The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-09-14
WILL FACE A COURT
OFFICERS TO HAVE MIL
 ITARY TRIAL.
Governor Terrell Orders Court Mar tial to Take Up CaseS of the Guardsmen Resulting from
 StatesburO LymchtmK.

Atlanta, Ga., Sept. 13.--After re- ceiving and considering the full report of the Statesboro Court of Inquiry, Governor Terrell has ordered court martial to decide as to whether or not Captain Hitch. Lieutenant Nell. Lieu tenant Griner, Lieutenant Cone and Lieutenant Morrison were derelict in their duty during the recent trouble at Statesboro.
 The report of the court of inquiry amounts practically to an indictment of the officers in charge of the troops at StatesborO.
 Lieutenant Mcintyre was the only officer exonerated by the court. His action in making an attempt to with stand the mob and protect the prison CTS is praised The report goes into detail, stating that the evidence fall ed to disclose any energetic efforts on the part of the military officers to dis perse the mob and likewise failed to disclose any serious casualties either to the mob or military"
 That part of the report relating to Captain Hitch is as follows:
 That the force under Captain Hitch was sufficiently large to have afforded protection to the prisoners had 1t been properly handled, but the commanding officer did not use proper precautions nor was his conduct sufficiently ener- getic or forceful, he having failed to avail himself of the services of large per centage of his command which was within his reach and available.
 The conclusion of the court Is that the troops could have taken the pris- oners from the mob even after they had left the court house had vigorous efforts been used instead of no attempt at all
 The report refers to the fact that the only instructions the men had as to when to load and fire was that given by Captain Hitch on the train, requir- ing them not to load or fire except when specifically instructed to do SO. these instructions having the effect generally of restraining the men from loading their guns when attacked by the mob"
 Two instances of soldiers loading and threatening to shoot were refer red to when the desired effect was had on the mob, as these two soldiers held their ground, thus furnishing evil dence of the effect on the mob of de- termined resistance"
 The report closes with the state ment from the evidence submitted the court concludes that there was a desire and effort on the part of the en-
 
 If they had bean permitted by those in immediate authority and command"
 No recommendation were made to the Governor by the court, the report being simply the conclusions of the court and the evidence as submitted durHay the investigation.
 The court martial will be composed of the following officers of the Georgia militia:
 Colonel Clifford l.. Anderson. Allan ta, President; Lieutenant Colonel Will liam Gerard, retired. Savannah: Lieu tenant Colonel Charles W. Graffin. Eastman; Major A. H. DeVaugh, Au- gusta; Major Walter A. Harris. Ma con: Major Joseph V. H. Nash, Atlan- ta: Captain H. P. Hunter, Elberton, Captain, H. A. Wilkinson, Dawson, Captain l.. A. Robinson. Brunswick. Captain William W. Gordon; Jr, sa- vannah; Captain James T Mann, Al. bany: Captain W. B. T. Wilson, At, lanta; Captain T. J. Stewart, Roma and Colonel George M. Napier. Judge