The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-04-10
TRIES ID BREAK UP PISTOL TOT|NC" Selma Council Passes Law on
 the Subject NEGRO GIRL Is KILLED She Is Shot by Pelham Harrell, Me-
 
She Is Shot by Pelham HarreIl, Me- qro Man With Whom She Re- fused to Go, It Is
 Stated.

Selma, April 9.-(Special.) .)-Failing in securing relief from the legislature of the pernicious habit of pistol totng'', Selma has gone to work to break up the evil to some extent on it's own behalf. Some days ago Hugh Mallory of the law firm of Mallory & Mallory drew up an ordinance and submitted it to Mayor Atkins which he thought would be within constitutional limitations and at the same time put an end to certain extent to the pistol carrying habit, particularly among the negroes, who in large num- bers come to the city from the country precincts each carrying pistol.
 The custom is when the city is reached to break the pistol at the breach and carry it on their fingers around the street When they get off with their own color they put the weapon in their pockets and when going to their country homes they terlify the people living along the roads by discharging their guns.
 Another habit is that of bringing Win chester rifles to the city. hardly wagon coming to the city on Saturday that does not contain a Winchester. 1T the negro is compelled to keep his weapon at home, where he cannot display 1t in a bragadocio style to his fellows, it will soon rust or be sold.
 Under the law passed by the city coun- cil at it's meeting last night it is un- lawful to bear arms except in carrying the same to and from the store where 1t was purchased or repaired or when going and returning from hunting. The full text of the ordinance is as follows and it is believed 1t will solve a problem that has been causing no little uneasiness to those who have watched the trend of things.
 Sent to Jail for Uxorcide.
 Gabe Brown, the negro whose wife died a few days after he had given her severe castigation, was given prellml- nary trial this morning before Mayor Atklns and rerlarded to jail without bail. The evidence against the negro is partly circumstantial, baa there is good grounds for the belief that the woman's death was caused from the beating she received at the hands of her burly husband.
 Killed a Negro Girl.
 Information has reached Selma of the killing of a young negro girl near Marion Junction Sunday afternoon. The name Of the girl, who is said to have been only about 16 years of age, was not given. The killing was done by Pelham liar
  the circuit court a few days ago, as a witness against B. T. Roark. who was adjudged guilty of contempt of court. Harrel was a witness against MT Roark indicted for violating the liquor law, and after swearing falsely on dhe stand, and being bound over to await the action of the grand jury. to answer to the cl arge of perjury declared that he had been intimidated by MT. Roark.
 The information about the killing is meagre, but It Is stated that the girl refused to go with Harrell and that he became incensed a. her and pulling his pistol shot her, the ball passing through the thigh and severing big artery, from which she bled to death before the ser vices of a physician could be secured
 The negro, after firing the fatal shot. escaped and a posse, composed of both blacks and whites, failed to catch him.
 Selma Is Growing.
 Selma is growing no little over the ex- cellent showing made as to increase in population as given out by the census department for the five years since 19O0 The figures show that Selma has increased in population 30 per cent, a percentage greater than that of Birmingham, Mo- bile, Anniston and Huntsville combined And these figures do not take in the in creased limits passed by the present leg islature which will add about 5000 to the population. Twenty thousand is easily the figures of population now possessed by Selma and more coming every day. The Central City of Alabama Is headed for 5O,O00 by 1910, and if the same lick is kept up that has been struck this year past it will be reached The following table shows the six largest cities in Ala bama: