The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1921-08-23
WANTS NEWSPAPERS
TO ROUND UP MOB
ASKS PUBLICATIONS
TO FURNISH INFORMATION.
Chief Executive Says He Has Been in
Touch With Situation Surround
ing Brazell Murder.
The State. goth.

Governor cooper returned 10 MS
office in Columbia yesterday for a
conference OF the alleged mob vio-
lence situation and newspaper
charges placed against the chief ex-
ecutive and the state in connection
with the recent trouble experienced
in protecting Jesse Gappins and c.
O. Fox, confessed murdercrs of Will
Liam Brazell, from men who were
supposed to have been bent on lynch
ing the two men.
The governor arrived shortly be-
fore noon, coming down from his
summer home on Paris mountain, and
was in conference considerable part
of the day with Richland and Lexing-
ton officers. Sheriff E. Austin Roof
of Lexington and Solicitor T. c. Cal
lison were here from Lexington and
: Sheriff Heise of Columbia was at the
|executive Offices during the day. Col.
A. K. Sanders, superintendent of the
state renitentiary, was also present.
| Following the conference with the
officers the governor issued state
ment denying the charges made in
some newspapers that the state had
abdicated and surrendered to the mob
or that no steps had been taken to
prevent possible mob violence. The
chief executive also criticized the
newspapers for giving. too much pub
'licity to movement of the two men
in question and called on the papers,
as we'll as every citizen, to furnish
him with information that will lead
to the apprehension of any member
of the mob. If the newspapers are
lunable to prove that the state has
iabdicated and surrendered to the
mob, the governor expects an apology
! to the state from all who made the
lcnary"s.
Sheriff Heise told the chief mag
istrate that he knew of no threaten
ed mob violence in Richland county,
the statement says, and Sheriff Roof
also told the governor he had been
,'vigilant in performing his duties.
After the conference with the Of
|icials tie governor did not say any
ting in regard to the transfer of the
men held in Charleston to the penl-
Tertiary or to Lexington, intimating
that they were we'll protected IN
Charleston and might stay there. The
! chief executive did not say what he
told the officers in the conference, but
the whole affair was thrashed out
thoroughly.
The governor will probably re-
turn to Paris mountain today or to-
morrow. Below is his statement:
Outraged at Charges
"When l read in certain daily pa
pers editorials which, in effect,
charged that the state had abdicated
and surrendered to the mob, and that
the governor of the state had done
nothing in reference to the threat
ened mob violence and none of these
papers having communicated with
me as to any action taken or con-
ltemplated, l felt outraged.
'These papers virtually charge that
mob of armed citizens has deted
the law and the law officers, has been
holding up citizens on the public
highway and searching trains and no
steps have been taken to prevent It,
I assume that some one connected
with these papers is in position to
give specific instances of such acts
of violence. | have endeavored, and
am now endeavoring, through the
ionly available channels to find out
the truth about these matters. did
not deem it advisable to publish in
the daily press that an investigation
would be made and the persons who
violate the law brought to trial; but
since the newspapers are determined
to have a newspaper trial, l feel
compelled to ask for my day in
court
GAS governor of the state l call
upon every citizen and especially the
newspapers = furnish me any infor-
nation which will enable the proper
officers to ascertain who composed
the personnel Of any mob or assem-
blage of persons in Connection with
the Brazell murder case. If the news
papers who have made the charge
that the state government has abdl-