The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-04-22
FATE OF THE WHITECAPS.
NINE OF THE ELEVEN ORDERED TO
THE CRAIN-GANG FOR 4 YEAR.


Gentry Sent to the Gang for Five
Yesrs.
CARRoLLTON, Ga, April 2l.-It wasl on
March % that white caps went to w. J.
Brltrs in New Mexico district and whipped
him and his wife, Mrs. Mary f. White,
Frank Eason, Lum Britt, Sam Bowen and
several others. aud to-day they we're sem
fenced by Judge Sampson w. Harris.
Here is their sentence: Dr.. Dan Rodgers,
Jesse G.. Brooks, Sr., Jesse G. Brooks, Jr.,
w. c. Brooks, John Plemons, J. J. Pol
lard, Fred Simkins, Bob Ayres and
John Duke were given twelve months in
tho chain-Rang, aud Rich Byrd and Tom
Roach six months The last are boys lG and
l9years old. The eleven members of the
gang stood up before the court at one time
and received their sentence. Jesse Brooks,
Sr, is 5S years Old. a deacon in the baptist
church and never was in court before in his
life es a defendant. His head is blossoming
for tomb.
It was a graphic sight to see the prison
ners file into the court room at one time
under heavy guard to receive sentence.
DIR. RODGERS STORY.
DR.. Dan Rodgers, who was the captain Of
the band and is q man Of more than ordt-
nary intelligence, made q detailed state
ment OF the whipping. The doctor said
that Willis c. Brooks, one Of the defend
ants, came to his school house on the even
ing before the whipping aud told him of
the affair and said that the best people in
the community demanded that these peo-
pie be whipped. and they wanted him for
captain. The Doctor told Brooks that he
could not go for he had several patients to
see after school. Brooks said it was not
necessary TOT 90 till midnight and
be could see his patients and
then go, to which tho doctor agreed.
He made the same statement az the states
witnesses did about tue whipping. The
doctor said he engaged in t1s whipping, but
he did not hit woman. The doctor closed
his speech by asking leniency Of Judge
Harris
All the prisoners in turn made their little
speeches and closed up by asking Judge
Harris to be light on them.
THE JUDGES SPEECH.
Then Judge Harris time oame for pass
ing sentence. and through the courtesy Of
Hon. II. H. Bevill, the court stenogrepher.
the MORNING News 10 able to give his
words in full. Here they are:
1t is true that have never had q more un-
pleasant duty to perform in my life. The ap-
pe0ls that nave been made to me for you have
touched me for ! see before me the fact TINT
ten or twelve families are troubled and must
suffer from tne effects Of your wrong-doing,
ana can almost say in my heart that il the
offense was against me personally could per
haps forgive iC. If it was simply personally
against me | could forgive you, but
occupying the position that do the organ and
N nj la Ia "a fp sac m
forcsment, must do that which gives me great
pain The character of your offeuse is very
grave. AS far back as the history of thts white
race goes 10 has been declared by law that a
mans home is his CASTLE that there he is
peculiarly under the protection of
the law and no man IN this country
dares enter It for the purpose Of Offering
serious personal injury to man who lives
there, or his family, but what under the law
forfeits his life 10 that man il he chooses TO
take IL. Undor the laws Of Georgia If these
men that you whipped had shot you dead upon
the threshold the law of this land would have
justified ir. What was the penalty you sought
TO iutct upon these peopley You proposed to
Danish them from the stRte Why there ia
no power in this land that can do
that lawfully. The legislature Of your state and
all Of its courts and its executives combined
have not the right 10 drive man from the soil Of
Georgia, and yet you took upon yourselves to DO
it. Furthermore you applied TO these people
the lash. Why. the constitution of this state
declares that no power in it shall inHlct that
degrading DuBlauultub upon any human being,
Your legislature cannot pass a law that would
authorize q court 10 have man whipped, yet
you have taken it upon yourselves to invade this
home and apply the lash 10 these people
cruelty and bHrb8rouslY. You tried them With
out Il nearing and gave them no chance to
answer tIe complaints you. had @ ,ainst them,
You cruelty iufiicted upon them punishment
That no court in this land could have adfudged
against them, and thGt the constitution de
clares shall never be Inflicted This is what
you have done, and what had they done
against you? There is not one Of you that had
q personal grievance against them. not one.
If there IS a home IN the land that the law
ought 0 protect it is the home Of The poor, the
the helpless and frienlle 9s The rich and pow
erful can protect themselves. but it is the hum
be and lowly and triendiess that the law dos s
guard and that it ought to guard. You say you
dd il for the good Of your children, that you
did not want your children % be reared up with
such people in the community. What examples
have YOU set for your own children? That Of law.
lessness, violence aud cruelty, that absolutely
disgrRces the name OF our county. Now | have
not particle OF personal feeling in this person
ally; YOU are oil strangers 70 me except phrhaps
one OF you. have mono but the kudest feelings
for bim for number among my friends those
tDat are kin to him, and 1t Is matter Of regret
to me that am com pelled to put penalty
upon you Now. what should dor Can ID be
said IS 1t right, Is 1t Just, Is II right to society,
is Il right TO these people, humble as they are,
that the privilege that you have exercised by
going 20 their homes, carrying them ont and
whipping them as yOu did, that tha privilege
that YOU exercised can be settled for q few dol
lars? What man In this land viii sell 10 another
the right 10 put tie lash upon his Dackf Money
cannot purchase the privilege Of whipping psO-
pie In this state. SympatAiZng with you 30 [
90 regret that / cannot. / would not be do
ing what is right to the reople OF this county
and society t. ALLOW you to settle this outrage
with few psltry dollars. This cannot
be done one feature about II Is that IL was
deliberate, not doue ind tue heat of passion
for which can always eynpathlze as f. Is ia
common with our weak nature. This was cold
biooded, deliberate conspiracy to outrage these
poor people in a way that cannot BE- tolerated.
regret that I cannot let you off lightly, but /
cant do Il. The iawlessuess Of this couu-
try is alarming, IL Is widespread, Il
Is everywhere and thus particular
going b the homes Of people WHO are resting
quetly under their own roof and taxing them
out and threshing them is growing all through
this land Day after day ! hear Of it, the white
cappers as they call them. from the Atlantic TO
Texas This particular crime, tho right TO take
any man out and whip him, carries with It the
right 10 take whosver you please The law
cannot submit to IL A government that viii
not rise IN It's might and protect its citizens.
even It's humblesJ, yes, even It's vilegt. ia their
homes that government don't deserve to
aud II ought not 70 stand. TIE people sboGld
rise IN their right aud hurl IL into the earth.
want you 70 understand it, / have no personal
feeling IN IL / have never in my life been
called upon % try a case determine what was
isht 10 do IN case, that has given me more
concern has given me more anxiety bT greater
pain thaa this. 10 is widespread in It's effects
1 cannot allow you to settle this wiki a fey
dollars. / cannot do thot. tae homes OF these
people must be protected. The homs OF every