The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-07-20
NO MOB WAS
 ENCOUNTERED Selma Soldiers Found Quiet at Linden. THE SHERIFF SURPRISED Had Just Returned from
 Chasing Escapes. Attorney Taylor Heard Threats of vio- lence and Took Responsibility
 of Asking the Governor
 for Troops.
THE SHERIFF SURPRISED
Advertiser Bureau,

Advertiser bureau, Selma. July 1s.
 Linden. the capital of Marengo Coan- ty, was as quiet as a deserted village last night about 10 o'clock when the special train from this city bearing Troop D, Dallas Light Dragons, reach ed there. No excitement was visible, and there were but few loungers around the little station when the train ar rived and the troop got of and formed in line on the depot platform.
 Reports were flying around Selma or race wars aud mob violence before the troop left this city, and every member Of the troop expected to hear shots or pistols and rifles as they got on of the train with their loaded carbines. but the disappointment was an agreeable one, and not a shot was heard by member of the troop in Linden last night.
 Reaching Linden the troop was form ed in line and marched from the depot to the county jail. in the old section of town. The people of Linden were not aware of the fact that the cavalry had been ordered to the place to protect the jail and only a few stragglers were picked up on the march from the depot to the Jail.
 Just as the Dragons reached the Jail Sheriff E. E. Jackson. of Marengo COuuly, Tout uP duu WdS ooihS" A~s amazed to find the cavalry troop there to meet him. Major Atkins, who was in command, informed him that the company had been ordered to Linden by Governor Jelks to protect the jail of Marengo County from mob violence. The company was then marched in the yard of the school which adjoins the jail and pickets were put out.
 Soon after Sheriff Jackson arrived TavInr a nrOrnt- nent attorney of Linden. Mir. Taylor informed Sheriff Jackson and Major At kins that early in the afternoon he had learned that a mob was being formed of citizens of Demopolis and Sumpter County and that about midnight they would march on the jail and take out the alleged negro murderer, Richard Richardson, and hang him. Mir. Taylor said that as Sheriff Jackson was not in Linden he had taken the authority upon himself and had asked the Gover- nor for troops to protect the jail from mob violence.
 Major Atkins then with Sheriff Jack son took charge of the situation and the members of the company were pick eted around the jail and no one was al- lowed to come within the line.
 Taken to Selma Jail.
 After MT. Taylor had sent his urgent
  cided, after a consultation with a few of the prominent citizens of that place. that the negro the mob was after should be taken from the jail and brought to this city, so a deputy took Richardson secretly from the jail and carried him through the woods to Thomaston, and at that place this morning he was put on the train. brought to this city and placed in the Dallas County jail.
 That there were good grounds for the hurried trip of the cavalry troop from this city to Linden there is no doubt in the minds of some of the most prominent citizens of that place. Soon after the company reached the jail nearly every member saw two men on horses ride out from beneath some heavy shade trees almost opposite tho rection in which the mob was supposed to be coming.
 Other citizens of Linden say that earlier in the evening another horse- man was seen to leave Linden and go in the direction from which the mob was looked for. MT. Brasswell, who at one time was County Treasurer of Ma rengo County. said that he had positive information that a mob had formed at a creek bridge just four miles below the jail and he wanted to take the troop there, saying that If such was done tha entire mob could be captured.
 The guard around the jail was kept up all night long. but the mob had evidently been informed that a com pany of soldiers was on the spot to protect the prisoners in the jail. for it did not show up and this morning when the troop left Linden all was quiet.
 During the early hours of the morn ing one of Sheriff Jacksons deputies came very near being shot by mem- Der of the company. The deputy was just coming in and was on horseback and came riding up the street to the jail. One of the pickets in the street halted him. but the deputy refused to stop and kept riding up toward the cavalryman. When within few steps of him the cavalryman threw his load ed carbine to his shoulder and was in the act of pulling the trigger when the deputy halted. Sheriff Jackson was sent for He came out and iden- tified the man and the deputy was al- lowed to come within the lines and afterwards stated that he was glad he had sense enough to halt when he did.
 The Jail Delivery.
 The threats of mob violence are sup posed to have grown out of the jail delivery which occurred last Sunday af- IeTnOOT, Wntl U SlOCh, HNe Ot the prisoners in the jail escaped by digging out through one of the brick walls at the side of the jail. The five who escaped were in jail for murder and after digging out of the wall on the second floor they jumped to the yard below and scaled a wall about ten feet high and made their escape to the woods.
 Pursuirg parties were immediately formed and later that afternoon two of the escaped prisoners were cap tured The next morning another one of the prisoners came to the jail and gave himself up. Sheriff Jackson since then has been searching the woods for the other two negroes who escaped. The negro Robert Richardson, who had been tried for the murder of pr. Foscue and who had been sentenced to be hanged was In the jail at the time but was locked In his cell and did not es- cape.
 When the orders were received by Major Atkins yesterday afternoon from Governor eJlks ordering the cavaly troop to Linden, messengers were hur- riedly sent out to notify the members Of that company to report at their arnlory in uniform at once. In less than an hour all the aailable men of .hh counnary had aAsennI,faa in @h~