The weekly chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Craig County, Okla.) 1905-1913, 1909-11-19
JAIL SENTENCE FOR
CONTEMPT OF COURT
Tennessee officers Arralsned For Con.
tempt FOR Permitting Negro,
70 Re Lynohed.
BY Associated Press.

MhSulNbb0N4 ~ ~. NOV. lA.~wN Ninety
days imprisonmant was imposed today
upon former sheriff, Joseph F. shlpp.
of Chattanooga, Tenn, by the supreme
court of the United States for con.
tempt OF court in failing to prevent
the lynching of a negro, ED Johnson.
convicted OF assault but whose exc.
cution had been stayed by the court
Williams and Nolan were sentenced
TO niety days and Gibson, padgett and
Mayors We're given sixty days
This was the second time IN the
history OF the supreme court Of the
United States that that august body
had imposed a sentence upon citizens,
held guilty of disregarding It's man
dates The previous occasion was in
another generation
Heading the little group of six men,
found guilty Of contempt as they
took their places before the blackrobed
Justices, was Captain Joseph II. shlpp.
the sheriff lii Chattanooga Tenn,
when he offended the court His tall,
straight figure, his scanned face and
his erayed.streaked beard. told of his
long service in the army Of the con.
federacy
Bowed down under his 76 years,
jeremiah Gibson the iailer stood with
him With bedimed eyes he looked
upon the long white locks Of the chief
justice, himself 76 years Of age, who
would soon pronounce sentence upon
him perhaps send him TO prison lie
and Captain shipp had been found
guilty of falling to protect negro,
waiting TO be hanged on a charge of
heinous crime against a white wo.
man, after the supreme court Of the
United States had stayed his execu.
ton
Luther Williams Nick Nolan, Henry
Padgett and William Mayes, residents
of Chattanooga. found guilty Of parti-
cipatlon 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 court room, were
their attorneys and other lawyers,
while the three rows Of seats for spec
tators were crowded.
The proceedings We're partically
without precedent In 1875, John
Chiles, a business man of Texas, was
brought before the court for contempt
IN connection with dealings In Texas
indemnity bonds, contrary to an order
of the supreme court He was fined
$3.50 But that instance lacked the
interest OF the case today. In II were
involved no race question, no lynch.
Ing. no interference with state iuris-
dietion; only the majesty 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 a
verdict Of the Tennessee courts hoi1.
ing him guilty and sentencing him to
be hanged on a 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 lynehed him.
The court was much incensed by tie
lynohine aud at It's Instance the 1t.
torney general instituted proceedings
against Sheriff shipp. taller Gibson
and twenty-five others supposed 10
have been Implicated III the lynchlng
charging them with contempt Many
Of the accused were exonerated and III
the end only six were found guilty
The finding of the court was an
uounced in May. just before the close
of the last term OF court. but all the
defendants entered motions Of rehear.
Ing which had the effect Of postpon
Ing action until this FAN on Nov 1.
fehearing was denied and the six men
ordered before the court for sentence
today.
In investigating the case. the su
preme court found that Johnson was
removed from Chattanooga to Nash.
vile before his trial. because OF fear
that he would be lynehed. lie was
brought back for the legal execu-
ton When the supreme court stayed
the execution. the court vas held
shipp made no effort and gave no
orders 20 have the deputies or others
guard the jail, but left Che night
jailer Gibson, there alone That even.
ing a white male prisoner was remog
ed from the upper floor Of the ioii
leaving only Johnson aud q white wo.
man on chat floor The court pointed
out that this same man had been re.
moved in tile same Wag i'd tho time