The Paducah sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1898-1906, 1904-04-11
Mitch Caldwell Wanted Officers
Estes and Terrell Killed.
Judge Sanders Gives Him 800
Fine and Twenty Days
in Jail.
OTHER GASES IN THE COURT

Mitch Caldwell, colored, employed
at north side tobacco house, was ar
raigned in the police court thirmorn-
ing for breach OF the peace, and was
fined 800 and costs and sentenced to
twenty days in Jail. His offense was
an aggravated one calculated to cause
q great deal of trouble IL his thirty or
more companions had been in the same
infamed state Of mind that be was.
The evidence showed that Saturday
night Caldwell, who is . mulatto
about thirty five years old, was in
Housemsn's saloon and grocery ut
Tenth and Trimble streets with thirty
or forty 9th er colored people.
"Niggshs, git out yo' pistols an go
to shootin' police" Officers VIM. Estis
and Thad Terrell swore he said. "No
man Is good niggah until he has kilt
policeman" said Caldwell as they
entered.
The officers showed wonderful self
control in the crowd. however, and in
time succeeded in quelling all excite
ment, and locking Caldwell up. r
Judge Sanders said that he believed
every good, law abiding colored citi-
zen, as we'll ss the white people,
would indorse his Judgment. II could
hold you for using incendiary Ian
guage," he said TO Caldwell" and
after being indicted you could be fined
any where from one cent to million
dollars, and sent to Jail for year"
He went on 10 say thar colored peo-
pie in Paducah paid taxes on over
sico.0 900 worth Of property. showing
that there were many good, law abid-
ing colored people here and that srch
men as Caldwell were a menace to the
race. That such language and con.
duct as he was guilty Of was likely to
create strife IN q community, and re-
sutl in the death of many innocent
people, white as well as co bored.
Suppose those other men had been
in the same condition you were" said
the court, land had taken you at your
word aud begun shooting st the off,
cersg Nothing on earth would have
saved you from boing hanged, ami
many of the good colored people would
have helped 10 do it. 1t is just such
men and such talk that cause all or
most of the race trouble in this conn
try. and we officers must rebuke il
when we have "A chance. The police
officers are your friends. They are
the friend Of the colored as we'll q
white people, and are here to protect
you. l have never yet known Ct q
case where an officer mistrested "A col!
ored man unless ne had ample cause
to. These officers were your friends,
and were there to see that you did
what was right. Yet you wanted
them killed, and tried to get the thirty
or more men with you to draw their
pistols and kill them. These officers
have to 90 out in all kinds of places,
and all kinds of weather to see that
every citizen is safe, and think every
good citizen will approve the sentence
against you. which could be very
much more severe"
The case sgaints Black Little. alias
W. j. Csndor, who is alleged to have.
forged the name OF CLERK J. 7. Ogle,
OF the Charleston, for s50.75. was
turned over to the grand jury for
action.
Judge Sanders this morning an,
nounoed that he would hereafter allow
the repetition Of no vulgar or i'm
proper language in his court. police
courts have a bad enough reputation
already, che declared, land often on
this account good people will not il
they can help it. come here to testify.
Hereafter want no officer or other
witness to repeat improper language
unless he is called upon TO do so. "
Judge Sanders, in thus taking steps to
elevatef he police court, will doubt
less receive the commentator Of
everybody.