The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-09-11
VARDAMAN FREES
 THE WH|TECAPPERS
Five Young Men from Lincoln
 County Pardoned
LAWLESSNESS IS STOPPED
Governor Believes That Backbone of Whitecap Methods Is Broken and Relieves Convicts of Prison
 Sentence of Fifty Years.

| Jackson. Miss. September 10-(Spe- l cial)-Governor Vardaman has pardoned 1 the whitecappers from Lincoln county. l These young men, five in number, were received at the penitentiary farm on l December 20, 1904, and their sentence
 was for fifty years. They are three Smith
 brothers, Whitfield, aged 26; Elias, aged, 25. and Bob, aged 23; Will Franklin, aged %, and Ebert Gill aged B all well-to-do farmers of their vicinity. They have been confined on the Rankin convict farm
 since their arrival here, and being good
 farmers have made frst-rate field hands,
 Prior to the conviction of these men Lincoln and other counties in its part of the state were overrun with white caps, the negroes were run out, labor was demoralized and land owners arose In
 their might to put a stop to the devil
 ment that was done under cover of dark
 ness. Negroes were not only run out of
 the county, but they were caught.
 dragged from their beds at night and
 whipped within an inch of their lives.
 Resistance on the part of the negroes
 meant death, sometimes. as was the case
 when these five men were sent to prison.
 The governor is convinced that the back
 bone of whitecapism has been broken.
 There has been nothing of the kind since
 a fifty-year sentence was imposed on
 this bunch, quiet has been restored, labor is as plentiful as in other sections of
 tine state farmers are contented, and the
 price of land has increased materially.
 Ike Thomas. a negro, aged r, is wanted II,
 intent to kill, and perhaps succeeded in
 killing another negro, named Henry Phil
 lips, yesterday about noon. They were
 quarrelng over a pistol.
 S. A Russell, prominent young farmer
 or Flora, Madison county. came down to Jackson Sunday, tanked up on blind tiger
 whisky and proceeded to paint the town red. Boarding a street car he took 1t
 for a sleeper and insisted on disrobing in spite of the conductors protests He was, finally arrested and a big pistol found in his pocket. He was fined s1O0 and the
 costs, and Is in jail awaiting anxiously and patiently the arrival of money from home.
 Commissioner of Agriculture Blakeslee,
 who is also editor of the official journal of tho Farmers union, states that the executive committee of the organization, is determined to establish exchanges in
 every state in the south in time to receive the quotations on this seasons crop The
 exchange will be the distributing point of the state, the quotations being tele- graphed or telephoned from the head quarters to various sections of the state every day. In this way the union will keep abreast of the market and be per
 fectly independent of other exchanges. The charter of the Georgetown bank has been approved by tho governor It Is
 capitalized at $50OOO, and the incorpor-
 ators are Thad B. Hampton of Magnolia- V l.. Terrell of Crystal Springs, F. B. Catchings, Sr, and Jr., and w. S. Catch ings F. M. Catchings and w. D. eBrry. Georgetown Is a small settlement on the ! banks of pearl river in Copiah county, rich agricultural settlement and is tapped
 by the New Orleans and Great Northern railroad
 It is reported that Judge Jeff Truly, citizen of Fayette, and late candidate for
 governor of the state. has about decided to make Jackson his home. resuming the practice of law. Judge T'urly, prior to going on the bench. enjoyed very ex- tenslve practice being counted one of the most successful lawyers in Mississippi.
 He will be greeted warmly in Jackson. Thursday will be a great day in Lex ington, when his home folks and neigh
 bors will tender a reception to Gov-Eelct Noel The railroads have granted reduced faro and the reception and entertainment committees expect thousands of visitors. Jackson will send a large delegation.
 The city council held meeting last
 night and changed the form of the bond ordinance to read 6 per cent Instead of of per cent and adjourned. The coun, eil had found they could not sell the s21S.
 GOO issue at per cent, and believe they
 can sell the per cent bonds at a good
 premium. Bids will be opened at noon, September 25.