The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1909-11-16
BY AssoeIated Press.

Washington, Nov. 15.-For the first
time in American history six men are
IN prison tonight for contempt of the
supreme court of the United States.
For the first time, too, the federal. gov
eminent has imprisoned men as an
outcome of the lynching of a negro.
In the United States Jail here are
j. f. Ship, former sheriff of Chatta-
nooga, Tenn; Jeremith Gibson, his
la1lor; L. Williafns, Nick Nolan, Henry
Padgett and William Mayes. all of the
same city, whp began this afternoon
TO serve the Imprisonment imposed a
tew hours before by the United States
supreme court.
Shipp and Gibson were found guilty
OF falling to protect from a mob Ed
Johnson, a negro, whose legal execu-
ton for rape was stayed by the United
SNates supreme court until that tri-
buna1 could review the case. Shipp.
Williams and Nolan were sentenced TO
ninety days Imprisonment each, and
the others to sixty days each.
As Warden Mckee received the six
men at the Jail, Shipp, who is Con
Eederate Veteran, said, as he spied a.
G. A. R. button on the warden: AT
least, We are in the hands of a sol
dier."
The prisoners will be treated as
well as possible.
( ARRAIGNED FOR SENTENCE.
Heading the little group of six men
found guilty of contempt, as they took
their places before the black-robed
justices, was Captain Joseph H. Shfpp. |
the sheriff of Chattanooga, Tenn,
when he offended the court. His
tail, straight figure, his scanned face /
aud his gray-streaked beard, told of
bis long service in the army of the
Confederaey.
bowed down under his rs years, |
Jeremiah Gibson, the jailer, stood with |
rim. With bedimmed eyes he looked |
upon the long white locks OF the chief
Justice, himself rs years of age, who
would soon pronounce sentence upon
him, perhaps send him to prison. Hell
and Captain Shipp had been found
guilty of falling to protect a negro.
waiting to be hanged on a charge of |
heinous crime against a white wo-
man, after the supreme court of the !
United States had stayed his execu-
ton.
Luther Williams. Nick Nolan. Henry
Padgett and William Mayes, residents
or Chattanooga, found guilty of par
uclpation in the lynching of Ed John
son, formed the rest of the group. /
Before them all sat the officials of the
department of Justice. Around about
them in the little court room were
their attorneys and other LAWYERS.
while the three rows of seats for spec
tators were crowded.
WITHOUT PRECEDENT.
The proceedings We're practically
without precedent In 1875. John
Chiles, business man of Texas. was
brought before the court for contempt
IN connection with dealings in Texas
indemnity bonds, contrary to an order
or the supreme court He was fined
S25b. But that instance lacked the in
terest or the case today In 1t were
involved no race question, no lynch
Ing, no interference with state iuris
dieuon, only the majesty of the law
as interpreted by the highest court or
the land
The case today originated in the
courts decision in March, 1906, to con-
slider the appeal of Johnson from a
verdict or the Tennessee courts hold
ing him guilty and sentencing him to
De hanged on a charge of assault.
The night after the determination of
the supreme court to review the pro
ceedlngs was wired 10 Chattanooga. a
mob stormed the Jail, took the prts-
oner out, and lynched him.
me court was much incensed by tbs
iynching, and at its instance the at
Iorney-general instituted proceedings
Continued on Page Tp7o.) I