His Wife With an Axe-- Sol Barber, a Negro, Indicted
 Eleven Years Ago Not Guilty.

A plea of guilty to murder in the first degree did not save David Bee- man, Montgomery county negro from the death penalty for the cruel mur- der of his wife, Belva Reeman. It took a jury in tho criminal divis- ion of the City Court yesterday three hours to reach a verdict which wilt send Beeman to the gallows unless the Supreme Court of the State interDoses. It was said that the crime committed by Beeman was of such an atrocious character that the lawyer appointed by the court to defend him advised him that the only course to pursue would be to throw himself upon the mercy of the twelve men who sat in the jury box.
 Some time ago Beeman, who resided with his wife on a plantation near Dublin, in the Southern part of the county, killed the woman by splitting open her head with an axe He said yesterday that he put his wife to death in frenzy of rage. He offered no ex- cuse for his crime. The woman an- gered him, he said, and he killed her before his passion cooled.
 Notwithstanding the negro's plea of guilty the case went to trial, testi- mony was taken, lawyers made speech es, Judge William Fl. Thomas charg- cd the jury and at { o'clock in tho afternoon the twelve men returned A verdict of guilty and fxed the pun ishment at death.
 The lawyer appointed to defend the negro gave notice of an appeal to the Supreme Court.
 When the negro heard the verdict read by the clerk of the court ns moved nervousiy in his char but be- trayed no outward sign Of emotion.
 The trial of capital cases began De- fore Judge Thomas yesterday morning and special venire of one hundred ta1esnen had been summoned The Beeman case was the first called and after sitting the talesmen the follow ing citizens were selected to pass upon the fate of the negro: J. w. Terrg, A. Nj. Thweatt, J. G. Cantey W. F Jones, B. B. Smith, B. F. Spratlin, w. c. Frizzle. J. W. Stewart. l.. P. Fleming. w. l.. Beck, T. R. Black shear and w. B. Burton.
 N The case went to the .ury at o'clock and at f o'clock the. verdict signed by SB. B. Smith, as foreman, was returned.
 The second case called was that Of Sol Barber, negro, who shot and killed Sidney French, negro, in North Montgomery eleven years ago Barber was more fortunate than Bee man. The jury after considering the matter less than two hours returned a verdict acquitting the defendant.
 Barber, in 1895. had a fight with French over a crap game. The testi- mony showed that French started to- ward him with a heavy board when the defendant shot him. The negro es- caped and the grand jury a few months later indicted him for murder in the first degree. About four months ago Barber was located in Lee county, where he was conducting small farm Deputy Sheriff Belser went to Lee county, arrested the negro and brought him to Montgomery.
 A plea of self defense was entered by the negro yesterday and the twelve jurors returned a verdict of not guilty.
 The jury selected to pass upon the guilt or innocence of Barber consisted of w. IT. Wade, w.. F. Speigner, J. Otis Williamson, W. N. Willis, John Ingram, B. H. Matthews. W. A. Par