The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-05-26
IS CHARGED WITH
MURDER OF HUSBAND
Walker Woman Placed in Jail
at Jasper
COFFEE WAS POISONED
Tbi, 1. Theory of omcers-Companlo.
Also Arrested-Grand Jury In Ses-
sion-Rcpubiicans Are Be-
coming Very Active

Jasper, May 25.-tSpecal.) -Columbus
Odom, aged IS, and Mrs. James Leonard,
aged IS, whose placeTof residence for the
past few years has been at Drifton and
vicinity. this county, were brought to
county jail. The. charge against them
is murder
One morning last week while at break
fast James Leonard husband of the
woman now in prison, became suddenly
i'll after drinking a cup of coffee, and
within 80 minutes was dead man. The
suddenness of his taking away seemed to
startle his wife and friends, and there
was much apparent mourning.
In day or two suspicion was aroused.
1t was remembered that Columbus Odom
had been somewhat noticeabiy attentive
to Jim Leonard's wife, and there were
whisperings in the neighborhood that
aroused a spirit of inquiry.
Yesterday a. brother of the dead man
swore out warrant for murder against
his sister-in-law and Columbus Odom,
under the belief that Jim had been pois-
oned by the cup of coffee, and some
thing else the coffee contained. The body
of the dead man was -exhumed and his
stomach removed and sent to chem
list to be examined The liberty and per-
maps the lives of the man and woma n
in prison seem now to depend upon the
result of the analysis of the stomach.
The grand jury of Walker county is
busily at work, and both the circuit and
the law and equity courts will probably
be In session far into July. The greater
labor of the grand jury is said to be the
multiplicity of charges for violating the
prohibition laws. Many arrests have been
made, but the officers find 1t very diff
ficult task to bring out the truth. In
fact, one of these officers declares that
never in the history of the county has
he seen such strongly apparent cases of
perjury as he has noticed since the agi-
tation of the proposed constitutional
amendment began He fears bad results
along other lines of court Investigations.
The republicans of Walker county are
unusually active now. They are holding
beat. meetings all over the county, and
thoroughly organizing for their county
convention. which meets at Jasper June
4. There is no Disgusting the fact that
the republicans are strong in this county
A peculiar condition Is that they boast
themselves the real white mans party"
and do not allow negroes to participate
In their deliberations.
The following is about the present
status of crop conditions in Walker gath
cred from conversations with, farmers:
AS compared with last year. there has
been considerable decrease in cotton acre
age in this section. Planting is now com.
pleted. There has been a large increase
in corn acreage. About IS per cent of the
cotton has come to a stand, but 1t does
not look healthy. The condition of soil
and state Of cultivation is better than IL
has been for many years. The general
rains throughout this section during the
past week have had most favorable effect
upon growing crops.
In this section damp May is not al
ways regarded favorably by the farmers,
as 1t. means the growing crops will not
become deeply rooted, but the fact that
the season is late and the early May was
exceedingly dry, followed by the rains
late In the month. now conditions as
sumo an encouraging aspect. Not only
wi Dut all CiOpS, lliCtuQiilE WHedt, oats,
rye and hay, are planted more extern
sively this year. and are receiving more
attention than at any time heretofore
The discarding of straws through which
beverages are taken is soon, to be fol-
lowed by the discarding of tumblers or
drinking vessels, DR.. James l.. Sowell, a
prominent physician of Jasper, has Just
received letters patent for an invention
NJ trh RI a ffron ~ ,rvtxr sal
attention and to win its way to popular
approval, especially now in this age of
cautious reference and investigation in
all things pertaining to health and sani-
tation. The invention Is a drinking ves-
sci, and following out the idea of the
inventor he has appropriately named 1t a
prophylatic drinking vessel 1t relates to
improvements in drinking vessels or tum-
blers and consists in constructions, COM
binations and arrangements carrying out
the proposition. 1t provides prophylatic
drinking vessel especially adapted for use
at soda fountains and other public dis
pensaries of beverages, which Is to be
discarded after use. It further provides
an inexpensive and strong form of asep-
tic drinking vessel. which will contain a
maximum of stiffness with a minimum of
weight. The vessel is to be constructed
Of MANILA paper and parafin-the mex
pensiveness of which will be at once no.
ticed. The indiscriminate use Of glasses
by the public has often been a subject of
objection, no matter how clearly the YES
sells may appear kept. The germs of tu-
berculosis and other infectious diseases
have become the bane of the thinking
public and all of these are accounted
easily conveyed by drinking and eating.
.
Lecture ON the Holy Land
Decatur, May 25.-(Special) -Possi-