The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-10-12
G0vEREOR EXPLAINS
 REPORTED FRICTION Issues Statement About Call
 ing of Militia
COPIES OF LETTERS
Report of Clash Between Sheriff Hood and Governor Conner Causes Em- bsrrassment at Capital as Noth-
 ing of the Kind Occurred

Montgomery, October 11.-(Special.) )-1n order to straighten out tangle which caused considerable embarrassment to state officials and to Sheriff Horace Hood, Gov. B. B. Conner has issued to the press an interview In which he ex- plains his attitude towards Sheriff Horace Hood of this county, with respect to the calling out of the militia last week. The chief executive includes in his interview all of the correspondence had between tho officials, in which 1t Is shown that his general preference was that the sheriff should not call out the militia, except in cases of extreme necessity. However, he shows that if the civic re- sources are exhausted the militia should be called upon.
 Sheriff Hoods idea in calling out the troops, as explained by that official all along, was solely because of a fear-in view of the revolutionary nature of the outbreak-that the civic resources had about been exhausted. His position has been that he could have held the bastile. but not prevent bloodshed
 In concluding his interview the governor takes rap at sheriffs in general He says:
 ''On every occasion have tried to im- press upon the officers of the law that the state of Alabama would uphold them and was in thorough accord with them in the enforcement of all law and that when they, by their conduct, taught law viola tors contempt for the law and its officers
 
 tions were bad. very bad
 Governors Statement
 The governors interview follows:
 Saturday mornings press dispatches stated that there was friction between the sheriff of Montgomery county and the governor on account of refusal on the part of the governor to furnish troops on the call of the sheriff It was also stated that Adjutant General Graves, going over the governors head, had fur nished the sheriff with troops, contrary to the wishes of the governor. The above statements are in error. I have had no personal conference with Sheriff Hood of Montgomery county with reference to the calling out of troops, nor have I re- fused to furnish the sheriff troops. In fact Sheriff Hood has never called upon me for troops. The adjutant general has no authority to order out the mili- tary.
 T was In the city of Montgomery on "Wednesday night and my home is with in a few blocks of the county jail. Thurs day mornings paper informed me that Sheriff Hood had called out troops the night before for the suppression of riot. Thursday afternoon I received com munication from Sheriff Hood giving his reasons for calling out the military, which herewith follows, together with my reply thereto:
 Montgomery, October 6, 1910. '.Hon. Horace Hood Sheriff Montgomery County, Montgomery. Ala:
 My Dear Sir-Your communication notifying me that last night, fearing a lynching of one John Adams, you ordered out one company of the A. N. G., Second infantry, under Major Weiss. to report to you at the Montgomery county jail, re- ceived and noted
 T, of course, commend Major Weiss and his officers and men for their prompt report and prompt discharge of their duty. I have great confidence in our soldiers. l would, however, caution you in the future to use your own deputies and assistance from the chief of police