The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1909-11-16
IMPRISONMENT FOR CONTEMPT
IMPOSED FIRST TIME BY
U. S. SUPREME COURT.
FAILED TO SAVE NEGRO
Varying Terms Because Convicted
Rapist, Whose Hanging Had Been
Postponed by Highest Tribunal, Mas
Lynehed by Mob.

Washington. Nov. 1s.-For the first
time in American histor. six men are
| in prison tonight for contempt of the
supreme court OF the United States.
For the first time the federal govern
ment has placed men behind the bars
as an outcome of the lynching of 4
negro At the United States Jail here
Captain Joseph F. Shipp. former
sheriff at Chattanooga: jeremiah
Gibson. his jailer. and Luther Will
liams. Nick Nolan. Henry Padgevt
and William Mayes of the same city.
this afternoon began 10 serve terms
of Imprisonment imposed few hours
before by the supreme court OF the
United States.
Shipp and Gibson had been found
guilty of failing to protect from a
mob Ed Johnson. whose legal execu-
ton for rape had been stayed by the
supreme court, until 1t could review
the case. The others had been found
guilty of participating in the lynching
of a federal prisoner.
Shipp, Williams and Nolan each
We're sentenced tn 30 days imprison-
ment. while Gibson. Padg.tt and
hdNtS tdcn received 81 As tIle
doors of the Jail swung open 10 re-
ceive the prisoners this afternoon im-
mediateiy after sentence had been
imposed Warden Mckee stood before
them.
In Hands Of . Soldier.
AT least we are in the hands OF
soldier" exclaimed Captain Shipp.
who had been in many a fight for
the confederacy, as he spied. @. \.
X. button in the lapel of NcKee's
coat Then turning To his fellow prls-
oners he said:
Boys. II will be all right
Warden Mckee has inaugurated
methods of punishment at the jail as
humanitarian as the various classes of
prisoners Will allow. and he WAS pre-
pared for the reception of the six men
from Tennessee.
A year ago in the Imprisonment OF
an unusually large number of women
the warden had fitted up storeroom
on the fourth floor of the Jail as
quarters for female prisoners. 1t was
In this large room. 20 by 81 feet. that
he locked the six prisoners. In tho
room was bed for each. while at one
end was a table upon which .trusties''
will set their meals three times day.
4 bathroom adjoining will be used by
The prisoners exclusively.
Well CHARTERED.
Four large circular windows open to
the south and west, giving excellent
views of the front of the buildings
In fact, so pleasant did the prisoners
find their quarters that Captain Shipp
sent his attorney to the office OF the
supreme court to withdraw request
he had made when sentence was i'm
posed. TO be sent to the federal prison
at Atlanta, Ga
In the afternoon the six men re-
ceived calls from Tennesseeans aud
others. Sitting on his straw bed. half
reclining on his pillow Of straw. Cap
tain Shipp made this statement:
I'VE are well pleased with the treat-
ment given us by Warden Mckee.
and are delighted with the quarters
assigned to us
\ few hours i'm jail made Gibson
reminiscent. He told his companions
that this was not the first time he
had been in prison in Washington
But the other time | was brought
here as a confederate prisoner" he
said.
This Was the second time i'm the
history of the supreme court Of the
United States that that august body
had imposed a sentence upon any
citizens held guilty of disregarllng 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
F. Shipp. the sheriff in Chattanoogl,
Tenn. when he offended the court.
His tall. straight figure. his scanned
face and his grayed-streaked beard,
told of his long service in the army
of the eanfederacy.
Bowed down under his IS years.
jeremiah Gibson. the jailer. stood
with him. With hedimmed eyes he
looked upon the long white locks nf
the chief justice. himself rs years uf
age, who would soon pronounce SEN
tence upon him, perhaps send him u
prison. He and Captain Shipp had
been found guilty OF failing 10 pro-
tect negro, waiting to be hanged on
a charge of u heinous crime against
white woman. after the supreme
court of the United States had stayed
his execution.
Facing the Court.
Luther Williams. Nick Nolan. Henry
Padgett and William MaSes. residents
of Chattanooga. found guilty of par
ticipation in the lynchins ot Ell John
son. formed the rest of the group. Be-
fore them all sat the officials Of IT,.
department Of justice, Around about
them in the little court room. were