The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1909-11-15
AN UNUSUAL CASE
Ex- Sheriff Shipp of Chattanooga
aud Five Others Convict
ed of Contempt.
ECHO OF SOUTHERN LYNCHING
Defendants, Who Were Found Guilty
of Completely in Execution of Ed.
johnson, coIored, Sentenced to I'M
prisonment, Three Getting Ninety
Days and Three Sixty Days.


Days and Three Sixty Days.
washington, Nov. 15.-Ninety days
Imprisonment was imposed today upon
ex-Sheriff Shipp of Chattanooga. Tenn.
by the supreme court of the u. 5. for
contempt of court in falling TO prevent
the lynching OF a negro, Ed. Johnson,
convicted of criminal assault, but whose
execution had been stayed by the court.
Williams and Nolan were sentenced to
ninety days: and Gibson and Padgett
and Mayes to sixty days for contempt.
Heading the little group of six men
found guilty of contempt as they took
their places before the black-robed
justices, was Captain Joseph II. Shipp,
the sheriff in Chattanooga, Tenn. when
he offended the court His tall, straight
figure, his scanned face and his gray
streaked beard. told of his long SER
vice in the army of the Confederacy.
Bowed down under his 76 years.
jeremiah Gibson, the jailer, stood
with him. 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. He and Captain Shipp had
been found guilty of failing to pro-
tect negro. waiting to be hanged
on a charge OF a heinous crime against
white woman. after the Supreme
Court Of the United States had stayed
his execution.
Luther Williams, Nick Nolan. Henry
Padgett and William Mayes. resi-
dents OF Chattanooga, found guilty OF
participation in the lynching OF Ed
Johnson, formed the rest of the group
Before them all sat the officials Of the
I Department OF Justice. Around about
them in the little court room were their
attorneys and lawyers. while the three
rows of seats for spectators Were
crowded. y 6fK,
The proceedings were practically
without precedent. In 1875 John
Chnes. a business man Of Texas,
was brought before the court for con-
tempt in connection with dealings I'm
Texas indemnity bonds. contrary to
an order OF the supreme court. tie
was fined $3.50 But that instance
lacked the interest of the case today.
In it were involved no race ques-
ton, no lynching. no interference
with state jurisdiction; only the ma
iesty of the law as interpreted by the
highest court Of the land.
The case today originated in the
courts decision in March. 1906, to con-
slider the appeal of Johnson, from
verdict of the Tennessee courts hold
ing him guilty and sentencing him to
be hanged on charge of assault. The
night after the determination of the
supreme court to review the proceed
ings was wired to Chattanooga. mob
stormed the Jail. took the prisoner
out and lynched him.
The Court was much incenscd by the
lynchng. and at its instance the At
torney General instituted proceedings
against Sheriff Shipp, Jailer Gibson
and twenty-five others supposed to
have been implicated in the lynching
charging them with contempt Many
of the accused were exonerated, and
i'm the end only six were found guilty.
The finding OF the court was an
nounced in May. just before the close
of the last term of court, but all the
defendants entered motions of re-
hearing. which had the effect of
postponing action until this fall. on
Nov. rehearing was denied and the
six men ordered before the court for
sentence today.
In investigating the case. the SUI
preme Court found that Johnson was
removed from Chattanooga TO Nash
vile before his trial. because of fear
that ne would be lynchod. He was
brought back for the legal execution.
when the supreme Court stayed the
execution. the court has held. Shipp
made no effort and gave no orders
TO have the deputies or others guard
the Jail, but left the night jailer. Glib
son. there alone. That evening a
white male prisoner was removed
from the upper floor of the jail. leav-
ing only Johnson and a white wo-
man on that floor. The court pointed
out that this same man had been re-
moved in the same way at the time
of the first attempt TO lynch Johnson.
which had been frustrated by the re-
moval of the negro.
Shipp lived only few blocks from
the Jail and when he was notified
by the trial judge and the prosecute
ing attorney that a mob was at the
jail. went there alone Although for
an hour i'm the midst Of or near the
mob. tho court held he did not seek
20 obtain information so that he could
identify any OF its members.
The court In finding Shipp guilty
commented on a published interview
,~nnfinned on Page 5.