Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-11-27
The negro was indicted by the last

still SO great it was feared to bring the
negro back to the scene of his crime.
1t was then that Sheriff Doner made
requisition for troops. The officials at
Des Moines were notified and it result
ed in Adjutant General Byers coming
to this city last night and meeting the
sheriff here. When Sheriff Doner ex.
planned the situation it was thought
best that troops be sent with the ne
gro, but it was thought a small guard
would be all that was necessary at this
time, as the presence of troops, it was
thought, would prevent any attempt at
trouble.
1t is said Booker promised to plead
guilty at once upon his arrival at Al
bia and if this is the case it will prob
ably mean that he will be sentenced
and returned to Fort Madison on the
| first train. 1t was rumored at the de-.
| pot that the soldiers would be able to
return home this afternoon but this
cannot be substantiated and arrange.
ments have been made to keep them
there for at least week If necessary.
| Adjutant General Byers and Regi-
mental Adjutant D. A. Emery of this
cl.y accompanied the aetail from Com
Ipany c. which is under the command
1
of Captain w. R. Armstrong.
1t was learned just as the train was
leaving the depot, that the negro will
ask for change of venue from Mon
roe to Wapello county, alleging that
| the people of Monroe county are so
| Infatuated and prejudiced that they
| will not give him fair trial, and that
! if they get chance will lynch him.
1t is said the authorities are willing
! to grant change of venue.
| Those comprising the detail are as
! follows:
Captain w. R. Armstrong, SER
geants Manro, Myers and Mitchell,
Corporals Overman and Broderick and
Privates Armstrong, Randolph, Sallee,
Roland and Wagner.
Sheriff Reaches Abba.
Everything was quiet in the little
| city of Abba this morning when Sher-
| iff Doner and his detachment of mill
tia arrived on Burlington No. 8 with
| the negro, Alva Booker, who is charg-
ed with raping Mrs. Sarah Howell. The
! detachment of soldiers marching in
hollow square with the negro in the
center soon attracted large crowd
and by the time they reached the court
house there was large crowd clamor-
| ing for admittance. Placing the negro
| in the prisoners chair with soldiers
clustered all around him the doors
| We're opened and all who desired
could enter the court room. 1t was
but few minutes when the attorneys
for Booker made an application for a
change of venue to Wapello county
which was granted and the return to
the depot began.
Cries of Lynch Him"
There were excited groups of people
standing on all corners of the square
and soon cries of lynch him!" "hang
him!" were heard. The determined at
titude of the soldiers, however pre-.
vented any stronger demonstrations
from the crowd who appeared to be
without leader and the march to the
depot continued. 1t was some time
before the train arrived after the SOL
diers reached the depot with their pris-
crer and soon the crowd began push.
ing and jostling, trying to gain an en-
trance. Sheriff Doner, however, got
our in front of them and told them to
let the law take its course and that the
negro would get his just deserts and
kept them quoted down until the
train arrived. 1t is thought, however,
should the negro have been kept in AL.
bia until tonight there would undoubt-
eddy have been trouble, as it is rumor-
ed over 1900 miners in that vicinity
had arranged to go to Abba tonight and
hang Booker at all hazards.
But Little Excitement Here.
When Sheriff Doner arrived in this
city at noon the negro was again plac.
ed in hollow square in the center of
the guard of soldiers and the march
to the county Jail began. There was
very little excitement here as it was
not generally known what was on the
tapis and the negro was safely placed
in the county jail without any demon.
stration of any kind.
After Booker had been placed in his
| cell he was seen by a Courier repre-
sentative and was very willing to
talk about the cause of his trouble
He is a short heavy-set coal-black ne.
gro and will weigh about ITO pounds,
| and has the appearance of being a
common roustabout of very low
/ character. He said he was innocent
4 of the crime of rape and says he had
been living with the woman for some
time previous to this affair. He says
! he had been drinking on the night in
/ question and this was probably the
| reason the woman raised the outcry
He says he is willing to stand trial
and that he will plead mot guilty" and
| that he will prove his innocense He
says he has retained lawyers Edward
Morrison, of Abba, and Geo. e. Tay-
Tor, of Oskaloosa, as his attorneys and
/ will have strong case when the trial
comes up. He said it looked pretty
1 bad for him at Abba this morning and
said the people there seemed to be
somewhat nervous and excited and said
he was glad Sheriff Doner had called
i out the troops to guard him. Sheriff
Doner was uncommunicative when
| seen, but he defended his course in
calling out the troops and said that
had he not done so there would I'M,
4 doubtedly have been trouble and the
negro would probably have been
| lynched. Late this after.
noon it was rumored that large dele.
cation was coming here from Abba