Cherokee County AlArchives News.....“Bill” Smith is killed, The Famous Bell Tree Moonshiner Shot August 22, 1908
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W. Stephens wend901@charter.net May 13, 2005, 4:58 pm

Cleburne News Era, Heflin, Al August 22, 1908
“Bill” Smith is killed, The Famous Bell Tree Moonshiner Shot
By Will Chandler in Self-Defense

   William Smith, the notorious “ Bell Tree” blind tiger keeper and desperado 
is dead.  He died with his boots on as he had sworn he would at the hands of a 
man he tried to kill.
   Last Sunday afternoon at Borden Springs, a station on the Seaboard Air Line 
railroad in the extreme northern part of this county, Will Smith was killed 
outright by Will Chandler. 
   It seems that both parties had been to an all-day singing at New Bethel 
church a short distant away and while passing Borden Springs station a row or 
scuffle between other parties was in progress, one of whom was an employe of 
Chandler, and he left his wagon in care of his wife and children to go down and 
investigate the trouble.  When he arrived at the place where the trouble was 
going on Will Smith and Chandler become involved in a heated controversy 
because Chandler asked the boy who was in his employ to come away.
   During the time of the trouble both Smith and Chandler’s brothers got into 
the mix-up and Smith’s brother got Chandler’s brother down and was choking him 
severely, while Will Smith was standing over Will Chandler with his gun on him 
having him to pray and occasionally kicking him and telling him to get down to 
it, when Smith observed that his brother was about choked to death he threw his 
gun on Chandler’s brother and told him to stop; just at this time Chandler took 
advantage of the opportunity and knocked Smith down with a rock from behind and 
then it become a hand to hand fight between the four for the gun, each 
realizing that whichever side got the gun it meant death to the other.  
Finally, Will Chandler got possession of the deadly weapon and fired four shots 
at Will Smith, three of which took effect in the head, spattering Smith’s 
brains over the grass around. 
   Immediately after the killing Chandler gave himself up to the authorities 
and came to Heflin that night and was in jail by 2:00 a.m..
   Chandler waived preliminary trial Monday morning.  He made bond for 
$2,500.00, and will await further action by the grand jury.
   This is the second killing that has taken place at Borden Springs within the 
last few months and it is said that six men have been killed within a short 
distance of that place.
   As to the character of the two men we personally know nothing, but it comes 
to us that Mr. Smith was the possessor of a dark record.  He was one of the 
most notorious moonshiners in the state of Alabama, and as proprietor of the 
recent “Bell Tree” blind tiger near the state line, on Flagpole mountain has 
made a fortune selling liquor, having no respect for law and order.  Rumor has 
it that part of his life was stained by the blood of seven human beings.  We 
sympathize with the ones deserving, but to Smith we have no sympathy to offer.  
Alas! When will our country rid its golden hills from such characters as “Bill 
Smith the Bell Tree Man?” (Cleburne News Era, Heflin, Al. Saturday, August 22, 
1908)



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