The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-08-11
BANK ROBBER NOW
 ASKS FOR PAROLE
By FRED H. GORMLEY Montgomery Bureau The Ase-Herald
 22i-2 First National Bank 6uiloinu

22I-2 First National Bank suiI6lns Motgomery, August 10.-(Specialj $. A. Sanders, Montgomery chauffeur, who was one of the participants in the robbery of the Phenix- -Girard Bank. in Russell county in January, today asked the state board of pardons to recommend that he be released on parole on the grounds that he had an agreement with Sheriff H. T. Ragland, of Russell county that he would be 1iberatel if he turned states evidence and made an expose which would result in the conviction of the other participants.
 Sanders has been in prison only a few weeks. having pleaded guilty and ac- cepted a sentence of ten years. His emissary before the board of pardons in- sisted that Sanders had done everything in his power to assist the state in fer reting the various problems which came up following the holding up of bank officials in broad daylight that Sheriff Ragland had given him the liberty Of the jail while he was under arrest and that Sanders furnished the information which brought about the arrest of Roy Dickerson, the ringeader and other par sons All are now serving prison sen tences with the execution of Dickerson. who escapeds from jail at Los Angeles.
 The trial judge and solicitor have de- elined to recommend clemency for Sand- CTS, and have not recoznized the agree ment with Sheriff Ragland, because the agreement was nto made with officials of the court. Sanders is now confined in the prison at River Falls. He was first sent to Flat Top. and later transferred to the prison at Speigner. While at Speigner a note, alleged to have been written by Mrs. Roy Dickerson, who IS serving a sentence for complicity in the robbery, to Sanders asking his aid in planning her escape. caused the removal of Sanders to Flat Top. Sanders claims he knew nothing about the note. which was intercepted by officials Of the prison before it reached him.
 Attorneys for Sanders contend that he did not profit by the robbery, that hts share of the loot was fixed at five thousand dollars and that it was deIV- cred to messenger for him, but that the messenger never made the delivery. Sanders claims he did not receive ang part of the money.
 The board of pardons stated that thorough investigation would be made ot the case before the announcement of a decision A close inquiry will be made about the agreement by which Sanders gave evidence which resulted in the con viction of his accomplices.
 PAROLE PETITIONS
 In decisions in thirty cases involving petitions for release on parole, the state board of pardons today recommended that the governor grant clemency in nine cases and denied the applications in twenty-one cases.
 Those whose cases went to the gover- nor with favorable reports follow: Zack Benjamin, Montgomery, grand larc&ny Vera Cole, Coffee, second degree mur- der Jonas Ford, Tallapoosa. assault to murder; c. D. Manghum. Jefferson, sec ond degree forgery; John Mathis, Hous- ton, second degree murder; Robert Shirey, Clay burglary and grand lar ceny: Milton Upshaw, Montgomery grand larceny; Mary Wood, Jefferson robbery Herbert Worthington, Crenshaw grand larceny.
 PETITIONS DENIED
 Petitions were denied in the following cases: Henrys Brooks. Montgomery. manufacturing liquor; Willie Butler. Jeff ferson first degree manslaughter; Lee Byrd Jefferson, assault to murder John Thomas Carter, Mobile, second degree murder: Ben F. Cowley, Madison. mur- der first degree Dave Cullfer, Coffee manslaughter first degree; Charles J. Fox, Mobile burglary and assault to rob; Dennis Gillespy, Jefferson, robbery; Burt Monroe Holton, Jefferson, assault to rob: Andrew Hudgins, Coffee, violating pro- hibtion law; Will Mace, alias McCrary, Madison, assault to murder: Madison Moore, Morgan, first degree manslaugh. ter: Walter Morris, Calhoun, distilling: Jeff Queen, Clay, manufacturing liquor: Ed Reeves, Colbert, manufacturing liauor; Ed Robinson, Jefferson, robbery; Will Sims. alias Simmons, Montgomery, first, degree manslaughter: Reed Weldon, Tallapoosa, second degree murder; Jim Whit, Hale assault to murder: Harvey Jenkins Lauderdale manufacturing liquor; Preston Johnson, Jefferson, rob- bery.
 FEWER FARMS
 Shelby county, Alabama, has 294 fewer farms and 293 fewer farmers in 1920 than it had in 1910. according to the re- port of the bureau of the census on the inquiry of this year which was received by the state agricultural department to- day.
 In 1910 Shelby had 2,763 farms and in 1920, 2,496 It had 216l white farmers and eco negro farmers in 1910 and 2.029 white farmers and 40 negro farmers in 1920. Total acreage in cultivation in 1910 was 27s10O compared with 204.73S in 1920, decrease of 266 per cent.