The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-03-20
FOLLY MASON MUST
 DIE FOR MURDER Convicted for Killing of Dick
 Meigs In Bibb NEGRO TELLS OF KILLING Says He Was In Right Mind When He Cut Dick Meigs Literally to Pieces.
 Dead Man Had No Weapon
 at Time of Killing.
NEGRO TELLS OF KILLING

Centreville, March 19-(Special )-At 10 o'clock tonight the jury in the case
 of the state vs. Folly Mason. brought in verdict finding the defendant guilty of murder in the first degree and fixing the punishment at death. Mason was charged with the killing of Dick Meigs, an old and respected planter in this county, about 10 days ago. A special term of court was called for the trial of the case. Never before in the history of the as that which greeted Judge Miller as he took his seat on the bench this morning and ordered Sheriff Oakley to open court.
 Every seat in tn e courthouse was oc- cupied and numbers of people crowded the aisles and filled the windows of the room. Both the state and the defend : a number of motions filed by attorneys for the defendant had been overruled by the court the selection of the jury to try the case was commenced. The special and regular venires were exhausted with Il men in the jury box Sherin Oakley was ordered to summon two qualified citizens to complete the jury. This was quickly done and one of the two men summoned was ac- cepted.
 The indictment was then read to the jury and the defendants attorneys pleaded rot guilty, and not guilty by reason of insanity. The state then in-
 oduced It's evidence
 physician testified that at least five of the 26 kaife wounds inflicted on the body of the deceased were sufficient to have caused the death of Meigs. The dying declarations of the deceased were introduced in evidence and showed that the killing was without provocation. The widow. of the sdeceased was in- troduced and Identified the clothing of the dead man. They were covered with blood and were literally cut in pieces. By noon the state had completed its testimony and rested the case.
 Recess was taken until 1:15 o'clock, when the defendant offered his testi- mony. Two or three negroes testified that the mothe of the defendant, who died some 80 years ago, was insane, but did not state that the defendant him. self had ever shown any signs of in sanity.
 The defendant was placed on the stand in his own behalf and told about the difficulty He stated that he dis mounted from his horse and advanced on Mir. Meigs with his knife and cut him a number of times, He said that the deceased had no pistol or gun, but that he had a pine stick which fell to the ground when he grabbed the de- ceased.
 He said on cross examination that he knew perfectly well what he was do- ing when he cut Meigs, and that his mind was all right when he did the cutting and before.
 By o'clock the evidence was closed and the arguments began County Solicitor W. w. Lavender spoke an hour for the state and was followed by D. w. Crawford for the defendant. who spoke two hours. Circuit Solicitor J. F. Thompson closed the argument for the state. Judge Miller charged the jury in writing and covered every phase of the case. The crowd was perfectly or derly and the trial was free from bit terneSS