The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-08-28

deputy sheriff contradicted this.
Col. Wooten: What did Corpl.
shortrdige say when he had his gun
loaded?"
ed?"
Mcclure: He said that if any man
attempted to pass he would blow his
d head off"
Col. wooten: Did anybody adj
vance,"
Mcclure: mo, sir"
About two-thirds of the men re-
sponded to Lieut.. McIntire's call for
volunteers to go after the mob. He
thought there were about forty five
men present at the time.
Col. Wooten: What did Lieut. Nc
Intire say when he asked the men to
pursue the mob?"
Mcclure: He said: I think it's a
disgrace on the part Of any Georgia
man to let this mob. led by drunken
men, have these negroes. Follow me- -
The witness loaded his gun without
orders. Sentinel No. told him that
the orders were not to injure the mob
in any way. A description of the sem
tinel was given in reply to a question,
but witness could not tell his name
Private E. E. Smith was at the camp
when the mob got the prisoners. He
was lined up. After getting strict or
ders, Lieut.. Nell took the men to the
Court House. The mob was leaving
then. The only reason Smith could
remember for his going to the Court
House was because he had been or
dered. When they got back to the
camp he remembered that dinner was
being prepared. 1t seemed to Smith
that nearly all of the men wanted to
follow Lieut.. McIntire
Same Man Disarmed Mcclure.
Private r. L. Miller was on duty on
the rear stairway, and lost his gun
He saw Mcguire disarmed by the same
baliiff who attacked Capt. Hitch He
heard he was a chief deputy and had
seen him in the court room more than
once during the trial. He understood
that Capt. Hitch had instructed the
company not to injure anyone until
ordered,
Private John Pussell was sent into
the prisoners room. Two privates
came out when he entered and he did
not see them return. The sheriff came
in and told them to stand aside, say
ing he could not resist the mob any
longer.
Col. Wooten then stated that all OF
the witnesses had been examined but
that if any one desired to make a
supplemental statement he would be
oAAONCu ~ w So
Capt. Hitch Again on stand.
Capt. r. NJ. Hitch at once claimed
the privilege, as did later also Lieut.
| Nell and Lieut.. McIntire and Privates
Falligant and Wiehrs.
The first point discussed by Capt
Hitch was regarding statements that
he had given instructions not to use
bayonets. This was stated to be ar
error, and that on the contrary he had
| urged the men to force back the crowt
with the bayonets. The men had beer
placed on the engine in case the moi
should try to halt the train outside Of
Statesboro.
Firing orders were discussed, Capt
| Hitch stating that he had told the mer
that sometimes mobs could be dispersed
by firing over their heads, or at theil
feet. He also told the men that orders
| might be given to aim and then recover
and urged them to pay particular at
tention. He had not meant that the
| prisoners were to be surrendered with.
out firing shot. He supposed that the
prisoners guard was temporarily stupi
fed when the sheriff opened the dooi
| and demanded the. prisoners.
He knew nothing about the state
ment of the guard at Post No t.
the effect that the members of the
| mob were not to be hurt. He had or
dered peacemakers to dispense, He haC
Lfound a newspaper man and made hin
move on. He did not think 1t wa.
practicable to clear the court room
| during the trial. as this would hav,
likely precipitated a conflict. His idea
was to hold the stairways.
Capt. Hitch knew nothing of what
took place between Lieut.. Nell anC
Lieut.. McIntire previous to his arriva
at the camp.
Lieut. McIntire did suggest that we
pursue the mob said Capt Hitch
HE was at that time bloody about
the face and was in great stress Of
passion and anger. The suggestion, ir
view of the information L had received
that the negroes were placed in vehi.
cles, appeared to me to be the prompt
ing of passion, and it seemed to me
that to pursue on foot, men in vehicles
would have been folly.
Was a Very Hot Day.
Again, it was a very hot day and
the company could not have marched
over one or two hundred yards before
becoming exhausted. In quick time
the mob would not have been over
taken, and in double quick the mer
could not go far. If the soldiers haC
come up with the mob they would nc
doubt have shot the prisoners the first
thing, or driven away from us at &
gallop. Some say vehicles were USED
and some say not. My information al
the time was that they had used We
hicles and 1 had no occasion to doubt
the correctness of the report.
II acted according to my judgment
and acted with great rapidity in every
emergency that confronted me. Lieut.
McIntire asked me if he must put ur
his pistol as many Of the mob were
asking him to do. l told him no.
never sent any messages to Lieut.. Nc
Intire."
Capt. Hitch could not remember who
the men were who refused to go to
help Lieut.. McIntire. He was not sure
that four was the number ordered out
First Lieutenant Nell asked leave to
make a supplemental statement. He
had been told by bailiff that all was
we'll at the Court House. He did not
think at that time that the bailiffs
were In many cases acting with the
mob and so thought the soldiers were
holding the place. He heard shouts al
the Court House and ordered his men
to fall in. Two squads were with him
When they got to the Court House he
did not see the mob, but did see some
stragglers. Sergt. Eason reported
when he got back to camp that the
mob had put the negroes in buggies
and gone on.
you that the mob had taken the pris-
Lieut.. Nell: 81 do not know"
Col. Wooten: Ibid you not see the