The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-02-06
ANDREWS TRIAL
BEGINS AT SELMA
Defendant Charged With Muir
der and Completely
SENSATIONAL TESTIMONY
Half Sister of the Accused Man Gives
Strong discriminating Evidence.
She Witnessed the
Tragedy.

Selma, February 5.-(Special 1.-The An
drews trial, which was called on Monday
and which was continued for two DAYS
waiting on witnesses, began this morning.
both the state and the defense
answering ready. The case is being tried
in the city court of Selma on a change
of venue from the circuit court of Will
cox county, the crime for which Bob An
drews is being tried having been COM
mitted near Schuster in Wilcox county
AS the location of the crime was very
near the Monroe county line, there are a
number of witnesses from Monroe county
also present to testify in the case,
Bob Andrews is charged with the muir
der of Bema Andrews. the wife of Jim
Andrews, his father and for completely
IN the murder of Jim Andrews. The
murder took place on December II, 1904,
and John and Bob Andrews were con-
yicted in the Wilcox county court. John
Andrews is now serving his term of life
imprisonment in the penitentiary. Bob
Andrews secured a remanding of the case
from the supreme court on technical
error in drawing the jury. and then a
court of Selma
Jury Is Secured.
The jury was secured before the adj
journment for dinner and consists of T.
III. Tippton, q. d. Hooper, Thos. D. Shell
by. w. D. Mott, T. E. Gary, J. L. Puri-
Toy, w. A. Smith, Enoch Bell and Jack
Dilburn
DR.. w. P. Roberts of McWilliams was
the first witness examined and he told
of the wounds about the body of Jim
Andrews and his wife The bullet that
killed Jim Andrews went at an angle
across his body and came out of his leg.
The woman's throat had been cut and
her clothing had been on fire in the back
The description of the doctor as to the
condition in which the bodies we're found.
said the matted hair of the woman evil
denced scene that was gruesome in
deed
Primus Mccoy, an old negro, was the
next witness, and told about John An
drews being at his house after the killing
and sending him for doctor.
j. E. Stewart, postmaster at McWil-
liams station, testified that the night of
the killing John and Bob Andrews got off
the train and asked where old man Jim
Andrews lived. That both took a drink
from bottle and broke the bottle against
the train. He heard three shots about
o'clock and they sounded as if muffled,
and heard the screaming of a woman The
little boy of Jim Andrews soon came
running down the railroad and crying,
Many and daddy are both dead and
many is burning up"
Afternoon Session.
When court resumed it's afternoon ses-
sion other minor witnesses were exam
ined, and then came the star witness of
the day, Annie Andrews, a half sister of
Bob Andrews. She was followed by A. G.
Andrews, her young brother. The state
then closed its case and court adjourned
until tomorrow morning, when the de-
Tense will present it's side.
Annie Andrews stated she was Is years
old when the crime was committed, hav-
ing been born on Christmas day, 1891.
She said she was at the home of her
father, Jim Andrews, the night of the
tragedy, when Bob and John Andrews
came to the house; that her father was
made to get out of bed and that he had
a scuffie with John. She then told graph
ically how, when the scuffe commenced,
she and Bob Andrews took the eight
months old baby and her brother, Vir-
gil, and left the house; how John and
his father and the latters wife, Bema
Andrews, were quarreling when they left,
and that when they reached the railroad
tracks she heard Bama Andrews scream,
after which there were three shots. They
turned to look and had seen the woman
run out Of the house with John Andrews
close behind her, and Jim Andrews fol-
lowing. AS soon as the yard was
reached there followed other shots and
Bema Andrews and the old man fell in
the yard.
She said that she and Bob returned to
the house and that she saw Bob stoop
over the body Of the woman and ex-
claim: Damn you, | wish you could
feel it."
She said that later she saw Bob stoop
over the body Of the old man and take a
sock from the back pocket of Jim An
drews. She did not know If there was
any money in the sock, but said that the
two boys later struck several matches
and consumed considerable time looking
for a dime Bob Andrews had dropped on
the front porch.
A G. Andrews who is about Is years
DID, followed Annie. He told of having
met the two brothers at the station upon
their arrival, but did not go to the house
with. them. He was Just going to the
house when he heard the shots and met
his sister and Bob Andrews going to the