The Semi-weekly leader. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1905-1941, 1908-01-15
SPECIAL TERN OF CIRCUIT COURT.
Judge Wilkinson Requested to Hold One
to Try the Negro PigOt.


Last Saturday morning at II
O'Clock, having returned from
New Orleans, where he safely
landed the negro lapist, Eli Pigot,.
in the Parish Prison of that city,
Sheriff j. f. Greer called a meet
inst of the citizens of Brookhaven
and Lincoln county at the Court
House for the purpose of getting
an expression from them as to the
next steps to be taken. In calling
the meeting to order and an
nouncing that the negro Pigot
was safe behind prison bars,
Sheriff Greer stated that it was
his desire, before consulting with
or hearing from any other author
ity, to first consult the people of
Lincoln county in this way, as to
their wishes; but at the same time
be wished it distinctly under
stood that the meeting was called
for lawful purpose and, as Sher-
if and the chief law officer of the
county, he would not countenance
or suffer in the meeting anything
but lawful procedure.
Sheriff Greer also referred
in the most complimentary and
appreciatiYe terms to the active
cooperation and assistance which
had been gwen him by ex-Sheriff
Applewhite in his. efforts to locate
and capture Pigot.
The Court House was packed
almost to its capacity.
On motion of B. L. Hobbs, DIR.
/. w. Cooper, president of, Whit
worth College, was called to the
chair, and on further motion by
Mayor Lanier, Mr.. Max Levin
thai was elected secretary. After
referring to the awful Nervousness
of Pigot's crime and the unutter-
able resentment it arouses in the
breast of every father, husband or
brother, he ,counseled the meeting,
as citizens of a community gov
erned by law, and whose safety
and protection at last rests on re-
gard for lawful authority, to re-
strain passion and resentment and
let the law take its course.
Hon. A. G. McNair was called
upon and spoke to the same effect.
On motion of b. /. Hobbs, the
following was adopted as the SEN
timents of the meeting:
Resolved, That it is the sense of
this mass meeting of citizens of
Lincoln county, held at the Court
House. this 18th day of January,
1908, that Judge M. Fl. Wilkin-
son, Judge of this District, be
requested and urged to call a spe-
cial term of the Lincoln County
Circuit Court at once for the trial
of the negro, Eli Pigot, and sem
tenee him to speedy execution, if
found guilty.
Resolved further, That if Judge
Wilkinson cannot hold a special
term at an early date, the Gov
ernor be requested to appoint a
special Judge for this purpose.
Resolved, That we heartily COM
mend our outgoing Sheriff, r. e.
AppIewhite, and the incoming
one, J. F. Greer, for the energy
and fidelity recently displayed in
apprehending desperate criminals
and doing all in their power to
avert unlawful violence.
The meeting then adjourned.
Pending the adoption of the
above, the question was raised by
one or more members of the meet
ing, as to whether the crime
actually committed by the negro
Pigot carried with it the death
penalty OF not, under the law. 1t
was decided, however, to waive a
fine point like this for future de-
vehpments.
In cases of rape, section 1858 of
the Code of 1906 provides that
any person SO convicted shall
suffer death, unless the jury shall
fix the penalty at imprisonment in
the penitentiary for lie, as it may
do in case of murder. =
In cases of assault with intent
to ravish, section 1859 of the Code
/ prescribes imprisonment in the
penitentiary for life. or for such
shorter period as may be fixed
by the jury
/ Judge Wilkinson responded to
a telegram sent to him by the
chairman and secretary of the
meeting, by calling a special term
of the Circuit Court on TIE 10th
Iday, being the second Monday, Of
February, official notice of which
will be found in another column
of today's Leader.
/ 1t is understood that Pigot will
not be brought into Lincoln coun-
"A ty until he is wanted by the
Court. He is still in the Parrish
Prison at New Orleans, aud Sher
/ lift Greer will make no effort tt
move him until directed to do 81
by the Governor Of Mississippi
or the Cnurt.
Sheriff Greer's position hal
been a very trying one through
out, in dealing with this case, ami
yet he has been true to his obliga
ltions and oath as an officer. Thl
young lady so cruelty assaulted
by Pigot is d relative Of th,
Sheriff by marriage and he ha
known hers.and had her as an as
sociate of his own children from
ltime to time ever since she was