The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-07-20
LINDEN LYNCHING
PROVES A F|ASCO
Cavalry Troop Returns to Selma
from Marengo
RICHARDSON IN SALIVA JAIL
Prisoner Was Spirited Away BY sher-
III When Rumors of Trouble Be-
gan to Be Heard-other
Selma News.
RICHARDSON IN SALIVA JAIL

o'clock yesterday afternoon Maj. V. B.
Atkins was called up over the long dis
lance telephone by Private Secretary ].
Kirk Jackson to Governor Jell1s and told
t.. order the Dallas Light Dragons to
so to Linden at once and to protect the
jail at that place A little after the mes
sage had been received from Mr. Jack
son. Major Atkins also received a mes
sage from Governor Jelks ordering the
troops to go to Linden as soon as pos
sible.
Immediately after the receipt of the
messages runners were sent around the
oity to notify the members of the COM
pany to report to the armory of the com
pany at once in union. In about an hour
about thirty members of the company
were assembled and were ready to go TO
Linden. A wait for the arrival of the
Pensacola train and other delays kept
the company in the city and the special
train which took them to Linden did
not get away until few minutes after
clock.
When once started the train made a
rapid run to Linden, covering the dis
lonSC III OhC nun diu AllJ hhAiuiCS anu
made no stops except at a water tank
few miles out of Selma and for hot
box just four miles this side of Linden.
All was quiet when the troops arrived at
Linden as few of the citizens of that
place knew anything of the expected
trouble.
Before the train arrived at Linden, a
round of twenty-one cartridges were is
sued to each member and the carbines
its destination the members of the COM
pany were prepared Cor business. After
getting off the train the company was
formed in line and was marched through
New Linden to Old Linden, where the
jail of Marengo county is situated. The
distance from the station to the jail was
about a mile and a half and the walk
was made In good time by the troops.
Citizens Join in March.
On the way from the station to the
Jail the company picked up few of the
citizens of the place who followed the
troops to the jail. None of these citizens
appeared to know anything Of the expect
ed trouble that was threatened the pris-
oners in the jail. A few minutes after
the troop reached the school house in
front OF the jail Sheriff Z. e. jackson
of Marengo county rode up and Major
Atkins informed him that the soldiers
were In Linden at the orders of Governor
Jelks to protect his 'ail from any mob
violence.
Sheriff Jackson had been in the coun-
try surrounding Linden since the Jail de-
livery at that place last Sunday after
noon and showed great surprise at a troop
being ordered to Linden, but also ex-
pressed great qualification at the prompt
manner in which Major Atkins had exc
cuted the orders of the governor. A few
minutes after Sheriff Jackson arrived at
the Jail e. E. Taylor, a prominent citizen
of Linden also arrived and welcomed the
soldiers
Mr.. Taylor then explained to Sheriff
Jackson and Major Atkins that upon his
own responsibility he had early In the
afternoon telegraphed to Governor Jelks
of the threatened trouble and had asked
him to have company of the state mill
tia sent to Linden to protect the pris-
oners in the county jail. But after he
had sent the message to the governor a
consultation was held between a few OF
the prominent citizens of that place and
the negro Robert Richardson, who 1t was
though the supposed mob intended 10
Lynch. was taken from the jail secretly
and carried through the country and
Southern railway train was caught and
the condemned murderer was drought W
Selma last night.
Mr. Taylor said that he telegraphed
the governor to send the militia to LIN
den upon reliable information that he
had received that mob composed OF
citizens of Demopolis and Sumpter coun-
ty was forming for the purpose OF coming
to Linden last night to take the Richard-
son negro out Of the jail and hang MIN.
The information ne had received he was
positive was true.
Mysterious Horsemen Seen.
Even after the troop had arrived at the
iail Mr. Taylor said that he had seen
two men on horseback ride out OF LIN
dan down the road In the direction from
which the mob had been expected to come.
Earlier in the evening he had also seen
another horseman leave Linden, going In
the same direction, as II to inform the
mob that 1t would now be useless TO at
tempt to secure the negro that they IN
tended to lynch. These three horsenen
that Mr.. Taylor had seen leave Linden
had also been seen by Mr.. Brassweii'
prominent citizen of that place.
After sheriff Jackson reached the jail
the troop was marched in the yard OF the
school house which adjoined the jail and
nic,xets were put out ana no one out
members Of the company was allowed
within the yard Later as the news OK
the arrival of the soldiers became known
throughout the little city the people be-
Gan hoclxtng around the school mousse ana
the nickel lines were extended and mem
hers of the troop marched up ana down
the street in front Of the school
All night long this picket DUTY was
kent I'D to keen watch out lot the ex-
pected mob. But the mob did not turn
M and at O'Clock this morning. after
Stor,w jackson assured Major Atkins
.nat he expected no further trouble, the
nss,anv was marched to the depot and
came back to this city on the regular
passenger train
Five Prisoners Make Escape.
Lat Sunday afternoon about o'clock
.,ars was a iail delivery at Linden and
a. os fine prisoners in the jail made
.hs,r ascape. They dug hole through
the brick wall Of the jail while they were
haing allowed the run OF the nall Al
ths time there were six prisoners IN the
ian and only one of them was left, and
he was the negro Robert Richardson
who was sentenced to be hanged TOT the
murder of Dr. Fosque. prominent ciu-
zen of Demopolis. who was killed near
that city last fall
All Ave of the negroes who escaped from
the jail here were In for muroer. Ai.e,
digging their way through the nrich wal,
of the jail they jumped from the secohu
door 70 the yard and scaled a br1ck wall
aho,t tan feet high and made their es-
cana into the woods close by. As soon
az the iail delivery was discovered. which
was few minutes after It occurred.
- .4ttxan.. NJ Linden were formed