The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-11-09
Tread of the Soldier Still Heard
 But All is Quiet
BAKER MAY BE WRONG MAN
Crowd Which Formed the Mob Was Not Composed of Annlston Peo- pie, But Came From the
 Surrounding County.
BY HOWARD s. WILLIAMS.

Annlston. November s.-tspecial.)-T measured tread of marching soldiers is still heard in Anniston tonight but everything is quiet and orderly.
 The negro. Baker, suspected of being the person who. on Wednesday afternoon. 1 assaulted Mrs. Williams. occupies a cell in the county jail which is guarded by soldiers of the Alabama National Guard.
 No attempts were made by any mob today to take the negro from the jail.
 The crowd which brought Baker here Friday morning was composed of men who live in the vicinity of Alexandria, seven miles from Anniston and the scene l of the crime.
 The story of how negro entered the home of John Williams Is narrowing. Williams is farmer and has a farm in the famous Alexandria valley. near the town of Alexandria. Wednesday after noon a negro went to the house and ask ed Mrs. Williams for something to eat. Mir. Williams being away at the time. Mrs. Williams was the only one in the house. with the exception of 2-year-old baby, who clung to its mother as she went to the kitchen to get the negro food The negro followed the woman into the kitchen, when he grabbed a fiat iron and welding 1t aloft brought 1t down upon the womans head. crushing the skull and rendering his victim un- conscious. Blood splattered in every di- rection, and the little child, standing near, was besprinkled with the life blood of it's mother
 The intruder then ransacked the house. securing SIP in money from trunk, and fled.
 Posse Made Search.
 A posse was soon formed and a search made. One negro was suspected and taken to the Williams home, where Mrs. Williams, after she regained conscious ness, said he was not the right party.
 Physicians consider the condition of the woman as very dangerous. At times she is conscious, and at others she lapses into an unconscious state
 Thursday the negro Baker was suspect ed, as it was said he had been near the house on the day the crime was com mitted. de was taken in charge by a searching party and carried to the Wil- Hams home The doctors stated that Mrs Williams was in a sane and conscious state and the negro was taken before | her for Identification. She could not say he was the party, but did not say he was not, so Friday morning the crowd took | Baker to Anniston A crowd immediately | collected and there was talk of lynching, but the sheriff and prominent citizens mounted a buggy in front of the county iail and urged reason and patience. Upon | I,a hn in jail here the crowd turned him over | to the sheriff The crowd dispersed and | those who lived at Alexandria went 1 home In few hours, however. large l number of excited men gathered in front | of the 1ail, and some in the party de- clared they would override the sheriff and his deputies, and take the negro from l his cell
 Sheriff Woodruff immediately wired Governor Jelks, asking him to give him authority to order out the troops. This was done, the governor in replying say ing that he would hold Sheriff Woodruff responsible for the life of the negro. The officer made a bold stand and told the crowd they would not get the prisoner.
 This is where the mob spirit began, for the other crowd had gone away when 1t was understood Mrs. Williams could not identify Baker.
 
 der arms, and at once assembled in their armory Next orders were given to the | Calhoun Rifles of Oxford Maj. Joe Daniels of the Second battalion taking command of all the troops.
 Crowd Grew Larger.
 At o'clock in the afternoon the An- niston company reported al the jail, as the crowd there was growing larger. In an hour more the Calhoun Rifles re- ported The crowd would not fall back, and 1t was necessary to cnarge on the mob with bayonets. This had its effect. and the people fell back.
 Orders were sent to the Talladega and Gadsden Rifles an dthey arrived about o'clock The Gadsden company was met by a crowd at the depot, but no | trouble resulted.
 | At 10 o'clock all of the battalion was on the scene, and sixteen pickets were placed around the jail.
 | A crowd formed in West Anniston, but 1t was soon known that the soldiers were armed to the teeth, and this to a great | extent kept down any further demon stration.
 The soldiers will probably be here un- til Monday. but further developments must decide what steps will be taken.
 Many people here are inclined to think Baker is the wrong man. He was seen | today in his cell and admitted passing | the Williams home on Wednesday, but said he did not stop. He was badly frightened. He will be kept in jail untl, Mrs Williams gets better. As to her condition 1t is thought by the doctors to be very dangerous, the wound on the head being an ugly one.
 Soldiers Having Experience. | The soldiers are now having practical experience. Guard mount is held, and the troops are obeying strict orders It Is impossible for anyone to cross the lines unless passed by the officers of the | Guard.
 | The boys sleep in the jail, the warden's | quarters and the city hall, a half a block away. They march by companies to their meals at a hotel four blocks from the jail
 The better class of , people of Annis- ton and Calhoun county deplore the fact that mob gathered here to try to lynch a man, especially as he had not even been identified. The crowd was made ! up of the rougher element of the town, it | is said, and some of them became ex- cited and drew on their imaginations. Most of the citizens want the law to take its course and they sincerely hope that the better judgment of cooler heads will prevail
 It is quiet in this city now, and as long as the militia remains in town there is no danger of any determined attempt be- ing made to take Baker from the Iail The military companies deserve praise for the manner in which they responded. Not company reported with less than