Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-04-17
MIDNIGHT COURT
STOPS LYNCH|NG
Of TWO NEGROES
Judge A. ID. Dabncy Warns
Charlottesville Mob at
!" Jail to Dispersc.
THREE MILITIA COMPANIES
ARE PLACED ON DUTY
Monticello Guard and Fircmen
Hold Masked Throng Back
Until Help Comes.
GOVERNOR ACTS PROMPTLY
Mayor liadcn Calls Local Troops.
and Adjutant- General Add,
Siaunton Companies.
GOVERNOR ACTS PROMPTLY

and Adjutant- t-Gcneral Adds
Siaunton Companies.
Facing an angry mob at the en-
trance 10 the Charlottesville jail. Judge
y = DahncN. of tn" charlottesville
Corporation Court. formally opened
court At o'clocl: this morning ANA
ordered the unlawful nsscmblaEc dis
pcrscd Reluctantly the huge crowd
az men. many With haudkcrchicfs AS
masks. backed away from the Jail.
which for three hours had been be
sicscI by the ,hromG ben; upon wreck
inr summary vengeance upon two al
legged negro murderers. Only the pres
cncc OF the Monticello Guards. fully
armed. the Charlottesville Fire Depart
rncnt and city police prevented tho
pmcn from forcing their way into the
Jail
The mob. which had been increasing
instead of growing smaller. was edeins
slowly 10 tho doors Of the prison. which
MAS surrounded by moro than 100
armed guards. Shots had ALREADY been
fred in the air to warn against com
ing nearer. but still the men crowded
forward Only q leader was needed to
start the rush which would have over
whelmed the guard Without notice,
Judge Dabncy stepped out OF the Jail
and. calling for silence, announced That
court was in session
r SWORN OFFICERS MOVE
THROUGH MOB GETTING NAMES
THE Nrst man that creates further
disorder Viii be put in jail" sternir
admoasshed tho judge, 4 warn you
that sworn officers are now moving
among you for the purpose OF getting
names. l. therefore. call upon YOU TO
disprrsc Immediately.
Slowly The mob separated into groups
and the groups separated into sinking
individuals. and within less than an
hour tho street in front OF the jail WAS
ou,ct Armed scntrics we're placed for
several blocks around the building. and
no person without dchnitc business
will bc permitted within the prescribed
zone.
While judge pabncy waS making his
vigorous appeal to ,ir crowd Mayor T.
G. Haden for the third time was in
telephone communication Win AdJu-
tan;-cicncral w W. sale. He stated
tina, the situation was CROWNS serious
and more assistance would bc needed
sT.t NTuN COMPANIES >HE
ORDERED On ntrh
THO companies Of the l'!rs; Virginia
infantry were ordered from Staunton
10 rc-cnCorrc The Charlottesville com
nany in preventing the mob from at
,aciling the jail. The Adjutant- General
ISSUED the order 20 the Stauuton COM
nanics at O'Clock this morning. after
Mayor IIadcn had Informed him that
lhc Monticello GUARDS. tho charlot'cs-
willie Fire pcpartmcnt police and Jail
officials were not sufficient 10 preserve
order.
Hamilton Crosby and Robert Jones
were the men threatened with lynch
iug The negroes are accused of hay
inc murdered Policeman Meredith y.
Thomas OF Charlottesville. when
caught in the ;.ct OF robbing store.
Tho men were captured after a chase,
in which bloodhounds were used TO
good advantage. and We're brought 10
the Hcnrico County Jail. III Richmond.
for safckccpinG In custody Of sheriff
webb ". Sydnor. the men we're taken
from Eichmond to Charlottesville yes
;crdav morning at 10 O'Clock TO bc ar
raicn.d this morning on the charge OF
murder.
MOSFIGE.i.t.O INNDS
MAKE QUICK RECORD
from charlottesville. started TO gather
,t . o'clock. 1t was composed cXciu-
sivcly of white men, and violent threats
/. were made. Mayor Hadcn quietly got
in touch with Captain Herman john
son of the Monticello Guards. and
actinc under provisions OF the Code of
Virginia. ordered him Ia assemble his
men and march them to the city and
county jail to assist the civil authori-
Ties In tho surprisingly short time
of thirty minutes Captain Johnson ana
forty men had responded so :hc SUM
mons. General Sale received
notice OF the Mayors action at 1920
o'clock and Immediately got in touch
with him. After IL second telephone
talk the two Staunton companies were
ordered to proceed TO charlottesville.
"Ncithcr the Governor nor myself
had received notice that the negroes
were to he tried" General Sale stated
oarly this morning. consequently VIC
had not taken any precautions TO pre-
vent trouble In fact. we had not been
notified that any was expected AI
soon as the gravity OF the situation
was made known To us. I ordered the
Two companies from Staunton to re-
enforce the one at Charlottesville. and
tncN VIII oi uhlH ubill tlttT
tho men have been tried and removed
TO another point for safekccpng."
MAYOR EIADEN SAYS
ALL DANGER has PASSED
Mayor IIadcn, in talk with The
Times Dispatch carly this morning.
said that tho danger had passed, he
thought. The crowd, he said. was
x made up mostly Of young college men.
and after the stirring remarks by
Judge Dabney. the men dispersed.
Continued on Second Pago)