Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1909-11-15
NINETY DAYS.
IMPRISONMENT
U. S. Supreme Court imposes
Sentence on Ex-Sheriff Shipp
For Contempt.
CASE WAS ALMOST UNIQUE
Grew Out of Lynchine Negro Under
Death sentence Who Had Appealed
10 Washington Tribunal.

Washington, Nov. 15-Ninoty days
Imprisonment was imposed today upon
former sherin Joseph Il Sharp Of
Chattanooga, Tenn. by the supreme
court Of the United States for con-
Tempt Of court in failing To prevent The
iynching OF negro. Ed johnson. con.
victed Of assault whose execution had
been stayed by the court.
iuthcr Williams ana Nick Nolan
were sentenced to Imprisonment for 30
days for connection with the lynching.
and jeremiah Gibson the 1ailer, Henry
Padgett ana William Mayors. all OF
Chattanooga, for so days
CHIEF Justice Fuller designated the
United States jail in the District OF
Columbia as the place OF imprison-
ment Attorneys for the prisoners
asked ON account % the difference In
climate that the federal prison at At
lanta be substituted
To this Atty.-Gen. Wickersham OBJ
1ected, saying the Atlanta prison was
for long term prisoners and that the
local jail was much more suited for
the present purposes.
The court took the request under
advisement
Williams and Nolan were sentenced
Mayors 10 60 days.
This was the second time in the his
tory Of the supreme court Of the United
states that that august body had Inn
POSED a sentence upon citizens, held
guilty Of disregarding it's mandates.
The previous occasion was in another
generation.
THE PRISONERS.
Heading the little group Of six men.
tounQ guilty Of contempt, as they took
their places before the back-robsd
justices, was Capt. eph IA Shipp,
the sheriff Ia Chattanooga, Tenn, when
ne onended tae eourt. hls tail straign.
Inquire, his scanned face and his gray
sireaked beard. told Of his long service
m the army OF the cOntederdcy.
Bowed down under his 20 years, Jere-
miah Gibson, the Jalier. -stCol win Nun.
With bedimmed eyes be looked upon
me long WHITE locks Of the chief jsutice,
himself &c years Of age, who would
soon pronounce sentence upon him, per
maps send AIM TO prison. he aud ,sapt.
supp had been round guilty Of rail-
ing 70 protect a negro. waiting 10 be
hanged on a charge OF a heinous crime
against a white woman, after the su-
pfeme court Of the United States had
stayed his execution.
Luther Williams. Nick Nolan. Henry
Padgett and William Mayors, residents
Of Chattanooga, found guilty OF par
ticipation In the lynching Of Ed john
son. formed the rest OF the group Be
fore them all sat the officials OF the
department OF justice Around about
them In the little courtroom were their
attorneys and other lawyers, while the
three rows OF seats for spectators were
crowded.
PROCEEDING WITHOUT PRICE,
DENT.
The proceedings were practicauy
without precedent. In 1875. John Chlles
business man OF Texas, was brought
before the court for contempt IN con
nection with dealings In Texas indem-
nifty bonds, contrary to an order 81 tho
supreme court. He was fined $3.50 But
that Instance lacked the interest Of the
case today. In il were involved no race
question, no lynching, no Interference
With state jurisdiction; only the ma
iosty of the law as interpreted by the
highest court OF the land.
] he case today originated in the
courts decision in March 1905 10 con-
slider the appeal OF Johnson. from
verdict Of the Tennessee courts hold
ing him guilty and sentencing him 10
be hanged on a charge Of assault The
night after the determination Of the
supreme court 20 review the proceed
ings was wired 10 Chattanooga. a mob
st0rmod the JAN, took the prisoner out.
and lynched him.
Tho court was much inccnscd hy the
lynchins. and at SIS instance the at
torney general instituted proceedings
against sheriff Shipp, Jailer Gibson and
35 others supposed 20 have been inn
plicated On the lynch'ng charging them
with contempt. MANY of the accused
We're exonerated. and IN the end only
six were found guilty
Tho 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 for rehesr-
ing. which had the effect Of postpouing
action uutil this fall on Nov T. rec
hearing was denied and tho six men