The Brunswick news. [volume] (Brunswick, Ga.) 1906-2016, 1910-07-31
TEXAS SCENE OF
A BLOODY FIGHT
STATEMENT Of
EX-sECRETARY
C. M. HITCH TELLS OF CALLING
OUT OF TROOPS BY
GOV. SMITH.

c. NJ Hitch, formerly executive
secretary under Governor Hoke
Smith has given out a statement
with reference to sending of troops
to Aragcn, Ca, by Governor Smith
in June, 1908.
Mr.. Hitch asserts that when the re-
quest came for troops from c. H.
Gordon, manager of the Aragon mills,
he personally called up Sheriff Demp-
sey, of Polk county, and asked him
as to the situation.
Sheriff Dempsey, Mr.. Hitch says,
finally informed him that the situa-
ton at Aragcn was just about as re-
ported to the governor, and that the
governor might act upon the infor-
! nation which he had received, as he
thought best. t.
MIR. Hitct's Statement.
Il have read in the morning paper
the statement given out from Ced,.c-
town and the affidavit y R. NJ. Brum-
below relative to the action of Gov.
Smith in sending troops to Aragon
On June %, 1908, for the purpose of
, protecting two negroes who We're un-
der arrest, charged with criminal as
sault The article published in the
morning paper in regard to this mat
ter is campaign canard pure and
| simple. | was one of Govencr Smith )
secretaries at the time and remem-
, Der the facts very clearly. 1t was
reported to Governor Smith from Ar
agon that these negroes were under
| arrest and that a mob was forming
! for the purpose of lynching them. My
recollection is that Mr.. Gcrton, man
ager of the mill at Aragon had com
municated these facts to Governor
Smith, and as soon as Governor
! Smith learned the facts he instructed
me to report the matter TO Adiutant
General Scott, and have him get ihto
! communication with the authorities
there at once. | went to the Office of
Adjutant Gen. Scott, but found him
out, and afterWard learned shat he
was attending the Brown convention
which was in session III Atlanta that
day. When I failed to fnd him in
Immediately called up Sheriff
Dempsey at Cedartown anC stated to
him the reports that had come to the
governor from Aragol. He stated
that ne knew nothing of the trouble,
but would Immediately communicate
with parties at AragOl and find out
the situation and report within few
minutes. A few minutes later he
called UP over the long distance
phone 2nd stated tha- from all in
formation he could get from Aragon
the situation was just about as had
been reported to Governor Smith He
stated that in 0rder 10 get to Ara
gon he would have &c dive through
the country Is or is miles, and that
it would take him from two to three
hours to get there, AMI suggested
that the governor act upon Tie infor-
nation he had received from Aragon
as he thought best When this re-
port was received from Sheriff Demp
Sey the governor Immediately order
ed the troops sent to Aragon. The
reports received by Governor Smiul
from Aragon indicated that the dan
ger was imminent; that a mob was
rapidly forming, and would very
likely lynch the negroes within a very
short time. To have waited from
two to three hours for Sheriff Demp-
Sey to have gotten thare and tIpn Or.
der out the troops would have made
such an unreasonable delay that
there was danger of a lynching be-
fore assistance could arrive. Lindale
is on direct line to Aragon and it.
only took the troops a short time to
get there. Before Sheriff Dempsey
got to Aragon the troops had arrived
and carried the negroes to Rome. r
mad conversation with Sheriff
Dempsey over the Ing distance
phone after his arrival at Aragon,
and he stated that everything was
quiet; that the troops had arrived
before ne got there and had carried
the negroes to Rome The troops
were not sent to Aragon in response
TO the request from Mr.. Gorton, but
were sent there upon information re-
ceived from Sheriff Demsey."
Thus the first real canard in the
campaign falls ffIat.