PRISONER SHOT

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 18961, 11 March 1936, Page 13

PRISONER SHOT

NEGRO BADLY WOUNDED

FAMOUS CASE RECALLED

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama, Jan. 27

Orie Lowell, one of the accused negroes in the Scoltsboro’ case, was shot and critically wounded this afternoon It is alleged that lie had attacked Sheriff Graylock with a knife while the party was travelling from Decatur, where the trial is now. proceeding, to Birmingham. Sheriff Graylock had his throat cut,

Fragmentary reports indicate that Powell somehow got possession of a long-bladerl knife. Soon after the ear left Decatur court houses to lake the prisoners back to prison here he whipped it out and slashed the sheriff several times.

The other negroes dived to the floor in mad panic. Suddenly shots rang out. ns Graylock’s fellow-sheriff opened fire with bis revolver.

The negroes, . manacled together, lugged and fought to escape the bullets. The motor-car continued its rapid pace down the highway while the struggle went on inside. It stopped at the nearest hospital, where the wounded men were In It.

During the trial at Decatur, where local feeling runs high, the prisoners are being held at Birmingham as a precautionary measure against mob violence. They are taken daily to and from the court house.

75 YEARS’ SENTENCE

The Seottsboro’ case opened in 1931. Nine negroes are accused of assaulting two while women.

Haywood Patterson, another of the accused, was sentenced yesterday to 75 years’ imprisonment. lie was on trial for the /ourlh time on the charge of assault, find had been sentenced to death three times.

When the negroes were originally charged the rase became a “cause celebre” at once, chiefly because it was alleged the convictions were the result of race prejudice. Appeals were taken to the Supreme Court and new (rials {fronted. When verdicts were given in these more appeals were made. Attempts to have the trial removed to another State on the ground that a fair trial would be impossible in Alabama have failed. Tn Alabama negroes have been systematically excluded from juries, and allhough negroes were on the panel or. Ibis occasion, none was selected.