The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1904-09-16
Birmingham Troops Take Charge
at Huntsville
ONE MAN HAS BEEN ARRESTED
Captain Brown Has Situation Well In
Hand and No Immediate Violence
Is Anticipated-Wil Re
main Several Days.
BY FRANK H. BELL.

| 6I hAfNN oEG6s
| Huntsville, September 15--(Special)-A
| provisional company composed of forty
men from the Birmingham Rifles and
twenty-three from the Jefferson Volun-
teers commanded by Captain Lucian c.
Brown of the former company. arrived
here this afternoon at o'clock on a spe-
cial train from Birmingham. The COM
pany was sent to protect prisoners who
are being arrested on indictments charg-
ing them with murder In connection with
the Iynching of Horace Naples, negro.
last Thursday night.
! The company found the city quiet and
acting on orders from Governor Cum
ningham, Captain Brown has assumed
command of the situation and has taken
every precaution to prevent any repeti-
tion of the trouble of a week ago.
The company was ordered here at the
request of Judge Paul speake of the
circuit court. In his message to Governor
| Cunningham he stated that there were
rumors of rescue of any men who
might be arrested in connection with the
| lynching.
Ben Hill Is Arrested,
Ben Hill, an employe of one of the cot
ton mills, has been arrested and placed
in jail on a charge of murder, the war
rant having been sworn out by Solicitor
| Erie Pettus on evidence before the grand
| jury There was talk tonight of friends
of the prisoner making some effort to
rescue him, but on the arrival of the
Birmingham company the talk ceased to
4 = 4ffx ir No.
! quiet as could be desired.
Hill was arraigned this afternoon be-
fore Judge Speake but was returned to
| jail without entering his plea of mot
guilty. which lie says he will make.
| No attorneys could be found to defend
| him but he will be again arraigned to-
| morrow.
Hill is only one of the ten men against
whom true bills have been found, and
the sheriff will arrest the remainder of
them in the morning. He has warrants in
hand, and their service was only de-
| layed because of inability to find the
parties. 1t is said here that several men
who were prominent in the mob of last
Thursday night have left the city, and
that others are in hiding. The true bills
| against these men were found at
special session of the grand jury, and
| other bills are expected.
Actuated by Curiosity.
Tonight several crowds gathered on the
streets in the neighborhood of the jail,
but they were actuated more by curiosity
than by any desire to liberate the pris-
| oner.
| Captain Brown at once notified them
| in a quiet manner that they would not
| be allowed to congregate, and dispersed
them before more than twenty could col
| 1ect at time Pickets have been thrown
out all around the jail. and the soldiers
are all supplied with ball and multi-ball
cartridges. No one is allowed to come
within less than a block of the Madison
county Jail, where the prisoner is con-
| fined, and the scene of last Thursdays
mob violence.
The Jail was badly damaged by fire
at that time, but the condition is such
that the prisoners can live in 1t without
trouble. The company is camped around
the JAIL and 1t is expected that it will
be several days, probably a week, be-
| fore they can leave. The troops are to
prevent any mob violence and to keep
in safety the prisoners who are arrested
or may be arrested.
! In Command of Situation.
Judge Speake tonight gave Captain
Brown an official order placing him in
him to take every step necessary to pre-
vent any attempt at rescue He in
structs Captain Brown to use his own
discretion in carrying out the orders of
himself and also those of Governor Cum
ningham. The order of Judge Speake is
similar to that of Governor Cunningham
with the exception that 1t is written and
the governors was oral.
Later tonight several small crowds
the county Jail, and were discussing the
arrival of the company and the arrests.
Captain Brown sent out a patrol to pre-
vent any more such gatherings, and the
patrol will be out as long as there are
any people on the streets.
While not officially confirmed, II is I'M
derstood that the indictments of the
grand jury include two or three men
who are rather prominent in the city, or
the surrounding suburbs. The others are
for men less prominent. If there is any
trouble or attempt to rescue prisoners.
1t is hardly expected that there will be
until some of the prominent men are ar
rested.
Guns and Cartridges Seized.
All the guns and cartridges of the local
military company, which is Company F
of the Third regiment, has been seized
jail, where they are kept under guard.
This was done to prevent any possibility
of the crowd getting hold of them In
case of riot
Captain Brown announced tonight that
he woulc not hesitate to give the order
to fire If there was any attempt to rescue
the prisoners, and that no one must even
attempt to run the sentry lines. The
conduct of the soldiers on the trip has
1 been excellent and so far not a single
case of disorder is reported The boys
seem anxious to keep down any trouble.
but even more determined to do every
thing in their power to prevent any repe-
tition of the Statesboro affair.
1t has been announced here that there
are no indictments by the grand jury
against Sheriff Rodgers or Mayor Smith
in connection with the riot. The report
became current that such action had been
taken because the grand jury asked for
instructions as to how to Institute i'm
parchment proceedings against them II