The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-12-14
In Quelling What He Thought To
Be an Attempt at Lynching.
Mayor Thompson Testilies Before
the Coroner and His Jury.
He Tells of Everything He Saw and
Heard Saturday Night
From What He Says the Sheriff Had
Semblance of Excuse To Uso
the Heroic Measures Which
Caused tho Slaughter.
Special Dispatch to The Appeal.

Special Dispatch to The Appeal
B'RMISGIIAM, Ala, Dec l3.-At 0o'clock
this morning there was large crowd Of
witnesses outside the Criminal Court doors
when the jury in the Bryant case Assem-.
bed TO investigate the circumstances con.
nectcd with the shooting at the jml on
Saturday night, Coroner Babbitt was
promptly on hand, ~ WIS the jury,
Messrs. q. W. Barnes, LOUIS l.. swartz,
Mack brennan, Mai. Mcconnell, Col. A.
h, Sheppard and Constino Perkins; also
Stenographer S. Lindsey, who has been
employed by the County Commission TO
take official testimony.
Representatives Of the pape1 only were
present B. A. Thompson, Mayor Of
Birmingham, was the first witness sworn
lie said: was present the night Of the
shooting at the Jail | did not deliver the
orders. was at the intersection of Third
avenue and Twenty-drt street when the
firing began. | had consultation with the
authorities, the Sheriff and Chief Of Police.
My duty was TO keep quiet in the town.
advised with them and looked at the
means OF defense at the jail. When left
the yelling commenced, and went TO
| quiet the crowd and cautioned tho Sheriff
whatever came 20 hold the Jail at al haz.
ards. | told him gayo him the assistance,
and he should hold that Jail. II was not dis.
tinctly understood that they would be fired
upon II they passed the line. don't
know how far the crowd advanced; did
not 20 down there. Told the crowd there
was danger ut the mouth Of the alley.
| Couldn't tell who ere placed nt different
points. My impression Is that an order 10
iiro could bo heard everywhere The
order WIS left TO the Sheriff to give. Don't
think there were guards at the middle
window Of the old jail. did not 20 into
details. When went back after meeting
the crowd went To Third avenue To head
the crowd, deputies formed u line across
| Twcnty-hrst street. went 10 the
Sheriff aud asking him 10 keep cool. They
pressed around me aud between me and
the shorihs deputies. ! recogniked prob.
ably 100 men, good Citizrns, in the crowd.
sheriff Smith did not know the complex.
ion of the crowd. Tho mont rank was u
1
Ia the Jail that | avn aware uf Al the
deputies were sobcrand cool. lconA,lcrcd
myself in the capacity NJ Mnvor of the
town to preserve the peace. The crowd
| jccrcd at me. told them there was dan.
gcr at the Jail, aud that there
WIS no blank cartridges there tried my
best 10 dispcrc them. | told thrm
| II they persisted they would be- shot Re-.
pcnicd IL fifty times In various places in
the crowd. ! was standing about half
block from the jail. ! tried twice 90 gct
into the jail, but was afraid of getting shot.
| The firing. ] suppose, lasted thirty seconds.
| couldn't tell where the. firing Grst began.
| don't know whether or not II came
from the crowd. The hr continued
while the crowd WIS dispensing
About 1000 people were IN that
crowd. saw no guns nor pieces Of tim
her. Did not see pistols. They were Yell
ing. saying they would take them out |
heard two or three expressions about using
dynamite, but that was in the afternoon.
The crowd, | thought, wis in earnest.
The Sheriff and mingled with the crowd
until W. were separated. lie was firmly
convinced that thcrc would be- an assault
on the jail. II would have taken the
crowd about five minutes to get into the
jail without resistance. They would have
10 break open the doors. There were
pieces Of timber around the place.
don't know who tie depulic.
were. Thoy were put there after
dark. ] saw the arms They were Win.
chc,tcrs and brccch loading shoiguns,
about ten or twelve Of each. heard smith
warn them back. lie called 10 them 10
keep back. lie said II thoy came down
sopc one would get shot. The first warn.
Ing was NJ the entrance Of Third avenue
and Twcnly-iirst street saw no one |
know. ] saw Stanley outside In the alloy
talking. | saw him twice. None Oi The
deputies were armed when ! snw them. |
sent fifteen Of my officers, In charge Of
the Chief Of Police, a. obey orders Oi
~ hold th' jail, aud my officers were
armed with Winchester rifles. | suppose
there were about twenty-five men 10 do.
lend the jail. told the crowd thcro were
nfty. My opinion h that twenty-five
uniformed men In the alley might have
drove the crowd back, aud I intended 10
attempt that II / could have gotten m the
Jail. Some men were In the new court
house | understand. learned that out.
side the two windows on the south side,
fronting the alley, were guarded at least,
that was the understanding. Tho crowd
stopped on Third avenue but very little
They pressed each other forward. Smith
was out Ia the street with his deputies
! could not see II any attempt was made 10
open the jail. did not observe any men
around with tools.
An architect here brought In plan Of
the locality where the shooting took place
and IL was tackled on blackboard 10 cna.
bic witnesses a. describe their location Ia.
tclligcnuy 10 the jury.
Mayor Thomps0n's testimony was then
resumed: "Tho understanding was 10 sta
ton guards Ia cells aud corridors 20 cover
two windows. don't know whether Il
was done. ! never noticed that ihe mill.
iary ropulsed second attempt was
not there When | camo back
found the military there. Twenty.
five armed men with bayoncis might
have dispersed the crowd. As 30
why failed 10 call out the troops, ! had
no time. In the afternoon / saw trouble
brewing and cautioned the Sheriff 10 hold
the Jail. Citizens called upon me and
asked me 10 call out tho military, and |
came 10 the conclusion that twenty-five
mon could disporse the crowd after mixing
with thcm. Believing IL my duty TO