The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-12-10
'GOVE ERNQR REF USES
 AROLE TO 18-YEAR-
 OLDJACKS0N YOUTH
kilby Says He Finds No Rea- | son for Granting Glemency to Boy Sentenced to
 Twelve Years
STATE CAPITAL BUREAU I
 THE AGE-HERALD MoutEOmcry. Ala. Dec. Q

Tyrus Lawson of Jackson county. who was IS years old when he was convicted of murder in the second degree in 1916, vii not be given his liberty and parole by Governor Ki1by. The governor today refused to grant executive clemency, holding that he could find no sufficient reason for disturbing the finding of the jury and the sentence of the court
 Citizens of north Alabama and Tennessee became interested in Law son's case and appeared before the board of pardons and the governor in his behalf Lawson, although coming 10 prison three years before ne reached legal age. has made an ex- ceIlent record. However, Governor Kilby considered the evidence sub mitted at his trial and reached the 4 conclusion that circumstances sur rounding the case were sufficient to warrant the imposition of the sentence and he announced that he did not feel the executive should disturb the decision of the Jackson circuit court
 A white man disappeared from Jackson county. The last time he was seen alive he was being followed by Lawson. Lawson carried gun. Later the body was found not far from tho point where he was last N seen. Lawson, according to the evil ,ssdenoe, had sought to cash certain checks signed by the man, checks declared to be forgeries. The states theory was that Lawson killed the man in order to prevent his appear ance in court against him on the forgery charge,
 Had Bad Character
 In reaching the decision that Q pa- role should not be issued at this time, Governor Kilby said: This boy, IS years of age at the time of con victton. was convicted of murder in the second degree.
 "I have read tho file very carefully as well as the transcript of evidence in the court of appeals. The evidence showed the boy to be of very bad character, having been arrested on numerous occasions for burglary and gambling.
 "The evidence of state witnesses showed that he followed the man with gun and dog to Glover Bottom which was tho meeting of bootleg gers, gamblers and lude women, and that he was seen to return from the spot about an hour later. The body of the dead man was found several months later with a bullet hole in the back of his skull.
 Cashed Bad Check
 "A few days after his disappear ance the defendant was arrested for .*forgery. Checks drawn to the account of the dead man were produced in court, indorsed by the defendant This circumstance convinced the Jury that ,sthe boy had committed the murder. ? the motive being to protect himself against the charge of forgery. The fact that the jury imposed a pen '.aIty of only 12 years would indicate perhaps some doubt in the find of the jury as to the boys guilt On the other hand. the light sentence may have been given in consideration of the youth of the defendant There is no means of determining what was in the minds of the jury.
 Denies CIemency
 After, careful consideration of the entire trial and the evidence in the case. my opinion is that sufficient < reasons have not been given for dis turbing the finding of the jury. and the sentence of the court Clemenoy. Therefore, Is denied"