Frank Richardson Will Pay Penalty for Crime by Hanging This Morning

Title

Source Type

Newspapers

Publisher

Tuscaloosa Times Gazette

Publication Place

Tuscaloosa, AL

Publication Date

07/19/1912

Transcript

Frank Richardson Will Pay Penalty for Crime by Hanging This Morning. Governor O'Neal Declines to, Interfere With Meting, Out of Justice, TAKES STOICAL VIEW, OF PROSPECT. After Long and Harrowing Delay Negro Condemned for Killing Brown, Horton and Tom Cooper WIII, Be Hanged., MONTGOMERY, Ala., July 18., (Special to Times-Gazette.) At Twenty minutes past ten to-night, Governor O'Neal announced that he would not interfere in the execution, of Frank Richardson, the Tuscaloosa county negro, who is under sentence of death to die tomorrow in that county, for the murder of Tom Coop, er and Brown Horton. The decision arrived at by the Governor came after long conferences with counsel for, the negro, the prosecuting attorney of Tuscaloosa county, C. B. Verner, who arrived in Montgomery today and, others interested in the case. Frank Richardson will explate his crime on the gallows in the county jail this morning at twelve o'clock, paying at that time the penalty imposed by a jury for shooting and killing ex-Deputy Tom Cooper and H. Brown Horton, a member of the, posse pursuing him after his shooting of Cooper last October. The crime for which Richardson, pays the penalty to-day needs little to no comment here; suffice it to say that it was one of the most tragic of events and one that stirred the, people of Tuscaloosa county to its uttermost borders. It was on Sunday morning, October 22nd., that the late ex -Deputy Tom Cooper went to the home of Richardson to borrow a saddle; it was here that Richardson shot him down and later made his escape, This single act of the negro served, to rouse a people of a broad community and posses were sent out in, search of the murderer. It was on, Monday morning between the hours of 4 and 5 o'clock that Brown Horton, one of the pursuing men was ruthlessly shot down after he had commanded his prey to give up. The man hunt from that time was redoubled with frenzied interest, and it was Tuesday the 24th of October before he was captured and brought to Tuscaloosa where the grand jury then, sitting issued a bill of murder in the 1st degree against him the same day, and shortly thereafter he was removed to Birmingham, where he remained until his trial, at which time, he was given the full penalty of the law "the death sentence" by the jury trying his case Richardson through his attorneys, from that day began a strong fight for a commutement of sentence and his hanging was several times deferred, until on the last occasion it went before the Supreme Court and the verdict of the lower court was upheld. The Pardons Board was solicited to spare the life of the negro and two members favored a commutement of the sentence, but the Governor refused to be moved in his opinion that Richardson's was a case of a fugitive defying and shooting a pursuing officer, and his decision last night that he would not interfere with the carrying out of justice removed all hopes the, negro may have had for securing a, life sentence. The Sheriff has had things in readiness at the county jail for some time looking to the execution of Richardson. The rope has been stretching for some time, and early this morning he will secure the coffin in which the negro will be buried. The witnesses provided for by law have, been summoned to be present and barring a change of heart on the part of the Governor, today the negro will go to his Maker. Richardson has been in the county jail here for some time now. Last, night he was placed in the death cell, and a watch put over him. Of late he has not seemed much perturbed over his fate. He has talked to visitors, freely, and has sought comfort in a Bible and Testament. He is in a better physical condition now than he was when arrested. He has received the best of meals at the county jail, and has freshened up quite a bit. This morning he will be treated to another good meal and at half past, eleven o'clock will begin to make his, final preparations before departing this world. Under the new code of Alabama, there will be but few witnesses to the execution. The law provides for the presence of the sheriff, trial, judge, prosecuting attorney, defendant's lawyer, close relatives of the condemned man, two doctors, the probate judge and county clerk, four deputies and a detail of National, Guardsmen, If such is deemed advisable.

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