The Savannah morning news., 1901-08-04
BRING MOB TO TRIAL
THIS NOW GOVERNOR LoNGINo's
CHIEF DESIRE.
ISSUES OFFICIAL ADDRESS
REVIEWING THE HORRIBLE CAR
ROLLTON LYNCHING.

And in which Mississippi's CHIEF
Executive Takes Occasion TO Re-
buke the sheriH for Not Request
ing Troops to Protect His Prison
ers-Admonishes Court officials to
Bring Indictments Against Mob
Leaders and Then Become Wit
nesses for the Prosecution.
Jackson. Miss, Aug 3.-In an official
statement to-day, Gov. Longino de-
plores the Carrollton lynching, and says
every effort will be made to bring the
members of the mob to justice. The
Governor says he wired the sheriff of
Carroll county to protect the prisoners
at all hazards and ordered one COM
pany of militia at Greenwood held in
readiness to move on short notice. AL
though the Governor told the sheriff
to call for troops If he was unable to
protect his prisoners, he says the sher-
iff did not reply to his telegram. The
Governor continues:
Failing to hear from the sheriff.
communicated with Judge Stevens over
the telephone, and he informed me that
the situation was hourly growing more
serious, but that the sheriff declined to
call for troops, because he feared that
when the mob became apprised of such
request, it would become more hasty
and precipitate in its work of lynching
and that the sheriff feared also that
there would be trouble between the
soldiers and lynchers, should the mil
itia appear on the scene. In the alb
sence, therefore. of a request by the
sheriff for troops and being without
authority to send them to -Carrollton,
unless called for by the civil authori-
ties, 1 notified Capt Keesler and the
railroad company at Greenwood that
l would have no need for their further
services. 1 made inquiry for the sheriff,
but did not ascertain his whereabouts
during my stay in Carrollton. l was
informed that neither he nor his
deputies, the posse of guard
summoned by him made or Of
fered any resistance to the
mob. I further learned that the mob
was in possession of the keys to the
Jail and took the prisoners without in
jury in any way to the prison, but did
rot ascertain how the lynchers came
in possession of the keys. Those act
ually participating in the crime could
perhaps be identified by the testimony
! of two or three hundred citizens pres
ent, and not participating, including the
circuit judge, the district attorney,
| sheriff and county officers and members
| Of the bar resident in Carrollto~ md
| / cannot, therefore, think that lie
| sentiment in favor of the enforcement
of law has become so dead as to toler-
| ate such an outrage upon the law, such
an insult to the court and such bar
barity to humanity. Having confidence
in the courage and honesty of purpose
Of Judge Stevens, District Attorney
Hill and good citizens who witnessed
the. affairs / believe the perpetrators
thereof will be made to feel the force
of the law. The ends of justice require
that the judge and district attorney
should become witnesses in order to
procure the indictment and prosecution
of the lynchers, and there is no doubt
that these fearless officers would sub
stitute others during the prosecution
to take their respective places and that
they would become witnesses against
those who have offered to them and to
their court such defiance and effront-