Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1909-11-16
Tennessee Sheriff and JaiIer
With Men Charged With
Participation in Lynching
Behind Bars in Washington,
CASE UNPRECEDENTED
IN ANNALS OF COUNTRY
Failure to Protect Negro
Whose Case Highest Tribu-
nal Had Consented to Re-
view Brings Punishment for
Officers and Citizens.



Washington, Nov l5.--For the first
time In American history six men are
in prison tonight for contempt of the
supreme court of the United States.
For the first time the federal govern
mcnt hats placed men behind the bars
as an outcome OF the lynching of
negro
AT the United States federal prison
Captain Joseph shipp. former sheriff
at Chattanooga; jeremiah Gibson.
his iailor, and Luther Williams Nick
Nolan, Henry Padgett and william
Mayes of the same, this afternoon be-
gan TO 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-
tion for rape had been stayed by the
supreme rour. untii . aos.d rfz'iew
i, the case, The others had been found
guilty OF participating IN the lynch
ing Of federal prisoner shipp.
Williams and Nolan each were SEN
fenced to ninety days Imprisonment,
while Gibson, Padgett and Mayes
fNAH ltttiNtu SlNiN uuNr,
As the doors OF the jail swung open
to receive the prisoners this afternoon,
Immediately after sentence had been
imposed. Warden Mckee stood before
them.
AT least we are In the hands of n
soldier" exclaimed Captain Shipp.
who had been in the fight for the
Confederacy, as he espied q. A. II.
button on the lapel of Warden Me
KEGS coat.
Then turning to his five fellow
prisoners he said
Boys it win be all right"
Warden Mckee has lnauguratcd
methods of punishment at the Jail as
humanitarian as the various classes
of prisoners will allow and he has
prepared for the reception of the six
men from Tennessee.
About a year ago during the Inn
prisonment of AN unusually large
number of women, the warden had
fitted UP store room on the fourth
floor of the jail as quarters for female
prisoners II was in this large room
that he locked the six prisoners In
the room were beds for each of the
men. while at one end was table
upon which TRUSTEES win set their
meals three times a day A bath
room adjoining viii be used by the
prisoners exclusively. Four large cir
cular 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 n request he had
made, when sentence was imposed, to
be sent to the federal prison at At
lanta, Ga,
During the afternoon the six men
received calls from Tennesseeans
and others. sitting on his straw bed.
half reclining on his pillow of straw.
Captain Shipp made this statement:
we are very wen pleased with the
treatment given us by Warden Mckee
and are delighted with the quarters
assigned u.s." !
\ few hours in 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
hero as Confederate prisoner" he
said
This was the second time in the
history of the supreme court of the
United states that that august body
had imposed sentence upon citizens.
held guilty of disregarding its man
dates. The previous occasion WAS IN
another generation.
Heading the little group of six weh.
found guilty Of contempt, as they took
their places before the black robed
justices. was Captain Joseph r. 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 service In the army of the
Confedcraoy.
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 7e years
OF age. who would soon pronounce
sentence upon him. perhaps send him
to prison. lie and Captain shipp