The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-07-21
GIBSON DEFENDS
HIS RECENT ACTION
Had Cause to Fear trouble in
Chambers
MAKES LONG SIATEM MEN I
Believed That He Needed Assistance
In -rrestlne Heath and Adams,
Who Wore Charged With
Peonage.
MAKES LONG STATEMENT

Montgomery, July 2O.-(Special. Omitted
States Deputy Marshal Hiram Gibson.
who works in Chambers and Randolph
counties, having been criticised for his
action In the arrest of principles and wit
nesses in the charges against w. o.
Heath and James Adams of Chambers
county, has given out an interview show
ing why he asked for help from the mar
shal's office here, and his reasons for be-
lieving that there was an attempt on the
part of the state and county officials to
hold some of the witnesses in the case.
He thinks that it Is due him that he
make the statement to show that 1t was
not his intention to either discredit or
unduly inconvenience any one. His state
ment follows:
Having reported. in the discharge of
my duties as deputy United States mar
shall, to my superior officer at Montgom-
cry, Ala, the existence of certain danger
to government witnesses and the prob
ability of resistance in making arrest.
which has been the subject of much COM
ment, desire to make the following
statement:
Received Warrants.
ION Friday, July A. 1906, l received at
Roanoke warrants for w. o. Heath and
Jim Adams. charged with peonage. from
the marshals office. On Saturday, the
10Th, between Il and IL o'clock, two good
white citizens of Fredonia brought one
Tom Hightower colored, who was a gov+
eminent witness, 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 securing for
Tom Hightower all night; that l was
afterwards informed that four or five of
the Pixies who lived on Mr.. Heath's
place, were scouting the country and
searching for Tom Hightower and Josie
Harper; that one of the Pixies, who lived
with Mr.. Heath, l was informed, followed
lOfn f1lSHlOWeT W INcdhbhCs WILLY
had him in my possession. l wired the
marshal at Montgomery, Ala, L. J. Bry-
an. to send me four deputy marshals to
help me to secure and defend the wit
nesses from danger and make the arrests
of defendants.
Took the Prisoner.
II took charge of Tom Hightower and
carried him out to my place ten miles
from Roanoke Saturday night and re-
turned to Roanoke Sunday evening with
witness, and on my way from the
Roanoke cotton factory over to Roanoke
met a man by the name OF Pike, and
there WAS pointed out to me young
man who was also named Pike and who
lived on Mr.. Heaths place near Ere
donia. The older Pike hailed me and said
he wanted to see me- l stopped the buggy
and got out and walked back few steps
to talk with him. when my attention was
called, and looking back to the buggy
I saw Mr.. Stripping, chief of police of Ro-
anoke, at the buggy who appeared TO be
searching the witness to see n he had
concealed pistol I told Mr.. Stripping that
Tom Hightower had been brought by Cit
liens of Fredonia and turnec over to me
for protection as a government witness.
Mr.. Stripping said that he had been in
formed that he was wanted in Chambers
county on warrant.
Wired Marshal.
'Then 1t was that l wired the judge
and district attorney at Montgomery for
Instructions, and received the Following
telegram from the United States attor-
ney:
July IT. 1905.
:" Hiram Gibson, United States Deputy
Marshal. Roanoke, Ala:
" Had consolidation with Judge Jones.
He directs that you hold the witnesses in
your custody and not surrender them UNI
der warrant until after they have testified.
He directs further that you say to the Of
f1cer with the warrant thar after they tes-
tify he can get these witnesses, but that
he cannot arrest and take them off so as
to defeat the hearing before Commission
er Sanford and that If 1t turns out that
this prosecution Is an effort to intimidate
the witnesses on trumped-up charges that
everybody connected with 1t will be in
dicted Give copy of this telegram to
the officer. and advise who has sworn out
the warrants and what the charges.
"'w. s. REESE. JR.,
United States Attorney
"At the time these witnesses were turned
over to me I did not know there were
warrants for them in the hands of state
officers upon affidavits made by w. o.
Heath, the defendant In the United States
court.
before first wired the marshal to send
me help 7 talked to Mr.. Jim Robinson and
also to the witness to try to ascertain for
certain II the colored witnesses In that
case were in danger of being molested
and would not therefore. be able to be or
hand in the United States court as wit
nesses. I know nothing about the guilt
or innocence of the Defendants Mr.. Heath
and Mr. Adams as to the charges of
The white citizens who brought
these witnesses to me for protection 1
learned were also arrested on warrants is-
suing from the county court Of Chambers
county. I renorted the facts in this case
to my superior Officers and feel that my
actions were justified In the premises"