Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-10-05
Frank Palmer, Of RusseIIviIIe,
Ala, After EIuding Officers for
Almost Quarter Of Century, VOL
unfairly Surrenders in Texas.
Goaded by Conscience and Tired
of Living a Fugitive's Life, Dave
GIenn's Slayer Stands Ready to
Pay Penalty for Transgression.

USSELLvILLE, ALA, oct. g
Frank Palmer, Of Franklin County,
who had been sought by officers Of
. the law for % years, presents ii
himself up to the law and wishes to
be tried for the murder Of Dave
Glenn, whose mutilated body was
found in a pike road near here in
1891
Palmer was living in Dallas Coun-
ty, in the Texas Panhandle, at the
time he decided 20 come back to his
native State and face the crime OF
which he had been accused in his
youth. He had been In West Texas
roughing It on ranches and in Next
co, prospecting for gold, but always
he had felt the ban OF the law, so he
sent message to Sheriff Hargett.
OF Franklin County, saying
Il am tired OF lodging the law"
When Texas officers placed Pal
mcr under arrest and when Sheriff
Hargett arrived one bright Sunday
morning the same words fell from
Tie lips OF the fugitive.
Glad TO return.
81 am glad to go back to Alabama,
because ] am 50 tired"
Palmer Is only 40 years OF age, but
he looks So Anxiety and conscience
have cut premature lines OF age In
his face and streaked his hair with
gray. To the same reason can be
attributed the weary bend OF his
shoulders and a pallid complexion.
Now that he Is about to face the
bar of justice and is back among
his own Palmer In no longer tor
tured. Having lived for % years
under the shadow OF tenacious cling
ing fear that was far worse than a
living death in a prison cell, he sim
ply smiles and smokes his pipe in
satisfaction I'm the little brick jail In
Russellville.
For % years as a cowboy. miner,
farmer and clerk, Palmer held within
himself the great secret He SHE'D
at the personal questions any chance
acquaintance might ask him; he an
swered queerly with a stified voice
when friends spoke OF his native
State, and his pulse beat faster when
an officer gazed squarely into hts
eyes.
Fugitive Since is.
A score of years is long time for
a man to dodge the law for crime
he was accused OF committing as a
boy OF IS, and Il rs a long time to he
exiled from home and friends. II Is
enough that an aged managed with
fear and worry-ls now within the
confines OF the State that he has
Stunned. He has come back to face
a crime that most OF his old neigh
bors had forgotten the details OF
In custody and irons the prisoner Is
happier than when he was free to
rove the West He want a trial be-
fore his old friend and then a chance
to start all over again." where he
Is known.
Complacent and almost happy, he is
through with turmoil Back again
within a stones throw OF his boyhood
hRme he dwells again in the days
When the flames OF youth were ram
pant and the red blood surged at a
headlong pace.
The records in the case which have
lain in the county courthouse so long
have yellowed with age. When the
news OF the dramatic surrender came,
the clerk was forced to go to the
vaults and seek the indictment among
dust covered papers
Death of Rival.
One OF the oldest county officials
tells the story as follows:
Dave Glenn and Frank Palmer. IS
year-old youths, had been friends
from boyhood. They were the sons
of planters in Franklin County. II
was the village gossip that both loved
the same little farm girl. She was is,
slim and pretty. with an angels limo
cence in her eyes.
Then one morning the village seeth-
ed with the excitement OF a bloody
ira gedy. Dave Glenn had been found
with the top of his head blown Off
and Palmer had disappeared. 1t was
as though he had dropped from the
face OF the earth. and though the
years passed no trace was received
or II one was heard Of II proved to be
q false clew. High and low, every
where, police circulars made a drag
nos and the States We're combed in q
futile effort to find the fugitive
During the years that Palmer
roamed the range. living in DOLBY hut:
and eating from chuck" wagons. ht
still dreamed of romance but Tho
Young girl who is alleged to have
been the innocent cause of the trag
edy forgot, and in the intervening
years married another When he re-
turned Palmer scarcely recognized a
his youthful sweetheart the sweet
faced matron whose fair form had
long since lost its trim lines in worl
and worry over the care OF her chill
1ren
Hopes To Be Freed.
The prisoner hopes to be freed o.
the stain of murder when he answers
the charge OF the State. For % year,
ne has lived within the law. His If
has been clean. and on this fact tn,
defense will base Its greatest claim a.
TO why he should not spend the re
mainder OF his days in prison.
Old friends of Palmer have asked
bat the matter be taken up witt
pvernor Emmett O'Neal, but Paine
sists on a trial Time will weigh
Neavily in his favor. as material wit
nesFes, gran6 jurors and others IA
miliar with the case have long sine,
died.