The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1914-12-03
TODD CONVICTED Of
ALEXANDER MURDER
AND IS GIVEN LIFE
Verdict Returned By Jury
In CRIMINAL Court After
Short DeliberatiOn
NEGRO HEARD THE
VERDICT UNMOVED
Turner Also Charged With Crime.
Hugo L. Black Makes His Maiden
Speech as Solicitor-Defends
Officers from Criticism
of Beddow

I'VE, the jury, find the defendant
guilty as charged in the Indictment, and
fix his punishment at life Imprisonment
in the penitentiary,'' was the verdict of
the jury in the case of Robert Todd. ne
gro, charged with the murder of Joseph
w. Alexander, the Northside merchant
who was killed in his store on septem-
Der %.
The defendant went to trial Tuesday
in the first division of the criminal court
before Judge S. e. Greene The prin-
cipal witness against the defendant was
the wife of the murdered storekeeper,
who positively identified Todd as one of
the assailants of her husband. Some adj
mission said to have been made by the
defendant at the time of his arrest were
offered in evidence. but were denied by
him.
Bedd0w Criticizes Officers
The evidence was concluded Tuesday
night and yesterday morning the argu-
ment began. Assistant Solicitor w. s..
WEIGH opened for the state; he was
followed by Roderick Beddow for the de-
PENDANT, who criticised the arresting Of
ficers, declaring that third degree
methods had been used to obtain the al
legged confessions. Hugo L. Black made
his maiden speech as solicitor, when he
closed the arguments for the state. He
took Attorney Beddow to task for his
criticism of the officers. Mr.. Beddow in
terrupted several times during the speech.
Judge Black made out a very strong
case for the state. and insisted that the
defendant be convicted for murder in the
first degree. bat did not insist on the
death penalty.
The case went to the jury at II :40
o'clock. AT 5 o'clock the jury announced
that it was ready to report. Judge
Greene was charging the jury in another
capital case, and 1t was about $50 be-
make its report Have you gentlemen
agreed On a verdict asked Judge Greene.
I'VE have replied the foreman. The
verdict was handed to Clerk Copeland
who read the verdict as above.
While the negro defendant watched the
proceedings eagerly and listened to the
reading of the verdict with close atten-
ton he gave no sign as to whether he was
disappointed or otherwise moved by the
verdict and received it with the calm.
ness that has characterized his actions
during the trial. Mr.. Beddow was plainly
disappointed at the verdict. but did not
state whether an appeal would be taken
or not.
Crime Was Brutal One
The killing of Mr.. Alexander was very
brutal, and occurred at his store on Nine
tenth street and Ninth avenue on the
night of September %, about 9:15 o'clock
He was alone in the store at that hour
and two negroes, said to have been Todd
and Will Turner, came into the store and
asked for some beans. While the store
keeper was reaching down to get the
beans he was struck on the back of the
head with . a large iron bolt, which In
flicted such injuries that he died in about
an hour
Mrs. Alexander, wife of the deceased
saw the fatal blow struck. She was cross
ing to the hallway to the rear of the
store when the attack was made. bu,
was not close enough to attempt to pre-
vent the tragedy. She ran to the assist.
ance of her husband, upon which the two
negroes decamped, and for the time be-
ing made their escape. Detectives Bran
non and Macke we're put on the case, and
in 10 days Todd was arrested at Ensley
He was later indicted for the murder, ant
was placed on trial with the above re-
su1f