The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-07-18
ERWIN POPE'SL|FE HANGS IN BALANCE Petitions for and Against
 Communication Out SCAFFOLD IS READY Shaler Houser Out of Politics-Doug- lass-Huger Wedding in Annis-
 ton-Stevenson to Coach
 the Preds

Anniston July 17.-(Special.)- )-Thomas J. Harris, attorney for Erwin ope, the An niston negro whose several trials and
 hearings before the supreme court for
 the murder of J. B. McClurIin. the Oxford
 miller and planter, will not ask the SUI preme court to grant a new hearing, as
 there is said to be little chance of re- versing the last decree.
 Pope's attorneys ara now devoting all their efforts to save the negro from death on the gallows. Attorney Elbert Will lett who assisted Attorney Harris in the last trial believes with the younger at
 torney that the evidence against John
 Body, the material witness who fled the
 county, is so strong that it would be a
 mistake to hang Pope. Hence an effort
 is being made to have the governor com
 mute the sentence to life imprisonment.
 A petition has been put in circulation
 by attorneys for the defense, asking the
 people to help in the fight to save the
 life of the negro Ttis has aroused the
 people of Oxford, where McCurkin had
 numerous friends and they insist that
 they want to see the name of any per
 son who is willing to sign a petition for
 executive clemency after five Calhoun
 juries have found the negro guilty.
 To counteract the other petition, the
 friends of McClurkin have also put out
 a petition in fhich they pray the gover-
 nor to not interfere with the sentence
 fixed by the local court and upheld by
 the supreme court of Alabama. This pe-
 ttion has been liberally signed, and it is In bav ha ma pf son residing in Oxford and the Chocco- looco valley added to 1t.
 Sheriff C. T. Brooks says that he has the scaffod ready to be erected for the execution. The lumber was assembled for it when the death sentence was about to be imposed on Alex Waldrep who was saved by the governors grace from death for wife murder. It can be erected at a moments notice, but the sheriff says he will not put it up until he is sure what action the governor will take, the date of execution having been set for Au- gust 21.
 Pope is still in the Jefferson county jail, and lest a few hot heads who want to administer summary punishment to him carry their threats into execution, the negro will not be brought back here until time for the hanging. It is the eighth time Pope has gone down into the valley of the shadow of death, but he still main ta1nS ms nerve ana DelleNeS HIS ile VIII be saved, according to his attorneys. Shaler Houser, who was married to Miss Oma Dickert, has returned from Atlanta, where he and Mrs. Houser went on an automobile honeymoon. He says he is out of politics now.
 | The wedding of Miss Florine Douglass 1 and MT. Joe Huger, which was solemnized i at the Church of St. Michael and All An I gels here this week, will be of interest all l over the state on account of the promi- hence of the young couple. The bride l is the daughter of J. A Douglass, former | mana ger of the Southern Express com pany here and noted for her beauty.
 The groom is a son of Dr. R. P. Huger,
 Annistons first mayor, and grandson 1 of J. w. Noble.
 | Gardner Stevenson has accepted the 1 position of coach at the Alabama Presby- | terian college for next year Indications are that the enrolment will be much
 larger than usual and Stevenson looks l for fine athletic year.