The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-08-12
Ransom, Stanfll and Cherry Have Pre-
 Iiminary. NEXT MOVE UNCERTAIN Case Submitted to Judge Mabry Without
 Argument. OfHcers from Whose Custody Ea""n" Bell, a Negro, Was Taken to HIS Death by a Mob-Next Move
 in Doubt.

Selma. August 11.-tspecial)-"I have cause to believe in your proba- ble guilt. and I bind you over with ont hail. were the words of Judge J. w Mabry of the City Court of Selma this afternoon when he announced his judgment in the case of the state against M M. Ransom, D. O. Stanfil. and B. F. Cherry special constables charged with the murder of Edmund Bell a negro whom they alleged was taken from their custody by mob Of negroes and lynched last Saturday af- ternoon.
 The case which had been on trial since before noon, had just been sub- mitted without argument, and the opinion of the Judge was given with out a moments hesitation.
 The denouement of the celebrated case was surprising to many who had watched it's progress with interest. What plans for the immediate libera- ton or relief of the prisoners may be taken have not been published by their attorneys It is stated, however, that only by suing q writ of habaes corpus before the court of equal or superior Jurisdiction. as the circuit or the su- preme court can Ransom, Stanfil and Cherry have another trial.
 Pleas of Not Guilty.
 
 but few spectators when at 11:45 Judge Mabry ordered the convention of court. Immediately upon. the arraignment of the defendants, who pleaded pot gull ty to the charge of murder in the first degree, the taking of testimony was begun, and with the exception of two hours of recess for dinner, it occupied the court the rest of the day. the trial having a termination at 5:30 this af- ternoon.
 The State was represented by the so- licitor of the Fourth Judicial Circuit Hon. w. w. Quarles and the defen- dants had as their counsel. A. F. Pitts, A. l.. Mcleod aud II. F. Reese. Dur Ing the entire trial every detail and point were fought out bitterly, the examination of witnesses being almost cruelty close. Objections were fre- uuent and the evidence of the witness es was so slow during part of the day that spectators lost interest and left the court room.
 After nearly a score of witnesses had been examined, the defense placed Stanfil one of the defendants, in the witness box He gave an account of the removal of Bell from his custody and when he had concluded. after searching and unsparng fire Of cross questions by the solicitor, the counsel for the defense announced that they rested and were willing to submit without argument
 Heard verdict Calmly.
 The State acquiesced, and at once Judge Mabry annouced his judgment. There was little stir among the spec tators. The prisoners took their fate with calm fortutude and soon were led from the room by Sheriff Blackwell and his deputies.
 Chief Deputy Sheriff James J. Town send was the first witness introduced by the State. MT. Townsend's evidenc" was materially the same as the state mcnts he had given to the newspapers. He stated that Stanfl came to him Sat urday afternoon and announced that Fdmund Bell. a negro, had in prelimi- nary trial before Justice of the Peace N. $. Stannl been adjudged guilty of the murder of Houston Scruggs on the night of Tuesday. August 2. Justice Stanfl had Issued a mittimus for the commission of Bell to jail in default of bond in the penalty of $1O,o00.
 When they had proceeded some dist ance from Sardis, where the trial was held a mob of negroes. Stanfl said took the negro who was riding in a buggy with Ransom, and carrying him into the woods, lynched him. Cherry and himself. he said, were in a buggy some distance behind Ransom and the negro
 The witness repeated the accounts of the lynching as 1t had been described by Stanfl. The mob was composed all together of negroes. about twenty five of whom had come to the buggy and stopping the mules drawing it had pulled Bell from the vehicle. Each of them was armed with pistol or shot gun Ransom left the buggy. but was told by the negroes to go back. He complied with the request. Just off the road were many other negroes. Near ly all the members of the mob wore masks and Stanfll did not recognize any of them. He and Ransom had then come at once to the city to inform the authorities of the lynching and Cherry returned to his home.
 ConstabIes Led Posse.
 When Sheriff Blackwell, Deputy Townsend and posse of Dallas Dra- goons went to the place of tho lynch ing late Saturday afternoon. Stanttl and Ransom accompanied them. Solicitor w. w. Quarles States counsel, asked questions about the seeming familiar itv of Stanfil and Ransom, who guided the posse with the scene. They led the posse Mir Townsend said, with apparently little difficulty.
 The witness described the scene of the lynching and tho appearance of the mob's victim. Attorneys for the pros ecution and defense questioned him very closet yabout the topography and the appearance of the ground on the night of the lynohing and afterwards when MT Townsend saw 1t in daylight. The witness had seen no masks and had found only two empty cartridges which had been used in q shotgun.
 Mir Townsend was asked to produce two pieces of rope he had found at the foot of the tree from which Bell was hanged. He sought them in his buggy where he had left them in the morning and a sensation was caused when he returned to the court and announced that they were missing. He displayed a piece of the rope which he had cut from the negro's neck when the body was exhumed yesterday. The rope had been saturated with blood. the odor of