The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-08-27

N " GA uIuSkiStS ht QUO ana S1.OO.
Cato and Reed, from the Savannah iai
to Statesboro.
Col. Grayson selected Capt. Hitch
as commander of the detail and rec
commended him as a cool and fearless
ofhcer, and one whose knowledge of
the rights of the soldiers eminently
htted him for the place. In response
to a notification of the appointment
an order was received from the ad-
Jutant generals Office directing Capt.
Hitch to select the detail of men and
report to the Chatham county Jail to
Sheriff Kendrick of Statesboro
The order authorized the detail to
take the prisoners on Monday, Aug
10 to Statesboro, and provided that
an ample supply of ball cartridges be
sent. Capt. Hitch was directed on
his arrival at StateSboro to act in
conjunction with the sheriff and adopt
such measures as seemed necessary to
protect the life of the prisoners and to
protect property. After the trial Capt
Hitch was directed to return to Sa-
vannah with the negroes if the sheriff
or Judge Daley desired that DISPOSE
ton to be made. This order was sign
ed by Col, A. j. Scott, acting adjutant
general.
covered that the prisoners had been
removed Thursday night by Sheriff
Kendrick, and wired the adjutant gen.
eral to that effect. A reply was re-
ceived Aug. 10 notifying Capt. Hitch
to keep his men. so that they could be
readily assembled. Judge Daley was
named as the person who would issue
the orders for the movement of the
troops if he thought they were need
ed.
On receipt of this order Col. Grayson
instructed Adjt. Brooks to write to
Judge Daley and inform him that he
was holding fifty men at call and
ready to move on Geographic instruc-
tons.
Movement of the Special.
No reply was received from Judge
Daley to this letter. About o'clock
Monday morning Capt. Hitch had rung
up Col. Grayson and stated that he
had received a message from Mayor
Johnson of Statesboro to the effect that
Judge Daley had asked for troops. The
message had been verified and the
alarm agreed on sounded.
Authority for a special train was
asked, but no answer received from the
adjutant generals Office until after the
soldiers were on the train in the Union
Station. The message said Yes, if
necessary" in reply to the special
train proposition.
Capt. Hitch had telephoned Col.
Garyson in the afternoon that every
thing was quiet and that there was no
indication of future trouble. The same
opinion was expressed by Division Pas
senger Agent c. F. Stewart of the
Seaboard, who accompanied the special
to .Statesboro.
The next information that there was
trouble was in a message received from
DR.. A. A. Morrison, who went with
the company, asking that the full reg
iment be called out, as things looked
very serious. An alarm was turned in
and the men assembled promptly. An
unsuccessful effort was made to talk
with the officers at Statesboro but it
was learned that the mob would not
permit any messages.
Strenuous efforts were then made by
Col. Grayson to get Gov. Terrell, or the
adiutant general. In the meantime
the regiment continued to assemble.
Finally Mr.. c. NJ. Hitch, executive
secretary to the Governor, was reach
ed and authority obtained for the
movement of the troops to Statesboro.
Later a message was received from Col.
Scott, ordering a battalion to States
boro.
second Detachment of Troops.
A special train was secured from
the Seaboard in twenty minutes, and
when within five miles of that town
the troops were ordered to fix bayonets
and load guns. Every man was ex-
horted to do his duty.
On arrival at Statesboro the COM
pany under Capt Hitch was found at
the station waiting to return home.
Judge Daley told Col. Grayson that
everything was over, and that the
services of the soldiers would not be
needed.
Just before the departure of the
troops from Savannah Col. Grayson
received message from Capt. Hitch
to the effect that the guards had been
overpowered and that no more troops
were needed, and that Cato and Reed
we're probably lynched. AS no instruc-
tions were received from those in au-
thority, the troops had no discretion
but to continue their journey.
WAS there anything in. the Savan-
nah papers that you saw regarding the
affair at Statesboro which said that II
was the purpose of the mob to lynch
the prisoners when convicted?' asked
Capt. Grice.
yes. one or both; do not know.
The Morning News of Tuesday, Aug.
16. on the first page. had something.
This was on the day of the lynching.'
Cant. Hitch and Lieuts. Nell and
McIntire were asked If they had any
further questions, and they answered
in the negative.
selected His own Men.
Capt. X. NJ. Hitch was then sworn.
He told OF the notification to him to
take fifty men to Statesboro to pro-
tect the negroes, Cato and Reed, who
were in danger of being lynched. He
was given full authority TO select men
upon whom he could rely
There was some trouble about get
ting ammunition, Col. Scott having no
titled him that a supply had been ship
ped from Augusta. on the morning or
the day he was ordered to Statesboro
the ammunition, 1000 rounds, came.
The alarm and the march to the sta
ton were detailed.
Just before arriving at Statesboro the
men were formed on the train with
fixed bayonets in case there should be
any trouble about disembarking.
The question of why the men were
not permitted TO load was discussed by
Cant. Hitch. He said that the krag
Jorgensen rifles were new and that the
men had not used them heretofore. IT
took such a short time to load that
the question Of whether the guns were
loaded or unloaded made little differ
ence as compared TO the old style guns.
The officer then detailed his military
experience. during which he served IN
two riot campaigns and In the Spanish
American War.