The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-02-01
JURY SENTENCES
 HAMP KIRBY ID
 LIFE IN PRISON
Climax in Trial Came Yester- day Afternoon When Confess sion of Youthful Slayer
 Was Read to the Jury

Tuscumbia, January 3t.-(spe-
 cinl.)--HMmp Kirby, on trial
 charged with killing Don Stephen
 son, prohibition agent, last week,
 while Stephenson and two other
 dry officers were searching for
 stills, was found guilty and his
 punishment fixed mt life imprisOn-
 ment by the jury in the special ses-
 sion of circuit court here tornight.
 Ce',gt recessed at o'clock tonight. being Teconvened al z o'clock. IL had been in session oI9y a few minutes when the verdict was returned
 The climax in the trial came late this afternoon, after a day of thrills and excitement, when the alleged con- fessior of Kirby was read to the jury over the protests of counsel for tho defendant, who objected that the con- fession was secured through undue in- fluence being exerted by officers of the law. However, the state was able to convince the court that no force was used in securing the statement from young Kirby, which unfolded to the jury and the large crowd assem- bled to hear the evidence, what was one of the best laid and most system atic plots to murder officers of the law who were charged with the duty Of destroying illicit stills and the ar resting of bootleggers, that has evsr Eeen unraveled in the court annuals of this county or this state
 CONFESSION FIRST EVIDENCE
 Before the confession of Kirby was presented to the jury by State So- licitor Jones there had been absolutely no evidence that would implicate young Kirby in the murder But his statement has put an entirely new aspect as to his status. Kirby testified that Will Holmes was the "master mind' behind a gang of moonshiners who have been operating in this county and that Holmes had expre sse,i his pleasure when told that Kirby and his father had killed the officer and wounded the other two. Kirby says, in his confession. that no one except he and his father were present when the shooting took place and that Jake smith, thought to have been the prin- cipal, came up later Six shots in all were fired, says the statement He fired two and his father four. One used 8 double barrel shotgun loaded with buckshot and the other a single barrel shotgun loaded with the same material
 The confession also states that when he tkirby) asked Will Holmes why he wanted these men killed, Holmes req plied 1, was because he wanted to get them out of the way. and when that was done they wouldn't be bothered any more by Sheriff Miller of this county. and that Romine. federal pro- hlbition agent. would not come about their stills unless sent for
 The young prisoner. who Is not more than 20 years of age, expressed regret in his statement for the killing and says that when he saw one of his victims in the hospital he thwn and there determined to tell every thing, but that he was persuaded by Will Holmes not to do 1t, and he felt under obligations to Holmes. who had raised him.
 of four stills in Colbert county and that he and his father and several others, whom he named. op- erated them for him.
 Kirby says that Holmes wanted he and his father and others 10 gu back down to the river where Romine and two other deputies were stationed. and "get them," and that a party wac or ganized for that purpose, but the plan was never carried out.
 EVERY DETAIL RELATED
 Every detail of the shooting and events leading up to it were recited by Kirby, even to the statement that he and his father shot about the same time, and that all three men fell az about the time the shots were fired.
 It was o'clock this afternoon be- fore jury was secured for the trial of Kirby. but 12 men were finally se-. cured, being Webb H. Gray, Robert Hopkins, William Glover, w. H ] Adams, Armistead Alsobrook, w H. Hatch. Charles Gray, George E. Gris- som. w. c. Thompson, John w. Coch- ran and Will Jarnett.
 The first witness to be examined was Throckmorton, who testified as to the finding of the body. Judge N r. \ Tompkins, " A. Romine. federal pro- hibition agent; Harvey Carter. Angus Burch. pr. R. L. Montgomery. Calvin Highfield and Andrew McPeters, the latter two being shot In the raid, tes tified. Highfield said Sid Kirby. father of Hamp Kirby and Jake Smith shot him. while McPeters testified that hs saw Jake Smith in front of him be- fore he war shot. but that he couldn't tell whether he did the shooting or not.