Butler County Alabama Obituaries   "RUFUS SANDERS" ASSASSINATED - Francis Bartow Lloyd, Aged 36 years, better known to the reading public as Rufus Sanders, a writer of quaint Alabama dialect miscellany was assassinated at 6 o'clock last Wednesday near Greenville by John A. Gafford.  Lloyd was found lying in the road with two gaping wounds in his body.  Gafford had evidently used a double barreled shotgun and discharged both barrels.  It is said that the deed was the outcome of Lloyd having improper relations with one of Gafford's sisters.  Lloyd leaves a widow and three children.  He was a native of Butler County, and served as a representative in the last legislature from that county. He represented Montgomery County in the General Assembly in 1894.  In the last legislature he vigorously opposed the constitutional convention measure and the measure permitting women practicing law.  He moved to Butler County later and began to publish a serious of humorous letters in the Sunday newspapers.  He was contemplating issuing them in book form.  The deceased had considerably ability as a lecturer, and was known in Texas.  Lloyd was a candidate for Secretary of State in the last democratic state convention, and was going to run again the next campaign.   Later advices states that Gafford has voluntarily surrendered to the sheriff.   [From The Gazette Appeal, Marion County, AL - September 3, 1897 - Transcribed and submitted by Veneta McKinney]             Genealogy Trails Copyright © Genealogy Trails This Webpage has been created exclusively for the Genealogy Trails History Project. Submitters retain all copyrights