The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-04-05

Il
| disorderly conduct.
| last Monday reported by Governor O'Nea
| that it could see no reason why the sen
| tence should be commuted and Governo
o Neal announced that unless new evi
dence was found he could not substitute
| life Imprisonment for the penalty givef
| by the jury.
| During the trial the fact was brough
out that Jones killed Rowan because II,
| feared he would be the means of bring
| ing out evidence that would be agains
Jones in the trial of a case charginl
Jones with aiding in burning severa
stores at Benton and being interested il
other crimes, including illegal whisky sell
| Ing. Jones defense was that he killet
Rowan because Rowan circulated reports
that Henry F.. Vandiver, prominen
Montgomery business man. had been init
mate with (Jones) wife The jury threw
aside the defendants plea of not guilt,
and ordered him executed for the crime.
| Appeal after appeal to Governor ONea
| was made in Jones' behalf, but the on,
which acted against him was the reques
| of Mrs. Rowan that the law be allowed
| to exact "eye for eye and tooth for tooth
and that Jones be required to suffer the
death that was forced on her husband
by Jones' bullets.
| "Never Had Chance"
| Born in a poorhouse and never allowed
| the association furnished by those trained
| to respect law We're Arnold Gilmer's pleas
| in justification of his crime. but the law
said he was guilty of murder in the first
degree when he shot and killed Mrs
Lucille Tippets in a rooming house or
Madison avenue December %, 1911-twC
days before Christmas.
Gilmer all along maintained that ht
was intoxicated and out of his normal
condition when he killed Mrs. Tippets
And / never would have done it had
known" Gilmer has said time and again
Gimer was a cabinet maker one time
then he became a bartender at a saloon
He has always been regarded as a "bad
character and was often docketed al
police headquarters, one time being ar
rested for highway robbery.
Efforts We're made to secure a com
mutation for Gilmer, but the pardon
board refused to recommend it an,
Governor O'Neal said he could not in
terfere unless mitigating evidence was
presented by Gilmer's attorneys. Sucl
evidence could not be secured.
Adams Convicted Twice
John Adams killed T. w. Berry
mounted policeman. October 5, 1910
when the officer attempted to arres
| him to answer a trivial charge. Fo
several days it was thought a mol
would attempt to kill Adams and mil
litary men were kept about the count,
| jail Adams was wounded In the figh
with Policeman Berry and physician
said he would not recover.
| He was convicted early in 1911 an,
given death sentence. He appealed an,
secured a new trial on a technicality
| He was convicted again and again h.
appealed. This time the supreme cour
ISSUED an affirmative order. Adam
asked rehearing. 1t was denied. II
appealed to the board of pardons. TIL
pardon board refused to recommen,
lcommutaton. Governor O'Neal wa
lasked to exercise the power granted b.
the Legislature. Bring new evidence,
said the governor. and Adams hop
failed here. There was no new evidence
Two years passed between the tim
the crime was committed and the dat
for the second trial. In the meantime
Adams attorneys worked night and da.
to secure evidence and witnesses tha
icould strengthen their case. New wit
nesses appeared in the second case, bu
1.-THE verdict was not altered. you ar
guilty" said the jury.
Adams attorneys for several days dis
Icussed the advisability of carrying tn
lease to the supreme court of the Unite
States because Judge Armstead Brow
refused to grant Adams request for
lchange of venue and told Adams, Il
sentencing him to death, that he ha
received a fair trial and had been give
Justice by the jury.
|