The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-05-07
THREE MURDERERS WILL DIE
 ON THE SAME DAY IN DECATUR

criminals who were caught and known to be criminals. And yet this was the same community in which four of the men guilty of certain of these brutal crimes were given fair and legal trial
 That such a thing came to pass was due in a great measure to Judge D. w. Speake and Solicitor Dave Almon. They handled the situation with delicacy. with intelligence and in a way that reflects credit upon the legal machinery of the State of Alabama. The negro criminals had no money, but some of the very best lawyers in Decatur were appointed to defend them by Judge Speake and these lawyers defended them in no half hearted manner, but to the best of their ability.
 And great credit is due the people of Decatur for their forbearance in a troublous and trying ordeal. The stand of the best people of Decatur for law and order has been emphatic and unmistakable. Even had the military not been present there would scarcely have been a lynching.. Good people or Decatur have said again that there would not have been a lynching, but they were of the class who would not have participated in a lynching under any circumstances. In every town the size of Decatur there Is class of irresponsible and sometimes reckless youths who, if a leader who would command confidence could be found. could be melted, at such time as this, to violence and disorder.
 To prevent the possibility of anything of this sort the militia was asked for and was sent to Decatur.
 Record of Militia.
 But especially should the militia ot Alabama feel a pride in the record of the past week in Decatur. The sixty eight men who went there from Blrm- ingham under the command of Capt. K. l.. Gregory had an unpleasant, dan gerous and a diplomatic duty to per form In the first place, there were many good people who in a quiet way resented the presence of the soldiers on the Court House lawn. They be- lieved that there was no danger of lynching and in a way felt that the presence of the soldiers was more or less reflection on the town. The pres ence of the soldiers was more actively resented by smaller class of citizens who at their first arrival felc called upon to annoy the National Guards men with criticisms and more or less agSravatiug remarks.
 There was to the soldiers, too. al- ways a menace, large or small. Ihey had been called out on riot duty. They had been called out to protect the pris- oners from a mob. In the long hours of the night these young soldiers, not knowing the temper of the people Of the town, did not know at what time a mob might strike for the jail. And in the day they had to do their duty and make their rounds in way Which would not antagoE.ze the townspeople or stir up any resentment against their presence. life unaccustoined q to the duty for whose performance they were called out. Not only were they unfamiliar with the routine performance Of this duty, but their daily avocation had not demanded tEe exercise of the tact and diplomacy that was so needed in their guarding of the Court House and jail of Morgan County.
 That this duty was performed so sat- isfactorily, so effectively,' and so free from friction, should be thing of pride to the National Guard of Ala bama. The service of the provisional company is to be remembered with pride and pleasure by the sixty-eight young men from Birmingham and by Captain Gregory and the officers who accompanied him on the trip.
 The officers on Duty.
 The officers who accompanied Cap tain Gregory and who remained with the company throughout the week are Lieutenant Francis, Commissary; Cap tain Williams, Surgeon, and Lieuten- ants Ballard, Worrell, Francis, Watson and Fellows.
 The officers and men of the company have been congratulated and thanked again and again by the citizens Of Decatur. Some of the heartiest con gratulations were from men who had opposed the coming of the soldiers. With a word of praise for their dsport- ment and the way in which they dis charged their duty, Probate Judge Skeggs sent to the train for the sol diers today four boxes of cigars. Too much praise has not been given the National Guardsmen for their deport- ment during the week, for during the entire time there was not a drunken or drinking man about camp nor the slightest disorder or even loud talk ing on the streets.
 It is understood that there will be no appeal in the cases of the men sen- fenced to death. They were given 8 fair and legal trial and good lawyers say that there would be no ground for A hopeful appeal. Moreover none Of the negroes had sufficient money 10 even pay the court costs of an appeal
 The men will remain in the BirminG- ham jail until June 16, when the three will be hung on the same scahfold in Decatur.
 A petition is being circulated to have the hanging made public