The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-04-08
CARROLLS WHITE CAPS.
THE GRAND JURY RETURNS 1913 M
DICT&ENTS.

Men Indicted-A threatening Letter.
CARROLLToN. GA, April The grand
jury of Carroll county has found about l25
indictments against the rioters in the New
Mexico district.
DR.. Dan Rodgers, who it is said was the
leader Of the mob, has seven true bills
against him. He vas carried before Judge
s. w. Harris yesterday evening, and the
judge assessed his bond on each case at
$1,000. The doctor, who is classed
as the leader in the New Mexico
district, is now behind the bars and is likely
to remain there till his day Of trial A
true bill was found against Henry Burford
for rape. The white cap crowd is making
a desperate effort TO run witnesses off.
Below Is a copy of a letter which was re-
celved by w. A. Yates, who is a baiiff In
New Mexico district and has had much to
do with arre'tIng tde mob. The other two
men named in the letter are indicted with
the crowd, they having turned states evil
dence. Tho letter is racy reading. Here lis:
Joel, Ga, March 81. 1893. Alvin
Yates. Rich Byrd aud Willie Chambers.
Brother Alvin; We are not connected
with this trouble In our settlement, on
either side, but we are members Of Pleas
ant Grove church, and have been living In
this county fifteen or twenty years Ia per-
feet peace, and we SEQ our settlement is 90
ing to be ruined II there is not something
done. This is all caused by a set who are
low down and mean. You know this as
we'll as we do It seems that you are tax
ing sides with this mean aud trashy set, and
as we know you well and have known your
father so long, we want you TO stay where
you are at and have no more
to do with it, for you know they
hava maj nh
guilty, aud they are members Of our church
at that. II is very wrong for the innocent
TO suffer, aud we don't intend that they
shall. We have this 70 say: If either OF
you three 60 to court and swear anything
that Will convict a man that lives In this
settlement we viii see that you all suffer
more than they do. We cannot, and will not,
see our families dragged about in the way
they have been. We have made our good
settlement good one. and il it hos got to
bo tore all to pieces and ruined we propose
to go with IL. 1t is shame TO think you
would kesides with such set as you have,
and We are ready to forgive you il will
stay where you are, but II you do pick
that Ignorant Rich Byrd and then make
him 90 to court and there you aud
him swear against one or our members or
one OF our settlement into this thing you
ought to suffer, and we expect 60 SEQ thag
you do. WO hate to have anything to do in
thing Of this sort. but we can'r stand and
SEQ our settlement ruined Ia such q way as
tha. We had rather be dead and will die
before we will be still aud 500 our children
and kinfolks and church members ruined.
II we can't control with kind means We arc
going to do 1t the best We can. Now, you
can toll the boys that they can and must
keep their mouths shut. Rich Byrd eau
leave here and YOU had better let him 60
and tell him that the best thing be eau do
is TO shut his mouth-know nothing.
Tell him TO leave and stay gone.
Now, Alvin, the truth is you are getting
yourself where the public never Ike you
again. We want peace and We say plainly
that we are not going to have any Of you
there to swear against the accused parties.
IL Rich Byrd does swear against them We
will know you was the cause Of it. Now
you had better get his mouth shut"
A postscript says:
'tNow, Alvin, we do al! this writing az
friends and you had better hear us and
make those boys shut their mouths aud you
do the same.n
The above letter had no signature.
NEW DEVELOPMENTS EVERY HOUR.
CARRoLLToN, GA, April z, 10 P. NJ
There are new developments in the riot
case every hour. Readers of the MoRNISG
NEWS have read much of this celebrated
case and 1t seems now that the reports did
not make the trouble ns serious as 10 really
was. Readers Of the MORNING NEWS have
been fully advised OF the trouble between
Mrs. Mary q. White and j. H. L. Benford
and it seems now that this trouble is at tho
bottom OF the whipping scrape. The
grand jury returned a true bill against
J. II. l.. Benford, this evening. and Sheriff
Hewitt Immediately put him under arrest.
Mr.. Benford has been a citizen OF Carroll
twenty years and Il over so years of age.
Mr. Benford is indicted az being one OF the
whippers, or being accessory 70 the crime.
Mr.. Benford says that when the whipping
wGs done he spent the night with a relative
sevon miles away and can prove this by
several parties. IL has been reported that
some of the crowd received money for do
ing the whipping and 1t has also been res
ported that Mr.. Benford knew of 1t.
Jesse Brooke is another old man who has
eleven true bills against him for connection
in this affair. Mr.. Brooke is O deacon IN
the Baptist church.
NEARLY 200 INDICTMENTS.
In all 1893 cases have been made out by
the grand jury IN this affair and tomorrow
will show more.
DR.. Daniel l.. Rodgers who was jailed yes.
terday on default Of seven bonds Of $1,000
each. is still ia jail. Four more bills have
been returned against the doctor, which
make eleven in all. DR.. Rodgers is one OF
tue most prOTDinGuL men IN Now Mexico
district and an acknowledged leader, ana the
action Of the grand jury. showing his cou-
nection in the matter, has produced pro-
found sensation. DIR. Rodgers has q long
train Of connections in Carroll and Coweta
counties. He is said 20 be the captain Of
the band and was elected the night before
az meeting at the school house in the
community.
The people of Carroll county are on the
tiptoe Of expectancy. They ask, what
nextl
Bill Benson, the negro who was reported
by this correspondent sone time ago as the
father OF forty children. was jailed snis
morning for keeping a Llind tiger. he has
enough true bills against him to make a
pretty fair bed quilt.
hon. Thomas a. Atkinson, solicitor gen.
eral, has made an honest ana able effors to
bring the riot crowd and other lawbreak-
ers 70 justice. aud his work is being com-
mended on every side. He has been ably
assisted. J. II. /. Benford and jesse
Brooke made bonds late this evening for
their appearance at court next Monday. A
number OF others went TO jail