The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-05-29
SECOND COOSA MAN ARRESTED F. M. Pruet of GoOdWater
 is Accused. CHARGED WITH PEONAGE Brought to Montgomery and
 Released on Bond. Declares He Never Saw Negro He is Accused of "selling"-why Dis trict Attorney Went to Wash
 ington Recently.

Francis M. Pruet, alias Mack Pruet. a constable and keeper of livery stable in Goodwater. was brought to Montgomery yesterday by United States Deputy Mar shal A. B. Colquitt on a warrant charg- ing peonage, holding a person in condi- tion of servitude.
 Pruet was immediately taken before Judge Thomas c. Jones of the United States District Court, who required him to give bond in the sum of s1,000 The bond was made and Pruet will return to Goodwater this morning.
 Pruet is the second white man of Coosa County who has been brought to Mont gomery by Deputy Marshals on this charge and 1t Is expected that others will arrive here today in custody of officers. The Federal grand jury is still in ses- sion and officials at the government building say there is no indication when 1t will complete it's work.
 The investigation into the alleged peon- age cases has brought many citizens of Coosa and Tallapoosa Counties to Mont gomery and there is no doubt that some alarm is felt by persons who have been connected directly or indirectly with the cases. Among those who have been here this week are J. c. Carmichael and J. l.. London, both Justices of the Peace at Goodwater. Justice London was here yes- terday. It is said that some of the ne- groes held in servitude were tried before one or the other of these magistrates.
 No citizen of Coosa County has attempt cd to explain how it is legally possible for negroes to be committed by a Coosa County magistrate to hard labor in Tal- iapoosa County.
 Each indictment thus far made public ayers that the negro was ''sold'' to J. W. Pace of Tallaposa County. Pace has contract to lease the hard labor con- victs of Tallapoosa County and conse- uuently has a stockade and employs guards. It is said that he frequently sub-leases County convicts to other farmers.
 The indictment against Pruet who was brought to Montgomery yesterday charges him with ''forcibly seizing the body of Ed. Moody, a negro" in Coosa County and selling him in servitude OF about April 3, 1902. and that Moody was held by Pace until on or about June of the same year.
 Pruet, whose statements have an hon. est ring, declares that he never saw Ed. Moody in his life and that he does not know Pace. i s;#
 To a representative of The Advertiser Pruet politely declined to discuss the con ditions alleged to exist in Coosa and Tal- lapoosa counties. He emphatically de- tended citizens of Coosa County from what he termed charges that had been brought against them. Coosa citizens are as good as any in the State, he says. and Go0dwater, he declared, Is especially a law=ablding community. @~,s
 ePrltet said he was appointed a constable by Governor JellSs. He formerly lived in Clay County and removed to Good water abodt three years ago..
 As a constable, Pruet said he had fre- quently arrested negroes who were fined by a magistrate and were paid out by farmers. Asked if he did not know this was illegal he stoutly maintained that 1t was. stNQtlY within the law.
 Pruet is under indictment in the court of the Northern District on the same charge.
 It has developed that the recent visit of Dist gtct Attorney Warren s. Reese to Washington was in answer to a sum- mons from the Department of Justice to discuss the alleged peonage cases in Ala bama Mir. Reese was in Washington several days and undoubtedly went over the ground carefully with chiefs of ths department.
 It is known that Secret Service men have been in Coosa and Tallapoosa Coun- ties since about the middle of April and additional developments are daily expect. ed.