The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-10-07

detected. There were no loop holes in
the plan OF vengeance.
When Sheriff Powers eft Birming-
ham last night at 1890 o'clock the
news of his departure was heralded
by telegraph to the different newspa-
pers of the State. But the news telc-
grams were not the only ones sent.
People in Mobile were told Of his
leaving. Of the route he was follow.
ing and Of the train he was on.
Until the morning, others Of Mobil"
who were interested in the return O.
the prisoners were in doub, as to the
time Of their arrival. but the mcn
who planned to meet the sheriff knew
and they acted on their knowledge At
sos o'clock this morning the north
bound train of the Southern Railway
left the union station Of Mobile.
Aboard 1t were the usual number OF
passengers. Damage to roadbed and
tracks by the hurricane of last week
necessitated slow transit.
At the nordthern limits Of the yard
the train was forced to slow up for A
bad spot in the track. and as it did
so a body Of forty five active, able
bodied men clambered aboard. Be-
meath the coat Of everyone In the par
ty something buIged. A revolver case
was seen hanging below the short
coat of one Of the men. another car
AACo d EcpcdtElB 'WIncne6ter rtne,
Going Hunting.
Where are you going?" q chance
friend asked him. Hunting" was the
laconic answer. Without hesitation
the men seated themselves in the car.
In quiet. 'undemonstrative tones they
talked Of different matters. Every
member Of the party was cool and
collected. There was no nervousness
apparent in their conversation, but in
the manner Of each there was an UNI
dercurrent Of intense feeling sup
pressed.
Before reaching Creola. sixteen miles
from Mobile. one. who appeared to be
According to plans arranged he
said ALI but eight Of the party would
debark at Creola while the latter. as
a special committee, would proceed to
Mount Vernon. and later return
He had been advised the train was
several hours late. The remarks Of
the speaker were received in silence,
as orders. When Creola was reached
the party left the train. while the spe-
cial committee proceeded In the exc
cution of the plan mapped out.
At Mount Vernon those, too. left the
train, and procured breakfast at a
farm house. and then began the weary
Of the train bearing the SherifY's party.
Meanwhile, Sheriff Powers was hav-
ing a pleasant trip Of It. Leaving
Birmingham late at night. from day.
light the next morning every station
found crowds waiting for a glimpse
Of the train. Despite the early hour.
number. informed Of the route Of
the sheriff. had assembled at the sta
tion. At jackson several hundred per-
sons were in waiting and demonstra-
ton was made threatening the pris-
oners.
At the request Of the onicial the con-
ductor delayed rs little a. possible
there pulling out ahead OF time to Is.
cape possible violence on the part OF
'h No 'r further danse. was ssp.rtencsa
during the trip frees Jxcksoa ~ MI
vernon. During this time. ~rver.
II became rumored through theA am
that the accused rapists were apoaro
and that an effort would be made TO
take them from the Sheriff and hang
them.
Passengers Were Apprehensive.
Passengers looked out of windows,
apprehensively at every station. rear
ing with nameless dread. the horror
which they felt sure was approaching.
Sheriff Powers was aware that an at
tempt would be made upon him but
Ala not anticipate trouble until nearer
Mobile
When Mt. Vernon was reached ne
was unprepared for the attack. Going
toward the door, he was confronted
by the muzzle Of revolver pointed
in his face Behind the pistol voice
called out. Hands up. sheriff. or you
are a dead man." The words We're
snoken in a calm collected voice The
of1cial YEARLY raised his hands he
was disarmed and conducted to the
negro car, where he remaired under
guard until the party left the car
Deputy Greene was likewise held up
at the point OF a pistol. The chain
which bound the handcuffed prisoners
together was taken from his grasp
and a black masked figure with pis-
toll in hand seated himself opposite
the prisoners 1t was supreme hho-
ment for the negroes.
They, too. had known since leaving
Birmingham that their chances or
reaching Mobile alive were small.
They also knew that if they were
to arrive in safety they would be met
by a crowd hungrying for their blood.
They had resigned hope and sat in
the car helpless. hopeless. dea ,i,tna
by the certain death they saw staring
them in the face.
Yet they were composed; cigars
were offered them and both. lighting
the ends Of the brown oblong arti-
cles, pufYed away coolly as thous"
another half hour were not to see
them hanging from tree. Pressed
for a confes sion, tho negro Thompson
admitted his guilt in the case of Lii
Iian savelle. one OF the little white
girls he was accused of ravishing.
He was raised in Selma. and had
been led to his act by the recital OF
another negro in that place He de-
MED having outraged the other lit
tie girl on whose testimony an indict-