The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-05-29
GOVERNMENT TO
PUNISH LYNCHER5
Rule Issued for Twenty-six Chat
tanooga Men, Including Sheriff .
and Deputies.
THE ACTION CAUSES SURPRISE
Local Grand Jury Has Already
Failed to Find Indictment
Against Suspects.
(By Associated Press.)

(By Associated aIreSS.l
WASHINGTON, May 2S.-The govern
nlent has taken steps to punish the per-
sons who are responsible for the lynch
ing in Chattanooga, Tenn, March 10Th
last of the negro Edward Johnson, who.
under the sentence of death for criminal
assault had been allowed an appeal by
the United States Supreme Court from
the Circuit Court of tho United States
for the eastern district Of Tennessee.
In the Supreme Court to-day Attorney
General Moody filed an order requesting
that In consideration of the acts com
1nitted by the persons named, 1t issue q
rule upon each Of them to show cause
why they should not be punished for con-
tempt Of the court
The Defendants.
Tho persons named as defendants are
John +. Ship, Frank Jones, Matthew
Galloway, c. A. Baker, T. B. Taylor,
Frederick Frauley, George Brown. Jere-
mah Gibson, Marion Perkins. Joseph
Clark, Nick" Nolan. "sheene" Warner.
Luther Williams, Paul Pool, William
Marquette, william Beeler, Claude
Powell, Charles J. Powell Bart Justice.
John Jones, A. J. Cartwright Henry
Padgett, William May, Frank Ward. John
Varnell and Alfred Hammond
After reciting the facts Of the arrest,
conviction and sentence of Johnson, the
denial OF his petition for writ of habeus
corpus by the Circuit Court, In when 1t
was alleged, among other things. that
the petitioner had been denied q trial Ivy
a fair and impartial jury, and had been
denied the aid of counsel, In violation Of
tho fifth and sixth amendments to the
constitution and other rights under the
fourteenth amendment; and the order of
the court Of March 10th, allowing the ap-
peal to the Supreme Court; and the fact
Of the telegraphing of the order of the
court to John +. Ship, the sheriff, who
had Johnson In charge, and the publca-
ton of the action of the court in the
Chattapooga evening papers of that date,
the attorney general stated that the
sheriff and his deputies had every reason
to believe from current reports and rumors
conveyed to them that an attempt would
be made to lynch johnson, and that. not
withstanding these facts. the sheriff wlth-
drew from the jail early In the evening
OF the nineteenth the usual guard and
left In charge only tho night TALLER. Dep
uty Sheriff Gibson.
Sheriff Aided Mob.
1t was also stated that about Q o'clock
that night the defendants and large
number of other persons combined and
conspired together TO lynch and murder
Johnson with intent to show ther con-
tempt and disregard for the order Of
the court,
The facts attending tho lynching are
given In the information filed and the
statement Ia made that, although Sheriff
Shipp returned to the jail while 1t wan
In possession OF a mob, neither he nor
Deputy Gibson did anything to prevent
the lynching. but. In fact, aided those en-
gagged In It.
The court granted leave to file, as re-
quested making returnabe on the seq
ond Monday of the next term Of court
October 18th noxt.
Surprise in Chattanooga,
(ny Associated Press)
| CHATTANOOGA. TENN. May 2s.-'rhe
| action Of the Encouragement Of tie
| United States cano as a surprise here,
the local grand jury having failed TO find
an indictment against the lynchers of
johnson, although strongly charged by
Judge Reynolds II Is supposed that the
| evidence adduced was insufficient to make
out case against any suspect Ten Of
the men named by the attorney general
an air ALA A. u. 4. Ita.s