The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1908-12-19
BlRDS0NG IS NOW A CONVICT
Given q Life Sentence Cor the MUIR
der of DR.. Pitts.


Hazlehurst, Miss.-Dr. 7. B. Birdsong
at 1880 was sentenced to the State
penitentiary for the balance of his nat
ural life for the murder of DIR. A. B.
Pitts last Thursday afternoon in his
own office.
DIR. Birdsong was brought into the
courtroom and was seated a little to
the right of the judges rostrum. Mrs.
Birdsong, his wife, and his mother and
his sister-in-law, Mrs. Angie Birdsong,
entered and took seats inside the bar.
There was a general expectation that
the motion for change of venue would
be argued by the attorneys. Instead,
however, of. proceeding with the motion
at once, there was a consultation among
the attorneys. They retired to the con.
sultation rooms and were closeted for
defense made a proposition to accept a
verdict of guilty with a life imprison
ment. Then followed a long consulta-
ton among the friends of DIR. Pitts
family and the attorneys for the prose
cution.
There was a reluctance on the part of
the family of DR.. Pitts in accepting the
Imprisonment sentence, but after going
over the situation for several hours they
reluctantly agreed to the proposition on
the condition that the attorneys for the
defense would sign a document binding
themselves never to sign a petition for
pardon or use any influence for securing
the same.
After this agreement had been reached
they filed into the courtroom. After a
moments pause, Judge Potter asked if
they were ready to proceed with the
case.
The district attorney then called for
the Indictment and proceeded with the
~arraignment. He read the indictment
charging DIR. Birdsong with the murder
of DR.. 4. B. Pitts. When he had fin
ished reading the indictment he asked
DIR. Birdsong how he would plead. DIR.
Birdsong answered in a distinct tone of
voice, Not guilty" Judge Potter called
for Jury No. 1 to take the box, and
after they were seated he stated that an
agreement had been reached between the
prosecution and the defense for a verdict
of guilty and fixing the punishment at
Imprisonment for life. The jury retired
to the jury room and in a moment re-
turned with the following verdict:
1--WE, the jury, find the defendant
guilty as charged, and fix his punish
ment at life in the State penitentiary."
Judge Potter read the verdict and inn
mediately proceeded to pass the sentence.
DIR. Birdsong arose and advanced a few
steps and stood in front of the court.
Judge Potter said:
DIR. Birdsong, have you anything to
say why sentence of this court should
not be passed.
DIR. Birdsong's nswer was in broken
sentences and delivered under evident
mental strain. He said:
Il nave little to say, your honor, eX-
cept that I so deeply regret this affair
that, if by giving my life could restore
the dead doctors l would willingly do
it-this minute. That's ALL"
The words were spoken so those near
him could hear and understand. He
stood with bowed head for a moment
and Judge Potter replied that the mat
ter was one over which this court had
no power nor discretion.
THE court fixes your punishment at
imprisonment in the State .penitentiary
for the remainder of your natural life"
There was a dead silence in the court
room. Jailer Burney retired with the
prisoner from the courtroom.
Acting Governor Manship granted a
pardon to George Powell, a Madison
county man sentenced in October, 1906,
to serve a term of five years in the
penitentiary for grand larceny. The
man is in bad shape physically. This
is the only pardon granted by the act
ing governor during the week of his
incumDency.
There is a project on foot for an in
LCrurDdn line lFOLu uIGOu. Guc County
seat of Itawamba county, through Tu-
pelo and across Lee county into PontO-
toe, and on to Tocopola. The present
plan seems to be that instead of start
ing Immediately to build an electric
line the in~corporators proceed
to develop the business by adopting the
gasoline motor cars, which can be
operated so much more economically,
and answer the same purpose.
More than 5000 conversions occurred
in the South Mississippi conference
during the past year, according to re-
ports made to the conference in session
at Yazoo City. Taken with the 1900
exported from North Mississippi, this
gives 13, 500 souls brought to Christian
ity by Methodism in Mississippi during
he past twelve months.
John Wadsworth, engineer for the
Beaver Dam Lumber company, on the
VI and X q road woe killod nv