The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1919-07-23


measure of the credit due for bringing
these men to justice, namely the assistant
attorneyg general, Horace C. Wilkinson.
late captain of infantry in the army of
the United States. While others con-
| tributed to this end, his was the master
hand that directed and successfully car
j ried out this notable prosecution
Assigned by Governor Kfby on the eve
of the lynching to make thorough in
vestigation of the affair enjoined to bring
| the guilty ones to the bar of justice,
Capt. Wilkinson Immediately left Mont
gomery for the scene of the crime. For
several days his Whereabouts were I'M
known, then one morning the state was
startled with the news, flashed over the
wires, to the effect that a score or more
men had been arrested at the instance
of Captain Wilkinson in connection with
the crime, and that they had been taken
| to the jails a Birmingham and Mont
gomery for safe keeping. 1t was also
stated that other arrests would follow.
And they did.
| Capt Wilkinson with characteristic
energy, had made personal investigation
of the affair. He worked quietly, bui
swiftly and surely, for be it noted tina.
no drag net methods were used, but that
practically every man arrested at his
instance was later convicted.
When the accused lynchers were safe
ly in Jail, Capt. Wilkinson did not wal.
for the regular terms of the court to take
up their cases, but special grand jury
was empanelled at his instance. and every
one of the men was indicted, nine for
murder in the first degree, four for MUIR
der in the second degree, and IA for UNI
lawful conspiracy, and be it said in pass.
ing that some of the men indicted stood
high in the community in which thes
lived.
With the indictments came no let UP
in the activities of the assistant attorney
general, for he visited the men at the
jais, and without threats or persuasion.
without offering immunity or the hope OF
fee or reward, he secured confessions
from the men under indictment.
This is what Solicitor Joseph r. Tate,
who was present when the confessions
were made, has to say about the methods
of Captain Wilkinson HE was absolute
ly fair to the accused he made no prom
Use of immunity nor gave them hope o.
reward. He frankly discussed the matter
with them, told of the evidence he had
secured and of the witnesses he had talk
ed to. Furthermore he warned them that
the confessions could and would be USED
against them in the event they were
brought to trial They seemed to realize
the strength of the net he had woven
about them, and the confessions came
voluntary. and without reservation"
And it was these confessions that prove
a stumbling block to the defendants at
torneys, for those who went to trial had
able counsel, 1t was due to these con-
| LESSONS that the trial expected to last
many weeks, came abruptly to an end,
lone f1a ut
defendants withdrew their pleas of not
guilty. and confessed their guilt In open
court This just twenty eight days from
the time the lynching occurred. and
Jew record was written in the legal an
,nuals of the state
| Captain Wll.insono is Birmingham
nroiuct. He had little or no earlv ad-
vantages in the wav of edncatlon. But ne
had grit and ambition. an abiding con-
| 6dence in himself and tremendous
canacitv for work He worked at various
! occupations while youth. and later de-
| cided to study law, his means were llmit
| ed. but nothing daunted, he worked MS
/ way through college and was admitted 10
| the bar.
Like many other young LAWYERS. he had
| to fight hard to get a start, he "waded
| into some big PROPOSITIONS. and some
times got his wings clipped, as most
vounr LAWYERS do. But that only MADE
him fight the harder, and with greater
determination to succeed. And succeed ne
did. for while he did not set the woods
IN fire." lie gained recognition both fror'
the bench and the bar
J Essentially a fighter. he proved thai
not ONLY in the courts but on the battle
fields of France. where he won his cap
tain's bars he has never vet found task
| too great or duty impossible. He fights
! hard but fights clean. He has decided
opinions of his own. and by the same
token the courage of his convictions
Horace Wilkinson is of the type that wins
success He aims high and some day.
unless providence intervenes. will reach .
L lofty pinnicle in the temple of success.
watch his smoke.