The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-01-18
CIVIL AUTHORITIES NOW HAVE CHARGE
 OF INVESTIGATION
No Charges Preferred Against Any of Officers of Tusca- looSa Company, Says
 Commander
BY II. D. HARKREADER

With the arrest of nine mem bers of Company M (Tusca- loosa), Alabama National Guard and Leslie West, taxicab driver, the civil authorities took complete charge of the inves- tigation of the lynching of Will liam Baird, a miner, at Jasper last Thursday, it was stated yesterday at the military head quarters of Brig. Gen. R. E. Steiner.
 The noted Caldwell case, from Annis- ton, which was fought through all the courts of Alabama and the supreme court of the United States, had definitely set tied the right of the civil authorities % assume Jurisdiction in the present case General Steiner stated last night Calar well, a negro soldier, was tried and corr victed of the murder of civilian. De- spite the fact that he was represented by the best legal counsel obtanable and Attorney General Palmer personally in- terceded in the case, the soldier lost 'lis fight for trial by court-martial
 No charges have been preferred against any of the officers of Com pony M, to which unit the arrested guardsmen were attached. for neglect or duty. General Steiner stated yester- day.
 "In fact" he said. T have been so busy with the investigation, the object of which was to ferret out the oe.pe- tiators of the lynching. that I have not given the matter thought" He dded that his investigations had not shown that any of the officers of the company were negligent of duty. The nen accused of the 1ynching arc bought to have left their posts dur- ng the night, returning prior 70 roll call. so that their absence was not lis covered by their superior officers.
 SPRINGER NOT ARRESTED
 Private Clyde Springer of Company M. one of the men sent to Montgon " for interrogation by Governor kilby and Attorney General Smith, Is not under arrest. This statement was au- thorized yesterday by Chief Law En- foreement Officer Conrad w. Aussin,
 '.rhis k Springer bere,s said
 Chief Austin to representative
 of The Aee-HcraId, pointing to Il
 trim young soldier in uniform,
 seated in his office. .He has not
 been arrested and will not be, but
 
 he knows of the affair. This
 knowledge is confined to incl
 dents that occurred before and
 after the tragedy.v
 Another young guardsman, member of a prominent Tuscaloosa family. to- gether with Springer, will be used ss at the trial It is not ex-s pected that they will be returned to their company because of ill seeling that may have been aroused among their comrades by their willingness to appear as witnesses in the case.
 The law enforcement department has succeeded in securing much cor roborative evidence of the guilt of the men implicated by the confession of Leslie West. the taxicab driver" said Chief Austin, My men tracked he two automobiles from the Jasper jaii to the soldiers camps, and later found the two cars. The Buick car. used Ly the lynching party, was owned by West, while the Ford was the orop- erty of the a company and had been assigned to the use of Captain Lawier of Company M. It was spirited away without his knowiedge."
 Springer's father was in Birmingham. yesterday. following reports that his son had been arrested. He expressed great relief at learning that his son ''oS HS| aSSHocu oi uaNl1S ldhen part in the lynchng.
 LESS TENSION NOW
 There was noticeable relaxation yesterday of the tension that has ex- isted at military headquarters since last Thursday. when news of the Jas. per tragedy was received there The probe that was immediately initiated was so thorough the entire headquar- ters personnel was on the jump from early morning until late at night One of the first acts of General Steiner was to summon 34 members of Company M before him for examination, and to cancel the furloughs of all guardsmen who had been permitted to return to their homes. Fresh troops replaced the Tuscaloosa unit a Townley ana Com pany M was ordered back home
 General Steiner is now planning to re- tune his daily inspection of the various military posts that have been esta3- ished in the coal mining district, these having been automatically canceled by he strenuous exigences of the past few lays. The constant shifting of the troops continues, it being the policy of the mili- ary authorities not to allow any outfit Q remain long in one section.
 STILL IN JAIL
 Leslie West, the taxicab driver whose confession led to the arrest of members
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