The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-04-12
WANT To EMPLOY
ELIHU ROOT
TO REPRESENT S. M. CLYATT
IN PEONAGE CASES BEFORE U. S.
SUPREME COURT.

Triton Citizens Held Mass Meeting
to Raise Funds-VaIdOsta Citizens
Have Pledged $5,OOO-DecisiOn of
Supreme Court of Vital Interest
10 Employers in Lumber and Ma
val stores Industry-COunts on
Which the CIyatt Case Was Taken
to the supreme Court.
Triton, Ga. April ia mass meet
ing of Triton citizens was held in the
City Court Hall for the purpose of
taking action on the peonage case of
Mr.. S. NJ. Clyatt, which has been GER
titled by the United States Circuit
Court of Appeals in New Orleans to
the United States Supreme Court for
information. This case, as already
mentioned is the first conviction in
many years under the United States
peonage laws, and arose from Mr. ely
att having two negroes who had left
his employ, arrested in Florida under
warrants from this state on charges
Of gambling and larceny.
Mayor Timmons called the meeting
to order. Cashier w. w. Banks of
the Bank of Triton was elected chair
man and Briggs Carson, secretary. Col.
w. M. Hammond of Thomasville was
present, and went fully into the details
of the case. He said the question is
not one involving the liberty of Mr..
Clyatt alone, but it personally inter-
ests every one engaged in the sawmill
and lumber business, the turpentine in
dustry, and in fact, every one who
employs labor. 1t is a question in
volving the right of contracts and also
of state rights. Col. Hammond was
just from VaIdosta, where a meeting
had been held and $4,000 pledged to-
wards securing the best legal talent in
the country to see that Mr.. Clyatt's
to the Supreme Court. An effort will
be made to employ Elihu Root.
Col. Hammond said that Mr.. Clyatt
is not fighting for himself alone but
If the decision Is adverse to him thou
sands of others are liable to be pros
ecuted, He read the law bearing on
the case, and said that If 1t was sus-
tanned no one can employ any one who
Is Indebted to him, even If the party
the amount of indebtedness.
Col. John Murrow, after a short talk,
moved that a committee be appoint
ed to secure funds to defray expenses
of the appeal, and the chair appointed
the following: w. w. Timmons, j. Lee
Ensign, ]. J. L. Phillips, j. L. Floyd
and e. L. Vickers.
1t was stated in the meeting that
parties are now at work all through
this section, endeavoring to secure ev-
idence for peonage prosecutions.
Every turpentine operator and saw
mill man, as we'll as every one en-
ploying labor in this section, feels
that he is affected by the construc-
ton of this law, and takes a vital in
terest in the case.
Following are the three counts on
which the case was certioraried to the
Supreme Court for information;
'Is the act of unlawfully and forci-
bly, arresting and returning a person
to the custody and control of such
persons creditors, to be by him held
against the will of the debtor, to
labor to pay the debt, a violation of
the laws of the United States within
the meaning of Section 5526 of the
Revised Statutes of the United
States?
rs the act of unlawfully and forci-
bly, arresting and returning person
to the custody and control of such
persons creditor to be by him held
again the will of the debtor, to
labor to pay the debt, a violation of
the laws of the United States within
the meaning of Section $500, of the
Revised Statutes of the United
States, when, at the time of the ar
rest and return of such person, there
existed in the state to which he was