The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-11-01
HELD TO GRAND JURY.
ALLEGED WHITE CAMPERS. ARE
 BOUND OVER.
Testimony Before United States Com missioner at Troy Shows Bad Condition of Affairs in Sec
 tion of Pike County.

Troy, Oct. 31.-(Special. )-Testerday evening at o'clock. the cases of Boss Riley. Will Putnam, Humps Chesser, Rob ert Windham, John Windham and Fletch- CT Windham, charged with whitecapping, were called for preliminary hearing be- fore Commissioner Tutwiler in this city. Assistant District Attorney Sternfeld was present to prosecute the cases. Beside the large crowd of spectators present, there were about twenty-five or thirty witnesses for the Government, and about a dozen for the defendants. On account of the large crowd present who were anxious to learn the particulars of the cases, the Circuit Court room in the Court House was procured in which to hold the trials
 Failing to get through with the hearings yesterday, the cases were resumed this morning
 According to the evidence of the Gov ernment witnesses, rather startling con- ditions exist in Cross Roads and Linwood beats, about twelve miles north of the city. Negro churches were burned, me- groes whipped and notified to leave the country. The house of Joe Browning was shot into and the house of a negro wo- man, Mary Clements, was riddled with shot and she forced to flee from her home. While running away from her house with her baby in her arms, her self and baby were shot. The shot took effect in the back of the negro woman S head and her baby was struck by shot neither one being very seriously wound ed.
 The principal witnesses for the Govern ment were: James and s. A. Daniels, Green and Henry Tate, B. P. and J. P. Floyd. c. W. and J. H. Parish, E. Golff. Clint Turner and w. c. Griffin, white men, and quite a large number of me- groes.
 Several notes warning and threatening negroes were introduced in evidence:
 Garfield Williams. tenant of James Daniels, received the following notice:
 Sept. '. 1903.
 Garfield Williams, we warn you to square up your business and get out from here at once. If you owe anybody any thing, pay it up and get out. And you must go twenty-five miles from here in side of five days, or death will be your portion We intend to kill you if you stay around over five days.
 ''The W. c. of I. and C."
 At the bottom of this notice is drawn the picture of a dagger and heart. This notice was placed on the doorsteps of Williams. This negro is reputed to be a good farm hand and inoffensive.
 Joe Browning received a notice inclosed in a miniature coffin, telling him to leave. The whole crew of hands at Williams's mill were notified to leave the country or be killed. A number of them did leave, as well as a number of others who did not receive notices, but were frightened by the notices the others received, and the mill had to shut down. These me- groes. 1t is said by some of the best white people of that community, are
 
 Will Sewell. a negro farm hand. was whipped one night in April of this year so severely that the blood ran from his wounds and he was unable to work for three weeks. It was in evidence that he was whipped as a medicine and tonic. He was tied and castigated with wagon whip
 The negro churches burned were Dunn's Chapel and Antioch
 The defendants, with the exception of one, are all young men. The other mo- tices received by the negroes are too ob- scene and profane for publication.
 It is said that t'there has been an effort made to intimidate both white and negro witnesses for the Government, and every effort on the part of the Government will be made to apprehend the guilty parties and put an end to these practices.
 The witnesses for the Government are re-subpoenaed so that they can receive the protection of the Government.
 The best element of the people of this county are bitterly opposed to this char acter of crime. as it tends to cripple the farming as well as other interests
 After argument of counsel for the Gov e:nment and defendants the court held all of the defendants except Robert Wind ham. who was discharged. Fletcher Wrdham was held to bail in the sum of $50. and the others in the sum of $500 each, to await the action of the Federal grand jury which convenes in Montgcm- cry next December
 Smallpox Prevalent.
 Smallpox has become very prevalent among the negroes of the city. There are