Palmer Removes Richardson from the County Jail

Title
Palmer Removes Richardson from the County Jail
Source Type
Newspapers
Publisher
Tuscaloosa News
Publication Place
Tuscaloosa, AL
Publication Date
12/24/1911
Transcript
PALMER REMOVES RICHARDSON FROM THE COUNTY JAIL Sheriff Hurries Prisoner to Birmingham Saturday Morning, ABSOLUTELY NO TALK OF ANY MOB VIOLENCE Reports of Attempted Lynching are Current in Birmingham- Judge Foster Talks. Frank Richardson, the negro who was sentenced to hang Friday December 22 for the murder of Brown Horton but was granted a respite for sixty days, was carried to Birmingham by Sheriff Palmer Saturday morning. The Sheriff left Tuscaloosa at 10:30 on the A. G. S. arriving in Birmingham shortly before 1 o'oclock. It was stated that Sheriff Palmer was afraid that an effort would be made to lynch the negro and as a precaution he hastened him to Birmingham. A very delighted search and much inquiry failed to reveal any efforts to organize a mob, or inclination to interfere with the law in the case. Everyone seen Saturday was greatly surprised at the action of the Sheriff and stated that there was absolutely no foundation for the report that an attempt might be made to lynch Richardson, Little interest had been manifested in the granting of the respite of 60 days to the negro pen- ding the decision of the Supreme Court on the question of whether the condemned negro was entitled to a new trial. The action of the Sheriff in removing Richardson at this time was criticized by many people Saturday. Judge H. B. Foster of the County Court who presided at the negro's trial and passed sentence on him, was greatly surprised to know the prisoner had been moved. He considered the action a mistake and said there was no danger of any trouble. "It was an absolutely unnecessary precaution said-Judge Foster "and I regret that Sheriff Palmer removed the prisoner. There was no danger of any attempted violence. The removal of Richardson to Birmingham will only serve to place Tuscaloosa in a false light." Saturday afternoon it was reported in Birmingham that a mob had attempted to lynch Richardson and Sheriff Palmer had narrowly escaped across the country in an automobile with his prisoner, Reports were rife in the magic city of a frenzied mob ready to storm the Tuscaloosa jail, and there were rumors of an imminent race war. "The Birmingham News," desirous of obtaining the facts about the mob telephoned the Tuscaloosa News" and was greatly surprised when informed that there was absolutely no foundation for the report of attempted mob violence. The following is from the Birmingham News: "Sheriff W. C. Palmer and Deputy Sheriff Clements of Tuscaloosa county, arrived in Birmingham Saturday afternoon, bringing in, under heavy chains the negro who killed Tom Hooper, a former deputy sheriff of that county, and Brown Horton, a deputy sheriff, and who was to have been hanged Friday but was given a sixty day respite by the governor, The negro is being brought to the county, jail here for safe keeping, Sheriff Palmer stated that he was in- formed Friday that a mob was be- ing organized for the purpose of thing the negro, and that through little diplomacy he prevented any action being taken Friday night and Saturday morning early started with the prisoner, heavily chained, for Birmingham. "The statement is made that the governor gave the respite with the understanding that evidence would be produced why the negro should have a commutation of sentence to that of lifetime in the penitentiary
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