The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-02-13
Support Pledged to Governor
 to Uphold the Law
VIGOROUS SPEECHES MADE
Goodhue Whats to Show Whether the Sheriff and Police Were Not DereIict in Their Duty On
 Sunday Morning.

Gadsden. February 12.-(Special.) )-The Gadsden Bar association, composed of all 1 the lawyers in the city held a meeting at the court house this afternoon for the purpose of condemning yesterdays lynch ing. Strong resolutions denouncing the murder of Richardson, eondemning mob spirit and promising loyalty to the gover- nor were passed by unanimous vote. Ring ing speeches were made by Judge J. A. Billbro. A. E. Goodhue W. J. Boykin and others
 When the committee presented resolr- tions the committee chairman, O. R. Hood, moved their adoption, and made a short talk along the line of the sentiment they expressed. The last two paragraphs, how ever, were not in the original draft, and were submitted as amendments by Judge Billbro and accepted and adopted. It was stated and generally understood that the resolutions as to loyalty to the governor had no reference as to his action in the Johnson case since the bar itself differed on that point, and more particularly be- cause that was not part of the business of the meeting, nor did It properly enter into the proceedings of the meeting, ac- cording to expressions of the speakers.
 Members of Bar Indignant.
 Members of the Gadsden bar, especially those who were heard, were indignant that the county should have been outraged by the murder of Richardson, and there | finally crept in a criticism of officers who surrendered to the mob. Mir. Goodhue was frank and open in the statement that he desired to press an investigation as to whether the sheriff, police or any officer was remiss in his duty. He said that It should be known what the sherin did from the time of the assault on the jail up to the next morning at o'clock. It should be brought out, he said, why the sheriff did not give the alarm, ring the fire bell or 1 something of the sort. The same applied to policemen who did not give the alarm so that the ynchers might be either pre- vented from committing the crime or else be detected and identified. Mr. Goodhue said that he wished the sheriff had been present to note his assertion, that the sheriff and his deputies ought not to speak of the lynching in light manner and should feel that they, too had been out ragged.
 Fed by Aeitators. Judge Billbro stated that the mob spirit existed; that it was fed by agitators. and that everyone who added fuel to the | flame was guilty as an accomplice in the ! lynching of Bunk Richardson He did not charge or even intimate that an officer had been derelict in his duty, but he said the law required the sheriff to protect prisoners even up to the point of giving his own life to do so.
 Boykn Explains Attitude.
 MT Boykin explained and justified his connection with the Johnson case. He said that it had been brought to him l that statements had been made that | some negro organizations had sent in money and paid him to take the stand i he did This he indignantly denied and | explained that he saw Johnson only once and never spoke to him or had any com | munication with him at any time The Rev J. w. Newman and the Rev. H. c. 1 Kegley were called upon and approved 1 of the sentiment of the meeting as did Mayor Smith F. w. W'hipps, president of the Commercial club, was called upon to convene that body at once to take ac- ton on the lynchng, and agreed to | do so.
 There can be no question that the peo pie of Gadsden are stirred Up over this 1 matter They are determined to have the outside world understand the true senti- ment of the community and 1t was par | ticularly stated that the unalterable de- l termination of the Gadsden bar to up- hold the law should be understood in Etowah county itself The meeting of the bar association was the initiative move | ment of the civic and judicial bodies of | the city and county in this matter which 1 will be followed by severe denunciations l through the whole of the Gadsden dis | trict
 The resolutions adopted today are as follows:
 Resolutions Are Supported.
 Whereas, early Sunday morning mob l said to be composed of twenty-five or frfx O11r lai irfI nf Ia | county negro. named Bunk Richardson, | and lynched him. and
 Whereas. the matter of whether or not i he had committed or had any connection with the commission of the murder of Mrs. Sarah Jane Smith had been investi- | gated by the grand jury of the county, | which body failed to find evidence to the 1 effect that he had committed the crime. failing to prefer an indictment against ! him, and
 l Whereas, he was being held in jail to await the action of any future grand ! jury on any newly discovered testimony, | and
 Whereas, the state of Alabama has a full. completa and adequate code of laws for speedy and fair trial and an adequate ! punishment of criminals committing the i crime of murder and
 "Whereas. these laws have been wholly | ignored and trampled into the dust by this
  out trial and
 "Whereas, the lynching of a person by mob Is nothing less than murder in It's violent form, and Is destructive of all law and order well as of the great | teachings and principles of Christianity. now. therefore, be it
 Resolved, By the Etowah Bar associa- tion that the lynching of Bunk Rich ardson is greatly deplored and should be condemned by all law-abiding citizens of l the county; that the murder of this man | be- and is. hereby condemned in un- | measured terms; that all law-abding cit ! izens are urged to cooperate with this | bar association in quenching at once ! this unlawful and awful spirit of taking the life of human being without trial 1 under the forms of law; be it further Resolved. That we call upon the min isters and all Christian people in this county to make use of every opportunity 1 to preach and instill into the minds of the people d law-abiding spirit. Resolved, That 1t is the sense of this ] bar association that our courts, state and