The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-03-14
CHANGED NAME ID FIGHT FOR NORTH Not Guilty" Is Verdict In Per-
 jury Charge INTERESTING WAR STORY w. J. kendrick Formerly of St. Clair County Tells of His Capture and Escape Through Confeder-
 ate Liness
INTERESTING WAR STORY

w. J. ,Kendrick, alias William Thomp- son, was acquitted in the federal court yesterday on the charge of perjury, Judge Hundley ordering the jury to bring in such verdict after Kendrick had taken the stand and testified in his own behalf, and without hearing any arguments from the defendants counsel.
 The charge against Kendick was for false swearing in regard to pension claim he had filed with the pension de- partment, the application being filed un- der the name of William Thompson, the name under which kendrick served with the federal army during the civil war.
 Kendrick is 65 years of age, was raised in St. Clair county and is connected with influential families throughout the state. The trying of the case was awaited with interest by the people of St. Clair county and a large delegation from there was present in the court room yesterday when the case was called.
 In 1864 Kendrick was arrested by Capt. Ed Woodward of the Confederate army at his fathers home in St. Clair county and removed to the conscript camp at Tuscaloosa. He escaped and remained in the woods for two weeks, when he caught the measles and went back to his fathers home. He was again arrested and car ried to Selma and escaped again after a few days John W. Lawly and John Davis were sent after him and soon caught him. Then 1t was that he per suaded Lawly to go across the Conted- crate lines with him.
 They went to Jacksonville, Ind. where Kendrick enlisted under the name of William Thompson with the Tenth h. diana cavalry and fought with the federal army until the close of the war, after which he was honorably discharged. H. returned to St. Clair county and went under his own name. In 1902 he filed ap- plication for a pension under the name of William Thompson, which was al- lowed. In this application he did not state any of the circumstances connected with his case nor that his real name was Kendrick.
 Before he was paid anything on his pen sion. however some one advised the pen sion department that his name was Ken drick and that he had fought with the Confederate army. An inspector was put on the case and an effort made to in dict him, which failed After this Ken drick moved to Hubbard City, Tex. Last year the matter was brought before the grand jury again and a true bill returned, following which Kendrick was arrested and lodged in jail at Waco, Tex, and afterwards brought to Birmingham.
 The case was called yesterday morn- ing and the governments case presented. It. was then turned over to the defense and Kendrick placed upon the stand He started from the time of his first arrest il. the civil war by Captain Woodward and related all the incidents down to the present time, his story being listened to with interest At the conclusion of 1t Judge Hundley instructed the jury to return a verdict of not guilty. which the jury did without leaving the box.
 M. B. Spears of Pell City and w. A. Smith and w. H. Smith of Birmingham were Hendricks counsel. Judge Hund- ley's' decision relieved them of the neces- sity of arguing the case.