The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-07-21
STATEMENT OF GIBSON.
Exulains His Action in Heath and Ad-
 ams Cases.

ExpIains His Action in Heath and Ad-
 ams Gases.
 Deputy United States Marshal Hiram Gibson. who, 1t will be remembered reported the probable existence or dan- ger to Government witnesses in Cham hers County peonage cases. yesterday addressed to The Advertiser the fol- lowing communication:
 Editor The Advertiser:
 Having reported. in the discharge or my duties as deputy United States mar shal, to my superior off1cer at Mont gomery, Ala, the existence or certain danger of Government witnesses ana the probability of resistance In making arrest. which has been the subject of much comment. I desire to make the following statement:
 On Friday. July 14. 1905. I received at Roanoke warrants for w. Q. Heath and Jim Adams charged with peonage' from the marshals office. On Satur- day, the 18th, between II ana lz o'clock, two good white citizens or Fredonia brought one Tom Hightower' colored, who was a Government Wilt ness. to me at Roanoke to give said witness protection. They stated to me that w. O. Heath, defendant. had shot at said witness four or five times and also informed me that l had better get Josie Harper, a Government witness. and take charge of her. as she would be run out of the country and so get her out of the reach of the United states as a witness That on Friday night four or five men with guns were out scouting for Tom Hightower all night: that I was afterwards informed that four or five of the Pikes. who lived on MT. Heath's place, were scouting the country and searching for High tower and Josie Harper; that one Of the Pikes, who lived with Mir. Heath. I was informed. followed Tom High
 tower to Roanoke. where I had him in
 my possession. wired the marshal at
 Montgomery. Ala. L. J. Bryan, to send me four deputy marshals to help me to secure and defend the witnesses from danger and make the arrests of | defendants took charge of Tom Hightower and carried him out to my place, ten miles from Roanoke Satur- | day night and returned to Roanoke Sunday evening with witness and on | my way from the Roanoke Cotton Fac | tory over to Roanoke I met a man by | the name of Pike and there was point | ed out to me young man who was also named Pike and who lived on MT. | Heath's place nenr Fredonia. The older l Pike hailed me and said he wanted to | see me I stopped the buggy and got l out and Wdlktu DdCh d lt" btepb to l talk with him when my attention was | called and looking back to the buggy | 1 saw Mir Stripling, chief of police of l Roanoke, at the buggy, who appeared | to be searching the witness to see If | he had a concealed pistol. l told MT.
 Striplins that Tom Hightower had | been brought by citizens of Fredonia | and turned over to me for protection | as a Government witness. MT. Strip | ha had haen inform a6 | that he was wanted in Chambers Coun- | ty on warrant. Then it was that I
 wired the judge and district attorney
 at Montgomery foi instructions, and l received the following telegram from | the United States attorney:
 - July IT, 1905. | Hiram Gibson. United States Deputy Marshal, Roanoke, Ala:
 Had consultation With Judge Jones.
 He directs that you hold the witnesses | in your custody, and not surrender | them under warrant until after they have testified He directs further that | you say to the officer with the warrant | that after they testify he can get these | witnesses, but that he cannot arrest | and take them off so as to defeat the | hearing before Commissioner Sanford, | and that if 1t turns out that this pros Acution is an effort to intimidate the | witnesses on trumped-up charges that | everybody connected with 1t will be | indicted. Give a copy Of this telegram | to the officer and advise who has
 sworn out the warrants and what the | charges
 (Signed) w. S Reese, Jr., United States Attorney. At the time these witnesses were l ,urned over to me I did not know there | were warrants for them in the hands | of state officers upon affidavits made bv w. O. Heath. the defendant in the