Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-04-04
Four SIayers Hanged on Same
GaIlOws in the County Jail at
Montgomery,
OFFICIALS NEARLY COLLAPSE
Walter Jones, One Of Quartet Ex-
ecuted, Once Was Rich Planter
and Social Leader.

MONTGOMERY, ALA, April A.
Four men were hanged in the county
jail here this morning.
Two of them. Walter Jones ana Ar
mold Gnmer were white men, the first
Of their race in hrty years to die on
the gallows in Alabama.
Jones, once a wealthy planter and
prominent in social and political af-
fairs of Lowndes County paid the
penalty for shooting Sloan Rowan, a
wealthy neighbor, His life ended one
Of the most sensational careers in
Alabama history-a career which in
cluded the record Of several killings,
and the story Of degeneracy from high
estate.
Arnold Gilmore died for the muir
der of Mrs. Lucille Tippetts, white
woman, whom he killed in drunken
frenzy.
The two negroes hanged Were John
Adams and Coleman German. Adams
killed Policeman Berry in Montgom-
cry more than three years ago. His
case is one Of the most remarkable in
the States legal annals. Lawyers
appointed by the court TO his de-
tense fought-the case bitterly, taking
it to the supreme Court three times,
and obtaining two reversals on TECH
nicaIities. Out Of the reversals was
precipitated a bitter tight on the sys-
TEN Of legal procedure permitting
such delays. German killed a negro
woman.
Goes Calmly to Death.
Jones was first to 60 10 his death.
His composure was in striking con-
trast to the nervousness of the county
officers ia charge Of his execution.
The nervousness bore the deputies
almost to the verge Of collapse when
the trap was sprung. and the feet
of the doomed man struck the floor.
The rope was TOO long. Several
tense minutes were taken up in ad-
justing the rope.
Jones. a stalwart man. fell through
the trap at CHS. 1t was 1854 before
the attending physicians pronounced
him dead. He died OF strangulation.
Gilmer was next TO the gallows.
Again the rope was too long, and the
feet of the man scraped heavily
against the floor as his body dangled.
After the first two executions there
was no hitch. The rope having been
adjusted, the negroes neeks were
broken by the fall.
Adams, the last OF the four to the
gallows. made a five-minute talk to
the little party in the death cham
Der. He confessed his crime. and de-
clared that he was at peace with all
the world and with God
Wfe's Battle in Vain.
Jones, going TO his death, took
leave of his wife and three children. /
Two Of his children are beautiful
girls. Il and 10 years old. who have
become public figures in Moutgom-
cry because OF their efforts In their
fathers behalf, and because Of a pub
lie appeal which. at one time while
their father was in Jail, they and
their mother made to the people Of
Montgomery for help.
During all the time Of Jones inn
prisonmeut his wife's efforts to save
his life were unremitting. Daily her
time was spent between the jail, the
office Of Governor O'Neal. and the
Offices of her lawyers
Hardly a day passed. i'm all the
seven months since her husbands
conviction. without the revelation of
some new development in her fight. +.
Rumors that she had impaired in /
formation TO implicate prominent /
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