The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1907-05-25

more effectively into the ear OF Gov
ernor Conner.
The speech was but one Of the highly
interesting transactions in the hearing
OF case which, having held the at
tentton OF the whole State for more
than two years. now momentarfly, at
least, rests with the Board OF Pardons
and the Governor who are expected to
render 9 decision In not less than tour
The hearings before the Board of
rardons; composed OF Secretary Of State
Frank Julian. Auditor W. w. Bran
CARRIER. are generally private. but so
great was the interest that the argu-
ments OF the attorneys for williams
and for the State were heard in the
numerous company gathered. For
the State the counsel were: Hon. d.
c. Almon. Solicitor Of the Eighth Judi
cial Circuit, In which Williams was
tried; Hon. John A. Lusk, Senator from
Marshall County. and Hon. George H.
Parker. Representative from Cuilman
County. both of whom are attorneys.
For the petitioner F. e. st .AJohn, an
CASTOR and Hon. Erie Pettus OF Bir-
mingham, were the counsel.
The hearing began in the forenoon
yesterday and lasted until late yester-
first speaker and he occupied all of the
first session of the Board of Pardons,
the other attorneys following in the
AS was reviewed by The Advertiser
yesterday Williams was twice convict
ed Of the murder of Hipp and sentenced
to be hanged and his sentences were
affirmed by, the Supreme Court. When
Judge Weaver, of the Criminal Court
of birmingham, issued stay of pro-
ceedings that inquiry might be made
into the sanity of Williams the SUI
preme Court later decided that Judge
Waavar 4tYr q
time it was rumored that attorneys for
Williams might hold that, since the day
appointed for his execution had pass
ed; he was not under sentence but this
point was not reached yesterday, and
the petition for clemency was consid-
cred entirely on the merits of the case,
The contentious of the State were
5ssty Of aSs upon the sas
the Circuit Court OF Cullman County
had adjudged Williams guilty of the
murder of Senator Hipp and as often
firmed that Judgment. Speaking elo-
quenlly Solicitor Almon and Mr.. Lusk
who had been retained by the mother
of the murdered man. stressed thia
point.
Upon the defense the question of in
sanity was preached but once. This
was when in discussing the behavior
of Williams when Senator Hipp and
the deputies came to dispossess him
of the property he occupied. Judge
CASTOR. aliuding to Williams leaving
his pistol and approaching the off
GERS whom. 1t had been alleged, he was
seeking "to lead into a trap said
that no sane man would thus have act
ed. Aside from this one allusion to
insanity all the attorneys devoted
themselves to the merits of the case.
Mr.. st. John made the argument of
the morning and Judge CASTOR and Mr.
Pettus spoke in the afternoon. The
chief points of the defense were. that
the evidence showed that probably 1T
was a bullet from a pistol of one OF
the deputies that caused Senator Hips
death that Williams had been rail-
roaded to the gallows' by the news
papers and a false and highly inflam-
ed public sentiment and that he had
not had a fair trial. The calling of
the special term of the court the re-
fusal of a change of venue and the pub
LEGATION of editorials In the local news
papers 1t was held proved this. 1t
was commended that though williams
had to be taken from Cullman to the
Madison County jail to precent his
death by mob violence militia had been
summoned to prevent his rescue and
deliverance from the hands of the Of
f1cers of the law when 1t was purpos-
ed that he should be returned to Gull
man County for execution. Nine of the
Jurors who had declared him guilty
and sentenced him 1t was said now
petitioned for at least partial par
don.
At the conclusion of the session the
Board of Pardons formally took the
case under advisement. A member of