The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1904-09-19

ing for any crime. and as firmly against
ballot box stuffing.
Lynchinq in United States.
I'm the United States last year there
were 1O2 lynchings. Twelve of these were
in the north and ninety in the south ot
this number lynched, eighty-six were
blacks, fifteen were whites, and one
Chinaman. There was woman lynehed
in Mississippi and one in Louisiana. Ot
the number forty-seven were for MURDER
eleven for criminal assault, ten were for
attempt at criminal assault, seven were
for murderous assault, four were for ar
son, three on suspicion. three mistaken
identity, three for insults, one for
threats made, one for refusing to give
information, five for unknown causes, one
for stealing chickens, one for talking and
the others for different causes
Take the growth of the guillotine in
France and see as the result what lynch
ings will lead to in Alabama. We must
stand against the entire lynching sys-
tenn, no matter for what cause. God pity
the man who is a murderer at heart and
does not have the manhood to come out
and act like some of those did last week.
Southern Women Saw Negro.
Another thing l want to call attention
to. | was Mortified and shocked to see
the women of the south going in flocks
to see the negro's body hanging on the
limb of a tree, and also to hear their
words of sympathy for the mob. A mob
deserves no sympathy. much less that Of
the fair women of the south.
Il now call on you men to do your
duty, uphold the law and live up to your
oaths. By so doing protect your homes,
your families, your county, city and
| state. When ever the strong arm of the
law is gone you have lost everything.
THE jury system of the state and coun-
| ty is wrong. The time has passed when
the best citizens of the city and county
serve on the juries. and the men who
judge of the deeds of others are to a large
, extent a lot who hang around the court
| house and do nothing but act as pro-
fessional jurors. These men are not cap
able OF serving on a jury. You say that
| you do not want men of fixed opinions on
the juries. That is exactly what we do
want The professional jurors are not cap
| able in any way of forming an opinion.
The best class of citizens have lodged
| jury duty, and l would not let the pro-
| fessional juror sit on the case of a dog
much less a man. There is too much poll
| tics in the court house and in the jury
| box and in the court room
Bankers merchants and the better
class of mechanics should be made to
by the attorneys so that men who can
| be bribed may take their place and also
men who can be swayed by political rea-
sons
Have two more lynchings in this coun-
| ty and watch the tide of immigration
The people who think that indictments
leaving for other places.
| Make a recurrence forever impossible,
not by arming to battle Dut by a law
abiding and clean life in public affairs
United States Seeks Evidence.
| The United States has sent special
agents here to continue the investigation
into the burning of the jail, and to Sc
cure additional evidence 10 be carried
\ before the grand jury when Judge Jones
| calls it together for the prosecution Of
those who took part in the burning Of
the jail and thus endangered the lives
OF United States prisoners
he people who think that indictments
may be found against them and those
who even have any intlmatIon that they
are suspected of having been connected
with the moo are still Leaving the city.
They are being heard from in every part
of the country. Memphis, Chattanooga,
Birmingham, Nashville and Atlanta hav-
ing received their quote.
Tomorrow the court of inquiry will be-
gin it's work. So far none of the three
officers appointed on 1t have arrived In
the city, although they are expected on
one of the trains tonight. The court will
consist of Col. Tom Frazier of Union
Springs, as president Captain Smith of
Birmingham and Captain Walden Of
Uniontown They will investigate the ac-
tions of Capt. r. l.. Hay and the SOL
diers and officers of the Huntsville COM
pany on the night of the mob. 1t is ex-
pected that their report will severely con-
denim several public officials.
May Result in impeachment.
1t is also expected that the grand jury
will complete its investigation into the
action of Mayor I. w Smith Sheriff Rog
ers and Chief of Police Overton. and those
who are familiar with what is going on
| would not be surprised II impeachment
| proceedings were instituted as result
| 1t is understood that the actions of the
officials since the arrival of the military
men here will also be investigated. as 1t
is charged that some of them have failed
entirely to cooperate with Captain
Brown as they were expected to do.
| In fact. 1t was not until last night that
either Mayor Smith or Chief of Police
| Overton called on Captain Smith and Of
| fered to aid him at all. They explained
their absence by stating that they did not
exactly understand the situation.
| The work of arresting the men has not
progressed any further. as Captain
Brown has been unable to discover the
whereabouts of any OF those against
whom true bills were returned.
Several members of the company here
were sent home tonight for sickness or on
imperative kilograms. Among them were
Sergeant Cartwright, Private Bivins. j..
B. Miller and Lee McNally. Captain
Rrowp has aeain asked for more men.