The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-02-20

he had been m ped asleep all nignt
 Deputy Cannon also reported that the smaller of the two. cars had been tracked directly in front of the headquarters of the Townley detachment. and they had found 1t there muddy and were sure that these were the cars that the mob used Deputy Cannon also stated that he said nothing of what he had learned to the soldiers. but had arrested West and reported to Jasper. I turned West
 over to the sheriff under arrest. and with
 Maior Failow, Captain Fleming and Captain McMeans, Sheriff Cutlery ana two of my men. went by car to Towniey, searched Vests home, investigated sev- eral clues we had obtained. getting no evidence except the finding of wet and
 muddy clothing and shoes of West in his home.
 'rhe sheriff and my men returned to Jasper Major Faliow, Captain McMeans and Captain Fleming and myself started examining the men of the Townley de-
 tachment tthree men and two officers),
 one by one.
 INVESTIGATION
 Their statements as to where they
 were, what posts they occupied, who re-
 lieved them, by what non-commissioned officer they were posted. and as to who
 had checked quarters. were at such
 variance that after examining about lB we gave up, and about 12 D. m. visited the Holly Grove detachment. about one mile away Here the seven men testi- fled that Private Springer had come to their headquarters about a. m. and asked to be shown where West lived, and that a private called Shorty had gone with West. who was driving the captains car and found West. Springer also stated to Shorty" that he had been sent to notify West that his car hao ak.,a tv,f ,1 pv< ftSo rra A near Townley. These seven mems state
 ments as to their duties and in all state merits coincided. Springer having been examined among the first at Townley, and having stated positively that he had rot left the camp that morning, anu that the captains car had not been moved by any one from in front of head quarters, and that the Buick car Of West had not entered the camp that night at all, was quietly awakened ana confronted with the statements of the Holly Grove detachment. He broke down and confessed that his first state ment was untrue. and that he had seen the men come into the camp just be- l fore day, had seen them bring in . muddy automatic rifle, had helped to clean same, had seen Sergeant Lancaster point to himself when asked who fired the first shot had heard Lancaster say
 he was going to cut a notch on this gun. 1 that lynching had been generally talked before breakfast and heard the threat that the man. that tells anything foi- l lows Baird He named those whom he | bought were in the lynchns party, and that he had been ordered by an officer to take the Buick car out on the roao and stick it in the mud, and having done so, he was again ordered to take the captains car and go find West and tell him where the car was, and to come ana -v- t~I LAf AA tsaA
 some of the citizens clothing taken from l the Buick ear burned in the supply
 room.
 CONFERENCE
 l After this confession. the three offi- cers and myself conferred and all agreed that we had best get Springer to 8 place of safety at once, and that | the Townley detachment be placed
 under arrest before Springer's comics sion be known. Major Fallow called Colonel Smith on the phones this about
 2 q. m. first talked. I urged the ne-
 cessity of sending troops to put the de- : tachment under arrest at once. Each of tho officers followed me in urging this be done. Major Failow urged that
 Captain L.ollar be kept in Jasper and not allowed to return to his company
 until the investigation was completed II then again talked to Colonel Smith, l who told me he had no troops available
 in his command. but would call upon General Steiner and see what could be done. Captain Fleming and myself quietly took Springer out to 6 car and took him to Jasper. Here received
 orders to bring Springer and West to military headquarters in Birmingham l got West from the jail and we con- | tinued to headquarters in Birmingham 1 at 2tQfa
 headquarters he called me in and stated the evidence I had against the prisoners. He called the two prison | CTS in and asked them few questions and dismissed them. He turned to me
 and said: You have no evidence
 against these men. They ought to be
 released" l disagreed with him and
 told him would not release them Generai Steiner informed me that he had sent the Townley detachment to
 Tuscaloosa under command of Captain
 LollAr. I said to him: "If you want
 to cover this thing up. you have done
 the very best thing you could have done. They are doubtless there in con
 ference with attorneys now
 T went to Mr. Austin and protested vigorously against the action taken by General Steiner and against his desire
 to release the two prisoners. Htold MT Austin that if effort to cover up the guilty parties was not thwarted a, 1 once. would resign and, go to the press with if. I started to write my reslgna- ton, partly writing same. Mr. Austin assured me he would go down the line with me and it was his intention to, if possible. get the guilty parties regard I less and I must say his efforts have seemed earnest and sincere. I heard { that Judge Wilkinson had been spoken of as special counsel I suggested call ing him. MT. Austin called and made an engagement with him for 3:30ip. m
 MAKES STATEMENT
 "r made my. statement to him and
 asked that he bring Major Fallow. Cap 1 fore him to confirm my statement. He called the governor this about 12 p. ln. and asked that these officers be or dersd to report to him and that they come without General Steiner's knowl-
 edge. Judge Wilkinson stated that the govsrnor had refused to 70 over Gen.
 eral Steiner's head. but would have General Steiner order the officers In on the first train. These officers ar rived next morning, were immediately sxarnined by Judge Wilkinson and Judge wilkinson ordered the imme- diAts yeturK'o the Townley detachment
 for Birmingham for examination. The evidence developed at this hearing Is known. This included the fpil confes-
 sion Of West.
 l From Thursday morning up to this 1 tine Sunday I had not been to bed. l From this time on I was treated ! with ncant eourteav bv Mp Ausfir