The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1906-05-31
MOVE ON LYNCHERS
Made By Uncle Sam Through
Attorney General Moody.
JOHNSON AFFAIR AGAIN
Non-!ndictment of Prominent Chatta.
noosa Citizens by Grand Jury
Causes. Government to Take
the Matter in Hand.


A Washington special says: The
government has taken steps to pun
ish the persons who are responsible
for the lynching in Chattanooga,
Tenn, on March 19, last, Of the negro,
Ed Johnson, who, under sentence Of
death for rape, had been allowed an
appeal by the United States supreme
court from the circuit court Of the
United States for tie eastern circuit
OF Tennessee.
In the supreme court, early Mon
day Attorney General Moody fled an
inIoruatiol requesting .tnat, in con-
sideration OF the acts committed by
the patries named, it issue a rule On
each OF them 10 snow cause why they
should not be punished for contempt
OF court.
The persons named as defendants
are John f. shipp, Frank Jones, Mat
thew Galloway, Z. A. Baker, T. B.
Taylor, Fred FrauIey, George Brown,
Jeremiah Gibson, Marion Perkins, Jo-
seph Clarke, Mick" Nolan, ''Shenie'
Warner, Luther Williams, Paul Pool,
William Marquette, William Beeier,
Claude Powell, Charles J. Powell,
Part" Justice, John Jones, A. J.
Cartwright, R. F. Cartwright, Henry
Padgett, William May, Frank Ward,
John Varnell and Alfred Hammond.
After reciting the facts Of the ar
rest, conviction and sentence OF JONI
son, the denial OF his petition, among
other things, that the petitioner had
been denied a trial by a fair and
impartial jury and had been denied the
aid of counsel, in violation OF the
fifth and sixth amendments to the
constitution and other rights under
the fourteenth amendment, and the
| order of the court OF March 19, al
| lowing the appeal to the supreme
court, and the fact Of the telegraph
ing of the order OF the court to Jonn
F. shipp, sheriff of Hamilton county,
who had Johnson in charge, and the
publication CT the action of the court
in the Chattanooga evening papers
on that date, the attorney stated that
the sheriff and his deputies had every
-eason to believe, from current re-
ncrts and rumors conveyed to them,
that an attempt would be made TO
lynch Johnson, and that notwitnstand-
ing these facts, the sheriff W1thdre"
from the Jail early in the evening
Of the 18th the usual guard and lett
| in charge only the night jailer, Dep
uty Sheriff Gibson.
The facts attending the lyncnlnS
are given in the information fled ana
the statement is made that, although
Sheriff 'shipp returned to the jail
while it was in possession OF a moo'
neither he nor Deputy Gibson dld
ANYTHING to prevent. the lynching, but
in fact, aided those engaged IN IT,
The attorney general closed as foi-
lows:
"Wnerefore the United States OF
America. the complsinants herein,
through their attorney general re-
snectfully request this honorable court
that. in consideration Of the acts
committed by the above named de-
fendants and each OF them, as mere
inbefore set forth, it will issue and
direct the marshal Of the court TO
serve on said defendants and each OF
them a rule to show cause, II any
there be. on a certain day, why said
defendants and each OF them snouio
not he punished as and for con-
tempt of this honorable court"
The court granted leave to fle as
requested, making the rule returna-
BILE on the second Monday OF the
| next term OF court, October To- next
The action of the attorney general
came as a surprise to the people OF
Chattanooga, the grand jury having
failed to find an indictment against
the lynchers of Johnson, although
strongly charged by Judge McReyn-
olds. 1t is supposed that the evidence
adduced was insufficient to make out
| a case against any suspect. Ten OF
the men named by the attorney gen.
eral are officials, the sheriff and his
deputies. The others are not "loely
known or prominent.