Randolph County AlArchives News.....Smallwood, Handley Arrested for the Murder of his Wife May 1, 1958 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/al/alfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Linda Ayres http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00031.html#0007674 March 31, 2023, 9:01 pm Roanoke Leader May 1, 1958 A shocking tragedy occurred near Roanoke early Wednesday afternoon, April 23, when Mrs. Handley Small wood, 47-year-old mother of 13 children (two by a former marriage), died almost instantly as the result of an axe wound inflicted by her husband. The killing occurred between 12 and 1 o'clock at the Smallwood home in the Mt. Zion Church community about four miles southwest of Roanoke, according to investigating officials, who said Smallwood, 53, later caught a ride into Roanoke with a neighbor and gave himself up to the city police about 1:30. He was placed in the city jail before being transferred to the county jail in Wedowee. Tom Young, circuit solicitor, highly commended the prompt action and good teamwork of the city police and sheriffs force in getting to the scene of the murder and taking charge before onlookers could disturb the evidence. Without apparent emotion, Smallwood from his jail cell gave investigators his version of what happened. An eyewitness was six-year-old Mary Kay Smallwood, one of the three small children at home at the time of the murder. Through her tears she gave a remarkably good account of what she saw, Solicitor Young said. From these sources and others, investigators pieced together a story of what must have happened. Mr. and Mrs. Smallwood had been arguing rather violently, the solicitor reported, apparently about Smallwood's lying off from work drinking. When 16-year-old J. Thomas Smallwood sided with his mother, the father ran him off, according to the report, and he then went to a neighbor's place to call for help. Meanwhile, back at the house, Mrs. Smallwood evidently decided to leave the argument while she took clothes in off the line, Mr. Young said, but her husband came from the house, asking more than once where his axe was before discovering it in the chop block between him and his wife. At this point, investigating officers conjecture, Mrs. Smallwood must have seen what was about to happen, dropped the clothes from her hands, and started to run only to be laid low from behind by the axe, thrown a distance of 10 to 15 feet. Later investigation showed that a sharp comer of the axe severed the spinal cord in the neck and dug out a chunk of skull, Solicitor Young said. He added that Smallwood walked off into the woods following his rash act. Then followed the most pathetic part of the tragic episode. Little Mary Kay told officers that she went to her mother on the ground and heard her ask for water. The child said she went into the house and returned with a pan of water, but her mother never spoke again. The pan of bloody water was still there when officers made their on-the- spot investigation, Mr. Young said. Charged with first-degree murder, Smallwood is being held for a preliminary hearing at the next session of county court. Funeral services for Mrs. Cora Lee Smallwood, whose death occurred about one o'clock Wednesday afternoon, April 23, were conducted Friday afternoon at three o'clock from the Mt. Zion Congregational Christian Church. The Rev. E. S. Fetner officiated. Interment was in the church cemetery, Quattlebaum's Funeral Home directing. Mrs. Smallwood is survived by her husband, Handley Smallwood, six sons, seven daughters, her mother, and two brothers. Two of her children were by a former marriage. The Columbus Ledger Apr 24, 1958: A Randolph County Ala man father of 13 children is being held in the Roanoke city jail on a first-degree murder charge in connection with the slaying of his wife with an ax at their home near Mt Zion Church west of here yesterday afternoon Handley T. Smallwood 53 accused with the slaying is alleged to have admitted to Sheriff Ralph Gunn of Randolph County and to Tom Young of Wedowee Ala Alabama fifth judicial circuit solicitor that he killed his wife Cora Lee Smallwood 45 during an argument in a lot back of their home which is located near the Chambers County line According to Solicitor Young the victim was out in back of the house taking clothes off a line while the argument ensued. Her husband is alleged to have gone to the house picked up the ax and struck in the back of the head apparently killing her instantly. The solicitor said a son James Thomas Smallwood 16 who reportedly had been run off from the home by his father a short time before the slaying returned home and learned what had happened from four younger children who are alleged to have witnessed the slaying The Boy according to the solicitor after having difficulty in obtaining the use of a telephone notified Sheriff Gunn who with his deputies and with the cooperation of the Roanoke Police Department located Smallwood near the scene of the slaying and brought him to jail here Solicitor Young said that Smallwood would be transferred to the Randolph County jail at Wedowee. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/al/randolph/newspapers/smallwoo2285gnw.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/alfiles/ File size: 5.5 Kb