The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-01-03
FORCED THEM TO MARRY.
How a Justice Has Reformed Tough
Negro Locality.

charleston g. c. Correspondence
Atlanta Constitution.)
The Hon. Thomas D. Green of
Charleston has established a sensation
al reputation for himself by his Won
derful marrying work III the ren-Mile
Hill section of this county. a ear ago
he was appointed magistrate for the
Hill and his friends hera urged him not
to accept the place, because it meant
almost certain death to do 1t. The ne
groes living there nave always been
known as the most wild and savage of
their race, and hundreds of murders
have been committed from year to year
with none of their murderers brought
to justice. Judge Green, however,
braved all the dangers and the past
bloody records and took charge of the
Hill to rule it, The first day he went
into Office he was fired on from am
bush, and a week later his constable
was shot. Within the year three of his
constables were killed, but Green 1e
manned unframed. Besides living, he
has reformed the Hill. The wild ne
groes have been driven out, and there
is peace a la Green in the neighbour
hood
Judge Green's sensational record be-
gan when he issued orders recently for
all negroes on the Hill to get married.
There were hundreds of men and wo-
men living together as man and wiGe,
and such a thing as a marriage before
was unknown. One morning, how
ever, Green pasted a little notice, which
said that every negro in the district
would have to marry. He told all the
men to bring their women to court
within forty-eight hours, and he gave
notice, too, that punishment would
come to all who refused. At first the
negroes were paralyZed by the new or
der of things, and they showed signs
of fight, but Green took his Winchester
and a pair OF six-shooters and went
among the mobs and told them that he
was ruler there. With him was a con-
stable similarly armed. When the ne
groes looked on the guns they got
frightened, and tWentyfour couples
were married the first DAY. That night
a pine coffin was placed at Judge
Green's door. On the coffin was a. note
telling Green that he had to quit the
country or be killed. The note was
written in red ink, and was signed by
1.-The Committee" To show how he re-
garded the threats Green kindled fire
with the coffin and told his constable
to go out and arrest the committee.
The constable found one member who
squealed, and it was easy work ar
resting the gang. At court that morn
y
man up for life, but they began to beg
and plead, and told how much they
loved and honOred and respected the
court.
"WelI, I want you to love and honor
and respect this court" said Green but
] don't want you TO joke with it. See
Now, you can go, but the next time one
of you happen in I'll kill you. Before
you go from here you've got to marry.
Now, call in your women" and in fif
teen minutes four members of the death
committee had been married. The ne
groes were stunned by the starter. The
marriage work was continued and
Judge Green says Re has married more
than 500 couples up to date.
This marrying business is response
BILE for the change at the HILL" said
Judge Green to the Constitution COR
respondent last night, and 1 under
stand it is being adopted in other sec
tons of the state, and especially in the
lower country, where so many negroes
live. l found by experience that a ne
gro would fight sooner for his woman
than for his wife, so l decided to make
every woman a wife. That's the story
in a nutshell. I showed the negroes
that l was going to rule the Hill, and
they came to believe it after awhile.
There is not one murder there now
where there were ten two years ago."
and the records of the court Will bear
out the statement.
Three of Judge Green's constables
have been killed by the black outlaws.
One was shot recently III the presence
OF Green, and before he could interfere
to stop it. Judge Green got off the train
at the Hill, and his constable was there
to carry his bundles. When the two
started away, James Oliver, notorious
negro, opened fire with shotgun and
killed the constable. The case has not
been tried in the courts.
Judge w. C. Bendt of the circuit court
recently had occasion to commend the
work of Judge Green from the bench.
Soon after Judge Green began to make
things move about the Hill the magiS-
trate in a neighboring county got
"huffy,' as Green said. and had him up
for contempt in going beyond his juris-
distion to try criminals. The rule was
heard from Judge Bendt and was dis
missed, and Judge Bendt had many
words of praise to say for Green.
-s-1Es-o