The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-08-19
GENERAL C0URT-MARTIAL
MAY BE ORDERED.
How Capt. Hitch's Report Was Re-
ceived in Atlanta.

ceiVed in Atlanta.
Atlanta, Aug. 18.-The one subject of
discussion at the state Capitol to-day
was the lynching at Statesboro, and
the part played by the state mill
tia. The report of Capt. R. NJ. Hitch
reached the office of Adjt. Gen. S. w.
Harris this morning, but Gen. Harris
old not reach the city from Carrollton
until noon, and the report was not
given out until after he had read it.
Even after reading it Gen. Harris de-
clined 10 discuss it, as did also Col. A. J.
Scott, assistant adjutant general, who
had active charge of the matter from
this point. 1t was stated that no ac-
tion whatever would be taken until
the return of Gov. Terrell from st.
Louis. The Governor has directed that
a full report of the affair be prepared
for him, and he will take it up on
his return to the city Monday. Gov.
Terrell has indicated in interviews and
dispatches received that he would
probe the matter to the bottom and
would take such action, both with re-
gard to the work of the mob and the
failure of the militia to prevent the
lynching, as the circumstances might
warrant
One telegram received from Gov. Ter
rel is as follows: Have ordered
Adjt Gen. Harris to make full in
Vestigation of the Statesboro occur
renee, and report Immediately on my
return, after which, if necessary, a
general court-martial will he ordered.
:. NJ. Terrell"
The foregoing dispatch was address,
ed to an afternoon paper here. The
officials in the adjutant generals Of
nee positively decline to say anything
for publication Personally, however.
every officer in the State House is
talking about the matter. The after
noon papers give great prominence to
the statements of Sergts. R. C. Thomp-
son and A. j. Fulton, who were in
charge of the negroes, and who are
quoted as saying that the mob was
lea by prominent man, along with
Whom came the sheriff and his deputy.
IN one paper Sergt. Thompson is quot
ed as saying that the leader was an
eX-SaVannahian, who is now connected
with the Statesboro Ice Company.
what an OhiciaI Says.
~ N'AAAAACAAS ONdlC I1OuSt OIIlcldI
VINO did not want his name given.
speaking of the affair, said: There
Is no doubt that the Statesboro affair
Is gong to prove a serious blow to
uhe state militia. | do not hesitate to
predict that the next riot call will re-
SUIT IN bloodshed unless the troops
are called out in such overwhelming
HuinDers as Will awe the mob into
quletude. / know something of the
militia and 1 know something also of
ene spirit of mobs The memory of
Statesboro will make the next mob
Idr Dolder; the same memory will un-
uouotedly quicken the action of the
troops in letting the mob feel the eff
Iect Of their bullets. 1t may be possi-
pIe 20 avoid this by sending out three
OF Tour times as many troops as are
necessary, but will involve great ex-
ever.
II viii have to be done. / cannot
understand the action of the COM
nahder of those troops in letting his
inen be beaten and battered by the
Too mS without ordering them to fire.
~ course, no one has any sympathy
~ me negroes. They ought to have
Zen Killed, and they would have been
hIlIed by law. The troops were not
.hteIe merely to protect these negroes;
CLiey We're there to defend a. principle
" organic law This fact makes alb
surd the excuse which some offer that
~ was better the negroes should die
shed" 'e'
PokinE Fun Mt Them.
some Of the State House officials
nave been inclined to indulge in a
mIlle .il,!l.le fun at the expense OF the troops
sIhermopylae had its messenger OF
ueath and so did Statesboro." remark
~ one or them, referring to Sergt
the effect that All OF said aoidiers'
ave himself had been captured bv
me mob. caused much Amusement
sergt, Jones has not since been heard
a LOT Of military supplies for the