The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1909-11-15
FAILED TO PREVENT
LYNCRIhG OF NEGRO
Held Guilty Of DIsrsgsTdIng
Mandates Of That August
judicial Body


Ninety days Imprisonment was i'm
posed today upon former Sheriff
Joseph r. shipp, Of Chattanooga,
Tenn. BY the supreme court OF the
United States for contempt of court
in failing to prevent the lynehlng OF
negro Ed Johnson. convicted Of as
sault, but whose execution had been
stayed by the court.
Williams and Nolan were sentenc-
ed to ninety days and Gibson and Pad
gett and Mayors TO sixty days
Second Time In History.
This was the second time in the
history of the supreme court Of the
United States that that august body
had imposed sentence upon citi
zens, held guilty of disregarding its
mandates The previous occasion
was in another generation.
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 Shipp the sheriff in Chattanooga.
Tenn, when he offended the court
His tail. straight figure, his scanned
face and his grayed streaked beard.
told of his long service In the army
of the Confederacy.
Bowed down under his T6 years,
jeremiah Gibson, the jaller, stood
with him With bedimmed eyes he
looked upon the long white locks OF
the chief Justice himself 7G years of
age, who would soon pronounce sent
ence upon him, perhaps send him to
prison. He and Captain Shipp had
been found guilty Of failing to pro-
tect negro. waiting 10 be hanged ON
a charge of a heinous crime against 2
white woman. after the supreme
court Of the United States had stayed
his execution.
luther williams. Nick Nolan. Hem
~ padgett and William Mayes resi-
dents Of Chattanooga, found guilty Of
participation Ia the lynching Of Ed
Johnson. formed The rest Of the
group Before them AL sat the ofli-
cials OF the department or justice.
Around about them in the little court
room. were their attorneys and other
lawyers, while the three rows OF
seats for spectators We're crowded
Proceedings Practically Without a
Precedent.
The proceedings We're practically
without precedent IN 1875. John
Chiles. a business man ot Texas, was
brought before the court for contempt
/ in connection with dealings in Texas
Indemnity bonds, contrary to an Or
7 der OF the supreme court. He was
fined $3.50 But that instance lacked
tie interest Of the case today In il
were involved no race question, no
j lynching. no interference with state
/ jurisdiction: only the majesty Of the
/ law as interpreted by the highest
court Of the land.
The ease today originated IN the
/ con Is decision in March, 1906. to
consider the appeal Of Johnson from
/ Z verdict Of the Tennessee courts
holding him guilty and sentencing
| him to be hanged on charge Of as
saul The night after the determi
nation of The supreme court TO review
the proceedings was wired 10 Chat
/ tanooga, mob stormed the jail tooh
/ the prisoner out, and lynched him.
The court was much incensed bl
the lynching. and Mt it's instance the
attorney general instituted proceed
ings against Sheriff Shipp, Jalle
Gibson and twenty-five others sup
posed to have been implicated In ih'
/ lynchlng, charging them with con
tempt Many Of the accused wer'
exonerated. and IN the end only si'
We're found guilty
The finglnig Of the court was an
nonnced in May, Just before th'
close Of the last term OF court. bu
all the defendants entered motions o
rehearing, which had the effect O
p0stponing action until this fall Ol
November rehearlng was deniel
and the six men ordered before th
eou't for sentence loday.
Claim Sheriff Was Dereliet. msas
In investigating the case. the 81
prema court found shat johnson wa
Z removed from Chattanooga 10 Nasi
Vile before his trial. because Of fea
that he would be lyncied lie wa
brought back for the legal execution
Z When the supreme court stayed III
2 execution. The court has held Ship
made no effort aud gave no orders (
have The deputies or others guar
! the jail. bnt left the night iaile
ls4ss,DA, sl4el@ .4.s1.1. Tis.4t 80.
1 white male prisoner was remove
|. from the upper noof Of the Jail. lea'
2 ing only Johnson and q while woma
on thai floor The court pointed o.