The Brookhaven leader. [volume] (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1883-1891, 1888-08-30
LAWRENCE COUNTY.
a LARGE CITIZENS MEETING DEP
RECATES THE ACTION OF CITI-
ZENS' MEETING NO I, ENDORSES
THE COURSE OF SHERIFF LEE,
And Pledges That the Law Shall Reign
supreme.

4hON III ElLtJ aug. So 1000
At a mass meeting of the citizens of
) Lawrence county this day, on motion
j. j. benson was elected temporary
chairman and j. A. Rowan Secretary.
On motion of G.. II. Dale the tempo
rary organization was made pcrma-
nemt.
On motion, committee of five, one
from each supervisors district, was
appointed to select vice president
from each district, and two assistant
secretaries to complete the Organza-
ton. COmmittec-Bcat !, Il. III.
Smith; Beat 2, G.. .. Nelson; Beat 3,
II. ii. Smith; Beat 1, a. Fairly; Beat
5, W. Il. Bourne.
Said committee reported the follow
ing names as presidents, tO-wit :
Beat l, II. |. Bird; Beat 2, j. Is.
Smith; Beat 3, O. +. Wilson; Beat 4,
j. ii. Williams; Beat ), W. j. Patter-
son; assistant secretaries, J. f. Thorn
as, |. NJ. e. Smith.
The following resolution was offer
ed by J. W. Wclborn and adopted:
Resoired, That those who partici-
patcd in the meeting of the 14th inst.
and who feel that they were wrong
, and who now recant, be invited to
take part in this meeting, and that
they be accepted as acting now in
good faith.
On motion COMMITTEE of five, one
from each Supervisors district, was
appointed on resolutions, as follows /:
Beat /, II. II. Smith; Beat 2, c. q.
Nelson; Beat 3, j. &. Lambert; Beat 1,
\. Il. Longtime; Beat 5, w. X. Bourne.
On motion the presiding officers and
secretaries were added to the COM
mittee, who offered the following res
OlutiOns:
WHEREAS, There appeared in the
Lawrence County Press of August
10th, 1888, proceedings of IL mass
meeting purporting to be from the
w-abiding citizens of Lawrence
county, in which resolution appears
requesting the sheriff, ID. NJ. Lee, to
resign and in other respects rejecting
upon the official and private charac-
ter of the said Lee; and,
WHEREAS, The action taken by
said lawabiding citizens (Which pro-
ceedingS they caused to he published
to the WORLDLY were so ultra in their
tone, We, the true yeomanry of the
county, feel called upon to vindicate
ourselves before the people of the
county and State from the aspersions
contained i'll said proceedings of the
mass meeting of August 14th in this,
that we are charged as follows: First,
of cOndemning the sheriff, ID. NJ. Lee,
for removing from the hands of flu
rlOuS set of men to place of safety,
the prisoner, Joe Loftin, after he
(Loftin) had surrendered to him Lee)
for protection. Second, that said pro-
ceedlngS also state that we requested
the said Lee to resign his office as
sheriff of Lawrence county and,
WHEREAS, We, four hundred of the
citizens of Lawrence county, in mass
meeting assembled, and whose names
are hereto attached, do dcprccate the
proceedings us had by few of the
citizens OF August 18th, 1888, in the
town of Monticello; therefore be it
RcsOtrcd, That we recognize in our
Sheriff, ID. VI. Lee, the true, honest
and faithful officer and Christian gen
tleman; and the fortitude displayed
by him in removing Joe Loftin out of
reach of Il mad and determined mob
after he (Lottin) had given himself up
to him (Lee) for protection, meets
with the approval and entire endorse
ment of this mass meeting, and we
further believe the panegyrist could
not shower upon him more praises
than he deserves for the manly man
ner in which he maintained the law
by which he is sworn to be governed.
ReSolred, That we deplore the act
of the fire ticnd (whO had forgotten
that he participated in mass meet
ing that called themselves law-abid-
ing citizens) in applying the torch to
the sheritf7s house while he was alb
sent carrying out the law, thereby
preventing him who applied the torch
that brought to ashes the property of
another, from burdening his con
science with murder.
ResOtred, That we are in favor of
strict compliance with the law, and
we pledge ourselves to be ready and
give such assistance us will be neces-
sary in carrying into execution the
law and further, that we will assist
i'll bringing to justice all persons viO-
lating the law in any particular, so
that the law-abiding citizens compos
ing the meeting of the 14th of Au-
gust may be assured that we are with
them in bringing offenders under sub
lection.
Resolred, That this mass meeting
requires the sheriff of this county to
send or appoint, upon the earliest no.
tice given him by five responsible cit
liens, of any violation of criminal
nature, posse or vigilance commit
tee to assist in arresting said violators
of the law at the expense of the cOun-
ty, and that we do guarantee to all
law-abiding citizens in the county
that legal protection to which they
are entitled.
ResOlrcd, That we will uphold and
stand by all officers while in the dis
charge of their official duties.
ResOlred, BY this mass meeting that
Gov. Lowry be requested by petition
IA copy of which is forwarded to him)
to offer reward for the apprehension
of the party or parties who murdered
James +. Sauls on the 23rd day of
July, 1888, and for the apprehension
and conviction of the party or parties