The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-04-16


at the activity of the democrats in pre-
venting illegal voting. A young negro
registered and on approaching the polls
vas challenged on account of his youth.
Some democrats saw this and by their
representation his vote was accepted. He
cast a democratic ticket. Making his way
out through the crowdsrhe was violently
assaulted by one or more radical negroes.
The whites seeing this, took the part of
the assaulted man.
A company of United States infantry
had been put in camp during the CAM
psign. Capt A. S. Daggett, command
ing, testified before the committee as fol-
| lows:
"The general appearance indicated there
was danger of trouble. | never heard
any person express any threats. | heard
| persons say something like this: we are
afraid the negroes are going to mass
Upon us and drive us from the polls and
| take possession, and we intend to be pre-
pared and act in self defense and act
with a will. We do not intend that a
single negro who votes the democratic
ticket shall be driven from the polls, but
We shall protect him TO the bitter end
A riot occurred. L was In a hotel
about eight rods from where it occurred
and could look through the window at 1t
at the beginning. After the first shot or
two | arose and looked through the win
| 4
on one side and the negroes on the other
| side, but a large portion of the negroes
were running and leaving the place as
rapidly as possible" The captain testi-
fed that the firing lasted about 60 sec
onds and there We're four or five hundred
+! shots fired. The whites did all the firing
! except what he supposed came from a
revolver on The negro side. Six shots
came from that pistol, as he estimated
He thought eight were killed and 70 to 30
wounded. Judge Keils was not in Eu-
farla
| Old Spring Hill, known as Beat 2. was
| Is miles from west of Eufaula on the
Montgomery railroad. Large plantations
| were in that community and many me-
groes. The Conner family owned large
bodies of land there and resided on it,
second to none in wealth and influence
After the election a large number of
| gentlemen of that vicinity were arrested
| by a United States commissioner and
marshal and the total of the bonds re-
quired Of them was s256,000. Against II
the federal grand jury under direction of
District Attorney McAfee, scalawag,
found true bills, some charged with mur-
der, others with interfering with an cleo
ton. A youth, some II years of age,
son of Judge Keils, who had followed his
! father there, was mortally wounded and
Mr.. J. w. Conner was shot through the
thigh by the rioting that held fast all
through the day. The ballot boxes were
seized and burned.
Captain Walter L. Bragg of the law
firm of John T. Morgan, Bragg & Thor
ington, Gen. e. w. Pettus and Col. Daniel
/ s. Troy volunteered for the defence of
| the citizens indicted in the federal court,
| sitting at Montgomery. After various
delays, the district attorney mol pressed
| the cases and the prosecution ceased.
| ~ r-f. I II ~ -.
We're involved in the indictment. The
antecedent established high character of
these three citizens, children of the same
parents from whom their adjacent landed
estates were inherited, and their subse-
quent distinction in the public and pri-
| vate life of the state cannot fail to give
| to their experience, in the event of this
day, an historic Importance of profound
| instruction to the students of Alabama
history. A criminal interference with the
| legal procedures and methods of an
| election which was intended to undermine
the virtue and intelligence of the govern
ment and set up instead ignorance and
vice over it, Is an anomaly. The charge
against the citizens indicted by the fed
ieral jury, as just intimated, had no
foundation except in the incidents that
connected themselves with destruction of
the ballot boxes and their contents. The
ballot boxes and their contents repre-
sented nothing on Gods earth but vul-
gar and fragrant despotism, the most vul-
gar and most fragrant the world ever
behed. That rebellion of a people most
renowned, was ordered to be led by Moses.
4 The methods of obedience to the COM
mand he received, as used by Moses, were
the most arbitrary and bloody of which
we Nave record. The court OF time has
never impeached him.
| Some particulars of the Old Spring Hill
| election riot are available. At an early
| hour in the forenoon, about 100 white
men, we'll understanding each other, all
brave and all armed assembled at the
polling place. About 1900 negroes assem-
bled there. The two races understood
| that the authorities present representing
| the United States were In full sympathy
| with the negro cause. Judge Keils was
there, ostensibly as federal supervisor.
He had left his own box for purpose.
He had under him a number of deputy
| United States marshals, all negroes. One
of the inspectors of the polls was a me-
gro. Second Lieutenant Turner of the
United States army with an armed squad
of 10 men was there in camp 400 yards
from the polls and out of sight.
Rioting in more or less degree had pre-
vailed all day. Frequent reports We're
made by telegraph to democratic head
quarters at Eufaula that all was we'll and
| hopeful at Old Spring Hill.
Seven hundred and thirty-two ballots
had been cast when the hour, o'clock,
D. m, arrived for closing the polls. The
work of counting was in progress when
darkness fell upon the EARTH Judge keils
was within watching the count He took
u the precaution to make the door quite
secure from pressure from Without.
In silence the clerk of election, Thomas
|. Swanson, il | mistake not, colonel in
the Confederate army and planter OF
the vicinity, approached the door from
inside and carefully removed the bars
which Judge Keils had just put up. I'M
, mediately armed white men rushed in
nut out the lights and carried or the
, ballot boxes with their contents. Mean
: time n fusiade from shotguns took place
| in the same room.
Judge Keils sprang to his feet, his sol
Inv his side with hand resting on thu
! fathers shoulder. The judge ran unde
. tbe counter for the room was common
. | sto,e The three Conner brothers came I,
> him and gave protection, so that he wa
not hurt.
9 Young Kels was mortally shot FL
was horne to Lieutenant Turner's ten
and there cared for until taken back t,
F,ufaula. where he expired two day.
, later. Mr.. J. w. Conner, also wounded
! was taken to Lieutenant Turner'S tent.
About 3 o'clock in the afternoon young
Keils called on Lieutenant Turner, ex.
nlained the rioting at the polls and sug-
Qested that the troops be marched tc
the scene. The lieutenant had just re-
ceived an order from Captain Daggett at
l e.,,t, t,x, telePra nh not to go near