The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-12-19
CharacterizeS the Charges As Vicious, Malicious and
 False Sander"
CHALLENGES FOUR MEN
 TO COME OUT IN OPEN
Says They Are Hiding Behind Privi- legged Communication In Efforts to Bring Ills Administra-
 ton Into Disrepute.

In reply to the minority report of the grand jury whicl was signed by four members of the body of inquisitors, Sher- iff E. L. Hlgdon has written in no un- certain terms. As in the preliminary letter issued Thursday, Sheriff Higdon proclaims the report a vicious, malicious and false islander, and again invites a thorough investigation of his administra- tion, adding that he has fearlessly and fairly and honestly administered the laws.
 The reply, which is in its entirety a ringing one, follows:
 To the Law Abiding Citizens of Jeffer-
 son County:
 Under the cloak of a minority report of the grand jury a vicious, malicious and false islander has been published of and concerning my administration as sheriff of Jefferson county by four mem bers of the recent grand jury, known to be bitter personal enemies of mine. The venom and the malice of the auth ors of this islander went so far that they therein impugned the motives of the other members of the grand jujry, who after hearing all the witnesses that these enemies of mine had diligently sought out and brought before the grand jury re- fused not only to lend their countenance to any indictment against me, but re- fused even to lend their sanction to what they knew, and what Is base and false libel and islander.
 The grand jurors whose motives the minority in their venom and malice im- pugned are among the best and most rep utable citizens of Jefferson county; whereas the same cannot be said of the four men who signed the minority re- port, each of whom has some private grievance or personal grudge against me, some of which Is due to the strict ad- minstration of the law, from which they have suffered. In what condition, therefore, do the administrators of the law now stand before the criminal ele- ment of Jefferson county? In the hum dreds of indictments that have been found by this last grand jury, will not every criminal so indicted be justified in asking to go free, because a majority of the grand jury, or at least seven, are known to have violated their oaths as grand jurymen, and therefore, being per 1urers were disqualified to find a true bill against anybody?
 Happy Days for County.
 Happy days for Jefferson county! Hap py days, indeed, when the men of the types of a Tyson, a Dismukes, a Brophy. or a Mealey-all alike in their desire to islander me-will dare to raise their voices in the temple of justice to point moral to such men of standard repute among the citizenship of this county as F. B. Daniel. D. H. Yam, J. B. Allen, ". R. Stewart. w. s. Going, w. N. Rey- holds and J. K. F. Laird. Shades of heroic spirits arise and witness jackasses praying in the presence of lions; bug zards reading the riot act to eagles; the devil quoting scripture to his betters. Let Us draw the mantle of charity over Jeffer- son county's shame and humiliation.
 As to the Gamblers.
 The first charge is, in substance, that I have been guilty of a felony since be- ing sheriff in this That I contracted to allow the gamblers of this county to violate the law under the protection of my office, and that, but for undue in- fluence in the grand jury room, I would have been indicted.
 Does any one believe any such rot? In the first instance does any. citizen re- call any conviction of gamblers for any offense, gambling or any other crime in this county, before my induction into of- flee? believe not. It may have been because they were not presented for trial, except on appeals from the city of Bir- mingham; l don't know, but they have at least been presented directly to the criminal court of Jefferson county by me as sheriff; and on one occasion, when I was invited to aid the state in it's prose- cution, the conviction of Abe. Seigel for giving a bribe to Deputy Dean was the result. Twelve honest jurymen then be- lieved that 1t was the gamblers who were seeking to corrupt one of the deputies. Now, 1t is that four wise men, upon sub stantially the evidence that convicted Seigel, discover that l., the sheriff, was seeking to lead from the paths of right eousness and rectitude men who have an swered in the courts of Jefferson county every charge on the criminal calendar.
 The Dean Case.
 Since Seigels conviction, Deputy Dean has been tried on six bribery cases, charged by former grand jury of talk ing bribss. Six petit Juries of this coun- ty returned a verdict of mot guilty" In each of his cases, as witness, I told those juries more evidence upon which might be predicated an indictment against me than all other people in the world could possibly give truthfully It was given in open court under my oath. I had nothing to fear then; I have nothing to fear now. Seigel was convicted by jury of 12 men, and there are going to be other convic- tions against this same bunch of gam blers.
 The gamblers and violators of the prohi- bition law, and all other lawbreakers, have received neither aid nor comfort from me, but, on the contrary the stern est enforcement of the law. No gambler or lawbreaker has ever had the temerity to approach me with an offer or insinua- ton to pay for protection in the commits sion of crime Every reasonable man knows that, if testimony worthy of be- lief as these four wise men of the grand Jury falsely and maliciously assert was produced, had been offered before the grand jury, the grand jury would certain ly have indicted me, and I would have deserved both indictment and conviction. That the Amalgamated Association of Liars did appear before the grand jury and testify against mo I do not doubt but the honest men recognized this tribe by their countenances, and hence the fail ure of the four wise men to indict me.
 cowardice Charge.
 The second charge Is, in substance, that one Tiv Kelley, an unfortunate negro, was taken from a train at Cardiff little town in this county, was arrest ed and placed in jail and his trial delayed until after dark, and he was tried, fined and turned loose upon the community without any protection whatever This negro was taken from the train by what Is supposed to be striking miners and roughly handled. The sheriff hearing of the matter and having information that the negro was liable to be killed by the miners, sent certain deputy sheriff to that town to investigate the matter, and upon his arrival there the negro had been