Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1910-08-02
SHERIFF DEMPSEY
ASKED HOKE SMITH
To SEND MILITIA
Records at Executive Office
and Former Executive Sec
retarieS Show Up Cedar
town Campaign Canard

Records and vouchers on file at the
executive Offices. over which Governor
Brown presides and 20 which his friends
had access. brand as a campaign canard
the story from Cedartown to the effect
that Hoke Smith. when governor. called
out state troops 10 protect two negroes
from mob violence at Aragon. without
the request Of the civil authorities of the
county.
The records show that Sheriff Dempsey,
OF Polk county. was in communication.
not once. but twice with Governor Smith
before the troops were ordered to the
scene. to prevent a threatened lynching.
THE TELEPHONE RECORD.
The record OF the incident is found in
the vouchers for the month OF June.
1865. The bill OF the Southern Bell Tele-
phone and Telegraph company tells the
tale. as follows:
June 2. IsoS-Hitch. sheriff. Cedartown.
I'VE minutes conversation. % cents.
I June - 1875: Hitch. sheriff. Aragon,
three minutes conversation, IS cents.
. The Hitch mentioned in the bills is
Calvin NJ. Hitch. who was at that time
executive secretary under Governor
Smith.
I Mr. Hitch recalls vividly the incident.
and remembers distinctly that Sheriff
Dempsey urged the sending OF troops
20 Aragon. 90 prevent the lynching of the
, two negroes. who had been arrested for
indignities offered two white girls
WHAT Mr.. HITCH SAYS.
Here Is what Mr.. Hitch has to say con-
eerniug the matter:
HITCH'S STATEMENT.
Il have read in the morning paper the
statement given out from Cedartown and
: the affidavit by r. Nj. Brumbelow rela-
sending troops to Aragon on June q,
+. 1865 for the purpose OF protecting two
negroes who were under arrest, charged
with criminal assault. The article pub
.Hshed in the morning paper in regard
I 10 this matter Is A CAMPAIGN
/. .CANARD PURE AND SIMPLE. 1 was
one Of Governor Smiths secretaries at
the time and remember the facts very
clearly. II was reported 10 Governor
Smith from Aragon that these negroes
were under arrest and that a mob was
forming for. the purpose of lynching
them My recollection is that Mr.. Cor
= ton.s manager Of the mill at AragOn. had
communicated these facts to Governor
Smith. and as soon as Governor Smith
learned the facts he instructed me to re-
port the matter to Adjutant General
Scott. and have him get in communica-
ton with the authorities there at once
went 10 the office Of Adjutant General
Scott. but found him out. and afterward
learned that he was attending the
Brown convention. which was in session
in Atlanta that day.
When / failed to find him in IAIMEDI-
ATELYr CALLED UP SHERIFF DEMP-
sEH AT CEDARTOWN. and stated to
him the reports that had come to the
s governor from Aragon. He stated that he
knew nothing OF the trouble, but would
Immediately communicate with parties al
AraEon and ind out the situation and
: report within a few minutes. A few
minutes later he called up over the long
distance phone and stated that from all
Information he could get from Aragon
the situation was just about as had been
reported TO Governor Smith. He stated
that In order TO get TO Aragon he would
have 70 drive through the country Is or
Is miles and that II would take him from
two to three hours TO get there. and SUG-
GESTED THAT THE GOVERNOR ACT
UPON THE INFORMATION HE HAD
RECEIVED FROM ARAGON as he
thought best. When this report was re-
ernor Immediately ordered the troops
sent to AragOn-
The reports received by Governor
Smith from Aragon indicated that the
danger was iminent that a mob was rap
Idly forming and would very likely lynch
the negroes within a very short time. To
have waited from two to three hours
for Sheriff Dempsey to have gotten
there and then order out the troops
would have made such an unreasonable
DELAY that there was danger of a lynch
ing before assistance could arrive. Lin
dale Is on a direct line to Aragon and II
only took the troops short time to get
there. Before Sheriff Dempsey got to
Aragon the troops had arrived and car
versation with Sheriff Dempsey over the
long distance phone after his arrival at
Aragon and he stated that everything
was quiet. that the troops had arrived
before he got there and had carried the
negroes TO Rome. The troops WERE
NOT SENT TO ARAGON IN RE
sPoNsE TO THE REQUEST FROM
Mr.. GoRToN. But WERE SENT
THERE UPON THE INFORMATION
RECEIVED FROM SHERIFF DEMP-
sET."
WHAT GOVERNOR SMITH SAYS.
Former Governor Smith was in bed
when seen at his home and asked con-
corning the Cedartown story Of the send
ing OF troops He had read the story in
the Atlanta Constitution. and had no
comment other than to say that the gov
ernor OF Georgia cannot legally call out
troops. unless there Is a request for
them from proper authorities-the sheriff
Of the county or the Judge of the supe-
rior court. or the mayor Of a city or
town He did not seem concerned about
the statement Of the deputy sheriff or
hfs affidavit. but commented upon the
fact that Sheriff Dempsey was not quoted
TO substzntiate the story.
Col W. C. Bum. OF Cedartown. ad-
dressing the Polk county Joe Brown club.