The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-23
COMER PAROLES 50
 STATE PRISONERS
One Killed Teacher Who Said
 World Was Round
ASSORTMENT OF CRIMES
A. J. MOthershed, Who Killed John HambricI< in Birmingham in 1903, Is PardOned-Frank Little
 ton of Lee County Free

montgomery, DecemDer 22.-NSpecial)- J.
 Because the world is round negro school teacher by the name of Holmes was killed in Colbert county early in the year of 1896. His assailant was sent up for life,
 but was today given his freedom by Gov. F. B. Conner after serving the state un- selfishly for 15 years. His parole is in- cluded in a batch of some 50 paroles that will in all probability be the last exten- sions of clemency at the hands of Ala bamas present chief executive, who re- tires from office January 16 next.
 In issuing papers authorizing the re- lease of Giles Thomas. murderer of the school teacher. the governor states that the records in the case show that the negro was suffering under the hallucma- tion that the pedagogue was trying to Haunt an untruth upon him, under the guise of education. Thomas and Holmes were discussing the shape of the earth, and Holmes persistent maintenance that ! the earth Is round, rather than flat, so enraged Thomas that he killed the school l teacher
 Two of the paroles included in the batch are extended to white prisoners whose | Imprisonment has been of an embarrass- | ing nature, under circumstances of doubtful nature, each of which involves the 'unwritten law" Frank Littleton, alleged murderer of Mrs. Ella (Dixon) Hodges of Lee county, is freed from life sentence after serving nearly 21 years on a charge of committing the offense. Records show that there Is no direct proof of Littleton's guilt, while the mother and brother of the deceased wom- an signed the petition requesting the mans freedom. The murder of Mrs. Hodges was thrilling one, the woman's body being found near a mill pond. The other of the paroles in question Is that which extends clemency to A. J. Mothershed of Jefferson county, who in December of 1903 murdered John J. Ham brick in Birmingham. Mothershed was sent up for 25 years.
 Mitigating circumstances are shown in the records which urge the parole of the prisoner, among others the alleged fac. that Hambrick had alienated the affec- tons of Mothersheds wife. Life Imprisonment Of the 60 paroles in the Christmas batch, 20 of them extend clemency to prisoners sent up for life. Interesting data are to be found in practically all of the records, though the most voluminous petition by far was that from Mobile county urging the parole of Lee Pendley of that county. Pendley was sent up in the Mobile city court for first degree mur- der in June of 1906. His victim, a negro, is shown in the records to have been in- sulting, partly for which reason parole was issued. The records show that Pend ley was a member of number of secret societies, practically all of which en- Enthusiastically indorsed petitions for his pardon.
 Paroles issued to life prisoners, in ad- dition to those mentioned, are as follows
 Andrew Pruett, Mobile county sent up in April of 1899 on circumstantial evil dence of killing negro. The darkey is paroled oh the ground that grave doubts exist as to his responsibility for the crime.
 Alfred Ross, Mobile county, negro, sent up June 8, 1891, for the murder of another negro, an affair in which a negress was the central figure. Ross is paroled owing to good conduct during the past 19 years during which time he has royalty served the state.
 A. F. M. Tidwell, an ex-Confederate soldier Of Jefferson county, who has served six years on a charge of being one of the murderers of a son-in-law. The killing was by means of miners knives, the affair being caused by accusations of the old man that his son-in-law had | stolen his the defendants) purse. The old mans daughter and his grand daugh- ter testified against him at the trial, and were largely instrumental in sending him up. Tidwell was sent up May, 1904. along with his son, who was accused jointly of | the murder The younger man was | paroled last year.
 Melvin Hicks, Jefferson county, who was sent up from that county IS years ago on a charge of murdering another negro by the name of Sim Walton. A family difficulty was responsible for the crime, and parole is issued owing to the negro's long service for the state. George Davis, Jefferson county, sent up IA years ago on charge of grand lar ceny, and sentenced to live imprisonment | November 15 1902, while serving the for mer sentence. Ie is shown in the records that Davis was foreman of a gang at Flat Top mine when he had occasion to Kill another convict who disobeyed or | Gers. He is paroled owing to good con duct at the mines and faithful service. | Kos Lucket of Morgan county, sent up | May 10, 1902, for murder. Parole Is issued owing to ill health.
 Jim Smith, Lowndes county sent up May, 1895, for homicide. The prisoner is said to be a cripple and a model serv- l
 Oscar Henderson, a Coffee county ne- gro, who was sent up at the fall term of the Coffee circuit court, 1901 for murder. The negro has been injured in the service of the state. and is paroled conditioned | on future conduct.
 Lewis Bell of Butler county, sent up | December 8, 1894, for the murder of Ed mund Rudolph. Evidence introduced to l Governor Conner tends to show that the crime cannot be directly attributed to Bell.
 Hice Lawrence, negro youth of Gads- den. sent up for murder in 1899. Parole is issued owing to the negro's faithful serv- | ice.
 Lon Prater of Etowah county, sent up
 in 1908 for the murder of another negro, Arthur BAnt. Parole is issued on the
 showing that Blunt was a turbulent ne- gro, and that the killing was probably | justifable.
 William Hall. Clarke county, sent up November ', 1890, on a charge of having carnal knowledge of a negro girl. The
 defendant is shown to have been IA years
 old at the time of the crime.
 ' Peter Anderson. Clarke county, sent up
 at the fall term of 1907 charged with
 murder. Self-defense is shown in the
 records submitted to the governor, and
 tho further fact that the prisoner is now
 more than 60 years of age. H Wash Chisholm, Tallapoosa county, sent up more than 20 years ago for murder II Representation Is made to the governor that the negro Is suffering from paraiy- sis.
 Council Mcdonald. Limestone county,
 who was sent up October 16. 1897. for murder of another negro. Paroled under mitigating circumstances. VII