The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-03-01
TO PROTECT J. P. PARIS
Negro Suspected as the Mur-
 derer of Stockton.
Bloodh6nnds Trailed the Black from Scene of Hold-up on A. c. s. to His Cabin-Lynch-
 ing Was Feared.

Memphis. Tenn. Feb. 2s.--A specis, to The Commerctal-Appeai from Meridian. Miss. says: < Three full companies of State troous tonight surround the county jaiI here Sn which is lodged J. P. Paris, a negro. Mho ls charged with the killing of John n. stockton, mail clerk. the serious woun0@ ing Of J. A. Bass, another clerk. and the robbery of the mall car on the AlaharnA Great Southern train which left this city this morning for Birmingham.
 Trailed by Bloodhounds.
 Paris was captured early today. blood- hounds following a bloody trail sfrewn with bits of registered letters and other mall matter from the scene of the llold. up to negro cabin where Paris wAs foun.
 As soon as the capture of the supposed bandit was noised about. there were sfads- cattons that mob might attempt fo lynch him. and the sheriff of this county Isnu,e~ diately notified Governor vardaman bY telegraph. Very promptly Governor Vardaman wired Major Dement, of tliia city to call out the troops and s'urofeck the prisoner at all hazard.''
 The two military companies here ana one from Newton were put under Arma at once and tonight are drawn about tho jail square, permitting none to enter WAlnout ~ pass tfom the ml1ttAfy sGou1~ nader.
 The train had stopped at the Mobile ana Ohio crossing as required by law this morning. when negro sprang into the mail car. and. without warming Opaned ire on the two clerks and mall weishAr named Ivens. At the first shot Stock ton fell dead. shot in the mouth. Bass was hit in the shoulder and arm. and fell unconscious. Ivens escaped injury by jumping from the car into the darkness.
 Seized Mail Pouch. The negro seized through registered mail pouch and sprang from the car. The firing had not attracted the attention of any of the train crew. and the tFAln yga rd. Bass ra9aiHaa cqpfe
 la96 kMe train had Kaiiied faiI assIhentum. thouHls severely wounded. crawled to the emergency airevslve and succeeded h nfinxinS the train to Ntcp. The train was then backed Into Aferi- dian. posses organized and the chase of the bandit begun. Bloodhounds took the trail readily at the scene of the rob bery and followed 1t without dlficnitS 10 the cabin where Paris was captured.
 Paris was in bed at the time and an ifl- vestigation showed that one of his feet had recently been cut on at the antsle Paris protests his innocence of any cona~ plicity in the hold-up. but will make no statement regarding his peculiar insury. He claims to live at Selma. Ala, and says that a negro named Joe Murry of Birmingham, Ala, was the author Of tho hoid-up.
 Paris was taken before Mall Clerk Bass and identified by him as the bandie who perpetrated the robbery. 4 special session of the court has been called to try the prisoner 1t is thought that moro that one person was implicated in the robbery and the negro family in whoss cabin Paris was captured has been placed under arrest.
 Stockton was a resident of Meridian. Bass lives at TrussviIle Ala.
 The lynch law should be avoid a is the earnest opinion and desire of all the county officials and leading tl.izens. and another proof was the statsmant issued by Judge c. o. Hall to the c;tizeas of Lauderdale County. Ths ttateinens says:
 q desire to announce my determination to call special term of che Circuit Court to dispose of the shocking homicide which has just occurred in our midst and trust this assurance backed by my foar years record of impartial and uneom- promising administration of the law will satisfy the people that full justice Will he done with becoming dispatch. The proper order will be made at the eariiese possible moment''
 Governor vardaman Talks
 Jackson, Miss, Feb. 29.-Governor vardaman gave an interview today on the subject of lynching, which in view of his utterances during the campaign has much importance. The Governor in concluding the interview said:
 T can sympathize thoroughly with one whose friend or relative has been out ragged or atrociously murdered by black brute and am going to censure people who act a little indiscreetly under the influence of passions thus aroused. but there was one thing certain the law must be upheld and so long as I occupy the Gubernatorial chair shall do all within my power to see that the laws are -.r....a The ,nhlrts must nerfnrnn their