The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-03-29
MILITARY ON GUARD
TO PROTECT NEGRO MURDERERs
AT sYLvANIA.
HELD IN READINESS HERE
TO DE MOVED TO sCREvEN COUNTY
IN CASE OF NEED.

Motion for New Trial Pending
which Acts rs superintendent
Refused to Recognize This, In Abb
sence of Direct Instructions-Has
Been Ordered Not to Execute.
Feared That Crowd, Gathered to
witness Execution, May Resort to
Violence.
Five negroes, condemned to hang for
the murder of Fillmore Harrington and
Milton Mears, who were taken from Sa-
vannah to Sylvania yesterday, may be
the cause of race war or riot in Screven
county.
Mai. W. L. Grayson has already been
sent 20 the scene and assumed command
of the local military at Sylvania, while
the Oglethorpe Light Infantry and Savan-
nah Cadets have been ordered in readiness
and prepared to leave for Sylvania at a
half hours notice at any time after s
o'clock this morning. The advices from
Sylvsnia are reassuring in their tone and
character, but even the most conservative
elements of the citizens of Screven coun-
ty are apprehensive of trouble to-day.
Harrington and Mears were shot down
by a gang of negroes last August, while
they were endevaoring to make an ar
rest. Mears, who was a constable, held
warrant for the arrest of a negro, on
some minor charge, and the party, which
included Harrington and Capt. Jesse
Wade, drove up to the negros house for
the purpose of serving the warrant. A
volley from a clump Of bushes killed
Mears and Harrington and seriously
wounded Capt. Wade The investigation
of the crime developed the fact that there
was in existence regularly organized
secret society. known as the BLACK
knights of Archery" the purpose of
which was the violent removal of those
members of the white race who made any
effort to restrain the criminal tendencies
of the lawless negroes.
Six negroes were arrested for the crime
and brought TO Savannah. In February
they were tried at Sylvania and five of
them. Andrew Davis, Arnold Augustus,
William Hudson, Samuel Bolden and RioQn-
ard Sanders, were found guilty of ttt
murder and sentenced 20 die on the scat
fold to-day. Pending the day of the ex
ecution the negroes were brought back
10 Savannah for safe keeping and since
the time of the trial have been confined
in jail here. Since the trial, also, Mr..
Raiford Falligant, who represents them,
has moved the court to grant new trial
and, upon the overruling of his motion,
has carried the case to the Supreme
Court.
OF course, the tendency of the motion
for a new trial and the appeal to the
Supreme Court act as supersedeaS to
postpone the execution, but Of this fact
Sheriff W. B. Thompson of Screven coun-
ty, has never been officially advised.
Ready for the Hanging.
In the jail yard at Sylvania a gallows
has been erected for the execution of the
five negroes and on yesterday morning
Sheriff Thompson, with five deputies,
made his appearance at the county jail
here and demanded the delivery of his
prisoners. They were turned over to him
as a matter of course.
The sheriff expressed his intention of
taking them back to Sylvania and ex-
ecuting them to-day, the day fixed in the
original sentence of the court.
This intention of the sheriff becoming
known to Mr.. Falligant, counsel for the
defendant he made hurried search for
and found the representative of the ma
jesty of the law in Screven county. Mr..
Falligant told the sheriff that the mo-
Supreme Court, and that he ought to
know that this acted as a supersedeas.
The sheriff said he had never been off,
cially informed OF the tendency of the
motion, that no supersedeas had been
shown him. and that he was acting I'M
der authority of the original sentence, inn
posed by Judge Evans.
Then Mr.. Falligant told the sheriff that
If he took the negroes back to Sylvania
and they were harmed, he would be held
personally responsible. The feeling
against the men in Screven county is in
tense, and Mr.. Falligant felt himself JUS
titled in fearing that If they were car
ried back there and a crowd. gathered to
witness their execution, should find itself
deprived of the spectacle a resort would
be had to desperate and lawless means
of vengeance.
Under the inspiration of this fear. he
wired Solicitor General B. S. Rawlings
of the Middle circuit of what the sheriff
intended to do. In the meantime, Sheriff
Thompson and his deputies. with the FIVE
prisoners in charge, had left for Syl-
vania.
Mr.. Falligant received no answer to
his telegram, and towards evening ne
wired Solicitor General Rawlings a sec
ond time, asking him to stop the execu-
ton. In answer to this telegram he re-
ceived the reply that orders had been
given the sheriff not to execute the ne
groes, and that Gov. Gambler had been
asked for military assistance.
Troops Under Orders.
In the late afternoon Col. Thomas s.
Wylly, commanding the First Regiment
of Infantry, received the following tele-
gram from the Governor:
Send Maj. Grayson to Sylvania to-
night. with forty belts and scabbards
~faA haIl -. 4
take command Of Sylvania company and
report to sheriff, IL called on for assist
ance. Grayson should go through to Syl-
vania tonight.
"A. ID. Gambler. Governor"
Almost Immediately upon the receipt
of this telegram from the Governor Col
Wylly and the adjutant Of the regiment
Capt. Walter f. Coney, placed the mill.
tary machine in operation and a short
time afterwards the following reply was
wired the Governor:
Telegram received Major Graysor
will leave here nine o'clock tonight anc
proceed direct TO Sylvania by special en-,
CINE from Rocky Ford. VIII carry on,
thousand rounds ball cartridges and forty
belts; and has orders to assume com
mand of military Immediately on arrva
and report 10 sheriff If called upon FOL
assistance. Can move additional force
from here on short notice tomorrow 4
necessary. Wylly, Colonel"
Col. WyIIy's Orders.
The following special order governinl