The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-12-22
STATE TROOPS
 GUARD MAGNOLIA Serious Race Riot Is PrOba-
 ply AVeTted 33 NEGROES ARE HELD 
Every White Mans House and Every Road Leading Into Marenoo Town Is Guarded By Armed Militia.
 Whole Country Is Aroused.

Magnolia. December 2l.-wfth state troops and armed deputies patrolling the streets and the public roads lead ing into the town, and with B Of the negro ringleaders corralled in an i'm provised stockade, the threatened race war is believed tonight to have been averted.
 Excitement, however has not been altogether allsyed, and tonight every white mans house in Magnolia and for several miles around is guarded against threatened vengeful acts on the part of the negroes who resent the burning yesterday of Clint Montgomery. one of the four negro desperadoes brought here charged with the killing Satur- day night of Algernon Lewis.
 This Section for miles around was stirred this morning by reports that the negroes were planning to attack the town tonight, burn the residences. and murder every white person they could find.
 The reports were apparently well founded, and by o'clock this after noon Magnolia was filled with armed white men and a serious clash with the negroes was thought to be imminent. Doubtless the arrival of the 75 mili tiamen here at 6 o'clok prevented bloodshed.
 Last night Sam Shields, a relative of Tom Shields, one of the four white men shot by Clint Montgomery yesterday, reported that he overheard number of negroes plotting a systematic attack up- on the whites. There was large gath Of la .t r town. and MT. Shields says they planned to go from house to house in Magnolia applying the torch and killing the occu- pants as they made effort to escape from the flames. Runners were sent out after midnight conveying this information te the whites.
 It was learned that for several weeks past the negroes have been purchasing firearms, and this added color to the re- ports that they v'~s-c rlaop. ps Y combined attack tipofs the vhites.
 A visit was me de today to the home of Dick Montgomery, father of the four brothers whose acts led to the present strained conditions, but he was not found. He is prominent in negro secret societies and the report spread this after non that he was rounding up members of his lodges in the outlying country for the purpose of making a determined attack upon the whites.
 Tonight reports reached here that a white man had been shot and fatally wounded by negroes. but it could not be verified.
 The S3 negroes who are tonight held in a guarded store building here will tomor- row be taken to the county jail at Lin- den. Other arrests of negroes are ex- pected to be made tonight
 Selma, December 21.-(Speeial )-At 2:30 this afternoon Lieut.. Col. J. E. Car ter of the Second regiment, A. N. G., left for Lamison with a detachment of 20 men made up from the Coast ArtiI- lery company and the Abbott Rifles Early in the day Colonel Carter had received instructions from the governor to proceed with Battalion Adjutant D. M. Scott. Jr., to the scene of the trou- ble at Magnolia and use his discretion in regard to taking troops. The regu- lar train from Birmingham. which goes on to Mobile. was two hours late and before 1t arrived word reached Selma that Ernest Slade, who was shot by the Montgomery negro barricaded in tfec cabin on Monday had died and fur ther information led to the taking of the company from here.
 At o'clock, before the operator d iSttthSOu ltiL loT HOIilc, n6 reported tn at all was quiet so far as learned and that the Selma military boys had gone to the scene.
 A message from Lieut.. Charles Jones with the Coast artillery to Captain Wolf stated that all was quiet, but re- quested that he keep 15 men in readi- ness for instant marching if needed. The impression received here is that Sheriff Grant has the two main ne groes implicated in the killing of young Lewis hid out and that he fs menaced by a large number of whites if their whereabouts become known. and that the purpose of the military is to escort the captured negroes safe ly to the Linden jail.
 It is stated in message received from Linden today that the report that two negroes were brought to the Lin den jail last night by Sheriff Grant Is an error, and given out for the pur- pose of misleading the mob of angry whites who are swearing vengeance for the outrage perpetrated by the ne- groes.
 Telephone communica ton with Lami- son and Arlington has been cut off and it is not expected that any further in- formation will be received from the seat of the trouble tonight.
 I.anison, December 21.-The battalion of state troops which left Selma this afternoon for Magnolia cached here on special train at 5:45 o'clock this aft ernoon and immediately left on foot for Magnolia, six miles distant. No further trouble between the whites and ne- groes has occurred today, though there is some apprehension of another serious outbreak.
 Magnolia December q The soldiers from Selma reached Magnolia after nightfall and at o'clock tonight they have put out sentries around the vacant store house where B negroes are con
 ~rrros were arrested be- cause of reported threats thstt they had
 ,ne whites, or because .t4rs were suspected of having been ini- plicated in the murder of young Alger- non Lewis with the four Montgomery negroes.
 Ernest Sade, the white rnan who was desperately wounded yesterday when Clint Montgomery fired on a posse, has been taken to his home at Lamison. He Is terribly wounded, but surgeons give hope for his recovery.
 Will Montgomery is still at large with posses and dogs hunting for him. The other two Montgomery negroes. Fletch- CT and Shelly, arc in jai,.
 Sheriff W. s. Grant of Marengo county