The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-05-21
TEARS FALL WHEN
 BOY IS SENTENCED.
Pearce Feud, Cases Have a Dramatic Close
ALsToN VERY STRICT
Has no Mercy for the Blind Tiger Violators and Is Commended By the Womans Tenn
 perance Union

Anniston, May 20.-- Special )-Pos- sibly never before within the history of the city court of Anniston has there been witnessed such pathetic scene as that which was enacted Saturday morn ing when Cross Pearce, a 17-year-old lad, was sentenced to the penitentiary for 20 years for the murder of Sarge Kennedy, boy of about his own age, at the continuation of the Pearce-Ke nedy feud on January IA, near Peek s hill in this county. The boy Is son of Dr. John E. Pearce. who was con victed on Easter morning. and both will appeal to the supreme court.
 Mrs. Pearce, who has been attending the sessions of the court since the case was first begun, swooned In the arms of her sister, Mrs. Weaver, as the sen tence was pronounced. and pr. John E. Pearce, the father of the lad, buried his face In his hands and wept bit terly. Tears also trickled down the checks of Solicitor w. T. Tunsta1l. the man who had been chiefly instrumental in securing the verdict pronounced by the court.
 Tho verdict of the jury, as evidenced in poll taken, was unanimous, and, following their pronouncement, Judge Alston sentenced the prisoner, after thanking the jurymen for their ser vices, stating that their sentence was a n,erciful one. In addressing the lad, the judge admonished him to be care full of his life in prison.- pr. Pearce, the boys father. was then sentenced to life imprisonment. and in a statement before the court he said that he held no i'll will against any man. He said that he had done no more than he be- lieved any other man would have done under the circumstances in killing Shelt Kennedy.
 Bill Kennedy. father of Shelt and grandfather of Sarge Kennedy. for whose death Dr. John k. Pearce and his son, Cross Pearce, have been found guilty, Il not be tried at the present term Sce city court, according to
 The Ca az the other defendants, his daughter, Kennedy, the only one allowed bon. John Eaton and John Fowler all ol Hom, except the wom- an. are in jail. l also go over.
 Judge A. II. X ston, who has pre- sided at the special term of the city court, saturday morning maintained the austerity which has characterized his entire sitting here. He denied a pe- tition in behalf of John H. Maxwell, who was fined $250 and given 90 days iE jail for violating the prohibition law. For the same offense Sam May field was given the same sentence. John Hill was fined $50 and given so days at hard labor. All three have appealed and their bonds have been fixed at s'50 The judge also refused clemency to F. M. House. whom he fined $10 for talking with a juroH and he told MT. House that the fine 5wouid have been larger had he been in possession of facts learned later.
 For the manner In which he dealt with alleged violators of the prohibit ton law, Judge Alston was the re- cipient Saturday morning of a beau tiful bouquet of calla lilies from the Woman's Christian Temperance union. The flowers were accompanied by sew eral verses in poetic arrangement. The judge declined an audience with the ladies on account of the press of bust ness, but he sent them a note wishing them godspeed in their work.