The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1907-01-12
SENTENCED
TO HANG
FELIX HOLMAN WILL HANG
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 18th
When Placed on the Stand-Will
Be Good Radiance of Bad Man


Felix HOLMAN, the negro who
caused the street battle last month
in which he killed Lee Thompson, a
white painter, wounded two police
men and negro woman, was placed
on trial on the charge Of numbering
Thompson at Wednesday afternoon 5
session Of the Circuit Court He was
brought before the grand jury We'd
nesday morning and a true bill ana
Indictment made against him in a
very few minutes by that body and
his trial was set for two O'Clock the
same afternoon
Judge Smith gave the negro a fair
ard impartial trial In selecting the
jury, he was careful that the letter
OF the law was complied with and
Attorney Van B. Boddie, who was
selected by the court to defend Holl-
man. was especially fair and even had
one juror excused after the impan-
cling
7Witnesses were called who testified
az to what they knew of the street
fight. But the killing of Lee Thomp-
son took place in the restaurant
byilding when he (Thompson) and
tx negro were the only ones in the
bni ding at the time. The only real
damaging evidence was that made
whea:. .aLars qaet. A. c. Hebras.. .s.s.s.
placed on the stand, but even. his
statement would not have been
s+reng e4A91iu3ees.tdzfqaavict 49iu Holman
in the first 'dearee !:
When Holman was placed on the
stand to defend himself, he literally
give himself up by telling everything
damaging against himself in con
nection with the murder but added
that he was not in his right mind,
ard did not know whether he was
shooting at a white man or a negro.
Ie answered all the questions put
10 him by Prosecuting Attorney Neill
very readily, and did not hesitate to
tell straightforward story
Holman testified that when Police
man Cofer entered the rear of the
restaurant. and went to the door OF
the room he thought Holman was in,
he (Hol1man) was across the hall in
another room with the door partly
open, and his gun ready. He said
that Cofer had his gun in his hand
and when he entered did not say,
throw up your hands" but looked
like he was ready for business.
When he (Hollman) fired, Cofef
partly turned around, the bullet strik-
ing him near the shoulder whereas it |
would have hit him square1y in the
back had he not turned around
Holman said that when he fired |
at Thompson, Thompson was not
looking in his direction at all, but was
standing on piano in the hall look
ing over partition into the room on
the opposite side from where he /
( tHollman) was. He said that
Thompson fired over the partition
and commanded him to get out Then
HOLMAN fired and killed him.
1t did not take long after his own
evidence to convict him and he was |
found guilty of murder in the first |
degree and sentenced to be hanged |
on Friday, February 18th, 1907, be-
tween the hours prescribed by law.
Holman was cool and unaffected |
all through the trial betraying no
outward appearance of fear as TO
what might be the outcome. He
showed himself to be a dangerous
man, and the state did good after
Moons work when il sentenced him
70 death. 1t means one less bad |
negro to cause any further trouble