Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1909-04-22
Were Victims Of the Birm-
ingham Night Rider
Raid.
81 MEN COMPROMISED,
Judgment Awarded in Fed
eral Court at Paducah
Tuesday.

Paducah, KY, April 2O.-No de-
Tense was offered in Federal Court
to-day to the suits of Lee Baker and
Nat Frizzell. negroes, for damages
on account of the Birmingham night
rider raid, and they were awarded
the full amount, S25, 900 each. They
were driven out of Birmingham by
the raiders March 8, 1908, after be-
ing whipped until, according to the
testimony of DR.. Robert OVERLY, the
lash cut into the muscles of their
legs. In his charge Judge Evans
said the only evidence of shame for
the deed manifested by the defend
ants was their failure to appear and
deny the charge. He told the jurors
it was their duty to bring a verdict
not alone sufficient to cover the ac-
tual damages, but vindictive
damages, but to any amount not
exceeding $4,000. He addt d
that he would be surprised
and chagrined if verdicts for flimsy
amounts were returned.
Otis Blick, confessed night rider,
on whose testimony DR.. E.Champion
and John Jackson were convicted at
Benton, told of the raid and identi-
fed the defendants. He was cor
roborated by Arthur Griffin, who
said DR.. E. Champion, the leader,
made him accompany him. Baker
and Frizzell told their stories, and
DR.. Robert OVERLY, who himself
was warned out of Birmingham for
dressing the negroes wounds, also
testified.
On this raid John Scruggs, an ag-
ed negro, and his daughters infant
child were killed by bullets. The
Scruggs family, which also brought
suit, is quarantined in Metropolis,
ILL.,, with smallpox and their cases
were continued.
The following thirty-one compro-
missed for $4,000 and were dismissed:
j. F. Heath, Sam Collie, Amos String.
er, Wallace Stringer, Will Williams,
Fred Holden, L. NJ, McCane, W. C.
Holden, l. B. Mcfarland, Lon Chiles,
B. Wyatt, W. Goheen, Sidney ALI
son, John Chambers, Joe Washburn,
Schoder Locker, John Heath, John
Hill, Bob Heath, Clarence Petway,
Claud Culp, Charles Collins, Pet
Prince, Roscoe Prince. John Ryan,
Hugh Rogers, Ivan Rogers, Luther
Wells, William Wells and John Whal-
len.
The verdict was against the fol-
lowing: DR.. f. Champion, Zeb
Bloodworth, Jene Kelley, Courtney
Champion, Jodie Lee, Billie Hill, |
Charles Pegram, Ted Murray, E.
Hill, H. Edding tOA. Glove Kel,ie,
Dock Culp, Stone Wilson, johnson
Lady, John Fox, Dave Payne, Amos
Fulk, John Bridges, Charles Hayden, |
]. X. Bloodworth, George Duncan, |
Thurston Duncan. Henry Townes,
John Hill, Hugh Rogers, l. Rogers,
Louis Weamer, B. Phelps. Alfred
Chaudet, L. 0. Chaudet, John Jack
son, Charles Phelps, Bob Heath,
Henry Heath, Henry Holmes, Al
fred Fox, E. Fox, N. Browning,
Charles Duncan and Luther Wells.
Other Compromises.
Paducah, Ky, April When
Federal Court convened this morn
ng the defendants were dismissed
IN compromise in the suits of j. w.
Laura Tooney, ]. w. Wood,
G. w. Gordon and Henry Bennett
md j. H. Cardin against T. l.. Amos,
Gorge Brown, Charles Blue, j. o.
Bell, Marion Brown. Joe Boitnett,
Mason Calvert, L. S. Dunning, H. c.
Cunning, W. E. Denham, G. S. Dun
ling George Goodwin, Walter Glow
n, William Gillispie. j. w. Holland,
vey Hollowell. ]. Z. Hollowell. S.A.
followed. Richard Hart. Charles