The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-10-25

matter of the kind. the United States Grand jury today made a report to Judge Thomas O. Jones and returned several indlctments against alleged members of the mob which lynched Horace Naples September ! in Huntsville.
 The report created if possible. d xrnAter ssnsation than the famous chafge delivered by Judge Jones two weeks ago. in which he directed tho ndembcfs of the grand jury to indict Ineinbers of the mob, If, in their opin- lon. the lynchins was actuated by race prejudice, and if, in their opinion. a white man would not have been lynch ed for the same offense.
 Although no one not connscted with the court knows at this time how many alleged lynchers were indicted or what the charges against them are. the ten- or of the report shows strong endorse rfent of Judge Jones's position, and that the jury believes the mob was in- fiuenced by prejudice against the ne- gro race. The full report follows:
 '. Report Af Gr&nd Jary..
 .'To the Hon. Thomas c. Jones. Judge
 oks the. District Court of the Uni
 ted States. for the Northeria Divis-
 ion of Alabama:
 The grand jury for the present term of this court, having completed the la- bors committed to them by the charge of the court and the law in relation thereto. beg leave to submit their final report.
 we have carefully investigated all violations or the statutes of the Uni ted States brought to our attention and have found and returned bills therefor, where 1t was deemed by us that offenses had been committAd.
 Tn the course of our duties 1t has become necessary for us to. inquire into most deplorabie affair which occur red the night of September I, 1904, in the city of Huntsville and in the jtris- diction of this court, that of the lynch- ing by a mob of one Horace Naples We find from the evidence before us, and believe that there was no excuse or palliation for this atrocity.
 All was being done by the State courts of Alabama that could be done to expedite trial of the accused An indictment had been found by a special grand Jury. and the members of the mob were repeatedly notified of this fact and knew that no delay had occurred or would occur in bringing the accused to speedy trial. and in iniiicting upon him the prescribed pun ishment of the law if sfe was found, by legal methods and sufficient testimony, to have committed the crime with which he was charged.
 Defiance of the Gsaws.
 Naples was a negro. That favor or immunity would have been extended to him in withholding just punishment for the crime he had committed, if shown to have been guilty of it, no one can be- lieve. Yet In the face of this, a mob of reckless and irresponsible men and youths, few if any of them having any interest in the welfare of the country, proceeded to defy the lawful authori- ties of the State, to threaten with de- struction and to almost demolish and destroy the jail of Madison County, to greatly endanger the lives of prisoners not even accused of capital crimes and to take therefrom helpless and fear strickeh human being, and without hearing or affording him the oportunity to offer any evidence as to the charge made against him. to remove him from lawful custody, destroy his life, mutt late his body and shock not only the sense of justice. but the christian nor ality Of every decent member of civi- lized community.
 Many of the other prisoners conftu- ed in the jail were almost suffocated by the smoke and heat of the burning jail. Some of these were In the cus- tody of the United States, awaiting trial for offenses against it's laws This state of affairs is greatly to be deplor- ed and we, the members of the grand jury. do Invoke the sense of justice. of right. of civilization and ot honor of the people of our section. that they may see from this time forth that the laws shall be enforced. it's majesty recogniz- ed and sustained, and mob violence and It's companion. anarchy. shall be sup pressed and punishment inflicted upon those who participate in it.
 Must stand for the Law.
 Our people must stand steadfast and firm for law and order. Without theee there Is and can be no security or pro- lection for the life, character person or property of any of our citizens. This mob spirit grows upon it's own under strained and unpunished exhibitions and unless the law abiding and law. respecting of the country cail a half to it's citizens manifestation. we cannot hope that our people will ever be bless ed with peace or prosperity
 No good can come to a peopIe who defy the laws of god and man. We earnestly call upon those of our sec tion to rise in their strength and pre- vent this great iniquity, suppress this savage spirit and barbarous practice that Is going on in our midst--growing
 
 be the truth. with rapidity that DOT tends nothing but evil and disaster to every moral and material interest"
 Few can be induced to believe that if the situation had been reversed and the prisoner taken from his lawful con hnement in the county Jail in this in- stance and summarily executed in the shocking manner in which he was. had been white man charged with killing d negro, or even reputable and useful white member of society. he would have been thus robbed of his life without a trial in the courts of the country and an opportunity to disprove the charge made against him, Or to have removed the accusation Of crime upon him
 Whites' Duty to the Black.
 The white people of this section feel that they owe, and they do owe, a duty to the negro race which has occupied and stilI occupies an inferior position 10 theirs and q position less advart. ageous than they have enjoyed, and nc duty can be higher or greater from | superior to an inferior race than tC seek to elevate them Into better cit. izenship by respect for and observ. anee of the laws of the land
 How can this duty be discharged fl we fail to accord him at least a fail trial and such as Is accorded to other members Of the community. before the purishment of the law is Inflicted upon him. The state of Alabama and the whole Southern people have been brought to shame by this occurrence Land by other like instances where the | law was trodden under foot and the justice denied to unfortunate victims of ! syanh xrfolauna xv hfph fhs Ia uy d{Yanfe fhaN