The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-11-02
MONTGOMERY IN ARMS AGAINST
 OUTLAW BANDS
Five More Buildings Sent Up In Smoke Yesterday-Thir- teen Negroes In County
 Jail
By FRED II. GoRMLEY Montgomery Bureau The Aae-Heraid
 22t-2 First National Bank .3uildins

2ai-2 First National Bank .3udins
 Montgomery, November l. Special. Montgomery coun- ty spent Monday night under arms and ready to defend it. self against the band of marauders which has robbed, pillaged and destroyed cotton gins, cotton houses, residences and churches since Saturday night.
 Tn addition to the forces of the state constabulary, the deputies of the county and policemen of Montgomery city. secret organizations which laYe been organized, armed and equipped in fecent months were rdiing through the county.
 Thirteen negroes were in the
 county jail Monday afternoon on charges of arson and on suspicion
 of being guilty of other crimes.
 At least three negroes hnd entered
 the other world as a result of en-
 counters with officers of the law
 and others had been warned that
 one step beyond the pale of the
 law would menn prison or death.
 Officers do not believe that the night rider story and the reports that the hurnings have resulted from the movement to prevent the ginning and marketing of cotton Instead, they be- lieve an organized band of robbers is at work in Montgomery county hat fire was set to the buildings to over up their tracks and that the night rider story was started by them to prevenet officers from obtaining a trace of them.
 c. w. Auston, chief of the state law enforcement department, late Monday said his department had discarded the theory that night riders are back oi the movement.
 "The work is that of negro robbers who have an organization in Mont gomery county" said Chief Austin White men are not back of the .aw- lessness because the work is too crude Every trace indicates that the negroes started the fires for the purpose oi covering up robberies."
 Reports during tae day indicated that five additional bui iings went ul in flames Monday. Three negro churches were destroyed one being near where two cotton gins were de stroyed Saturday night. A residence occupied by white family and .Iegrc cabin were also destroyed. according tc reports which had not been verified Hate Monday
 
 Wild reports reached the t5 throughout Monday of impending up- risings, but they proved to be Ln- founded. White citizens are support ing officers of the law, but are not attempting to take matters into 'heir own hands.
 Many persons have volunteered as special officers and Chief Austin and agents of the state law enforcement department left Montgomery late Mon. day with additional forces recruited from volunteers.
 TO CALL GRAND JURY
 Judge Leon McCord, senior judge ot the circuit court, has announced ,hat the county grand jury will be called into special session at once to receive evidence against the thirteen negr ,es now in jail, to make a general inves- tigation of the crimes of arson end others committed during the past forty eight hours, and to bring indict- ments against all persons incriminate q by the evidence. As soon as the lndict- ments are returned he is expected to take up the trials of the accused err sons in the circuit court.
 Governor Kiiby has assured law en- forcement officers that the executive department will back them to the erd In addition to the reward of s250 of fered by the state to any person rot an officer of the law who brings about the arrest and conviction of any per- son engaged in night riding activi- ties, Governor Kilby will do whatever is necessary to furnish aid in the pros ecution of persons against whom in- dictments are returned.
 William J. Williams, state fire mar shal, who has been inevstiga ting the burning of gins in Calhoun and ,ther counties, has been requested by tele- graph to return here at once and assist in the gathering of evidence in the ar son eases