The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-08-29
JUDGE STARTLES
 HOSTS OF WICKED
Says Mississippi People Are
 Sleeping on Volcano
HIS PUNISHMENT I IS SEVERE
Says He VIII Wage War on Crime in Noxubee County, Although the People Are Not
 Friendly to Him.

Meridian, Miss, August 8.-(Special)- Judge Cochran has created a sensation in the circuit court at Macon, Noxubee county during the past week by the rigid enforcement of the extreme penalty of the law in nearly every case brought before him. In passing sentence upon sev- eral offenders few days ago Judge Cochran most unmercifully scored not only the lawbreakers but the citizens of Noxubee county for the prevalence of crime and serious negligence in enforc- ing the law which he condemned in un- measured terms. The judge made re- markable address 10 the condemned men arraigned before him. and among other things said:
 T deem 1t my duty to tell the good people of this county that in my opinion they are slumbering upon a volcano. What l have to say applies mainly to the negroes but will hit the whites in high places. Your county Is simply rocking in crime. Heaven has blessed you with bountiful crops and instead of using heavens blessings to elevate your race you have abused it's benefeenee. I am. told that the merchants here cannot get pistols fast enough for you negroes and have to have them sent by express.
 T want to say q few things to the whites. l have been mortified beyond description at the lack of interest shown in the proceedings of this court. I.have not even had the shake of a hand from a minister in this town nor a word of en- couragament from a Sunday school teach CT, superintendent, or an amen corner church member. Everybody seems per- fectly willing from the pulpit down for the devil to run your county with a high hand. l have a free hand free lance. l never asked the governor to appoint me judge, nor did l request any person to ask him to do so, and l am under no obligations to anybody on earth, and expect to run this court according to my judgment
 Reports from Macon state that Judge Cochrans radical action and pronuncia- mento from the bench have given the spirit of lawlessness an electric shock which it will not likely recover from sooi and he has inaugurated movement for the suppression of 1awlessness that has never heretofore existed in the county
 New League Proposed.
 A new baseball league is in process of formation here for next season, which promises to be a first-class organization and a paying. one when the plans of the promoters mature Encouraged by the success of independent ball in Meridian this season local enthusiasts and experi- enced men from other cities have united on a plan to form a league composed of the cities of Meridian, Selma, Mobile, Pensacola, Hattiesburg and Jackson. The circuit embraced by these cities affords promising field and is compact enough to reduce the travelling expenses to min imum.
 The principal promoters of this organ ization are Tommy Stouch, manager of the Decatur baseball team; Lem Bailey, the well known pitcher; Bolivar Hyde, T. G. Hayes and a number of other men prominent in baseball affairs in this and the other cities mentioned.
 The first meeting was held here last night and steps were taken to proceed with organization at once. The local as- socation is already capitalized and will be ready to take membership in the league as soon as organization is perfect ed.
 The population of the cities in the pro- posed league is between 140,000 and ,000, much greater than that of the Cotton States league, which offers a paying basis for the association from that stand point and the railroad mileage for the circuit Is the shortest of any league in the south. The promoters have entered into correspondence with the other cities regarding the league plans and will make further announcement in a few days.