The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-07-27
LANCASTER CASE
 IS CONTINUED ID
 INDEFINITE DATE.
Wilkinson Admits HelpV Prepare Alleged Prop ganda Articles Published
 in Hamilton Paper
Hy FRED H. GoRMLEY

Hamilton, July 26.-(Special. r w. P, Letson, editor of the Marior County News, was lectured for con- tempt of court, and Sergt. Robert Lancaster, charged with conaplicity in the lynching of Vii, Baird in Walker county, won continuance of his ease for .af indefinite time as result of d sensational day in the Marion circuit court Tuesday when it was proved by the defense that Judge Horace C. Wilkinson, special prosecuting officer, had pre- pared notes for a large number of articles in the Marion County News, and that Editor Letsor had mailed a copy of the three issues containing the articles to every qualified voted in the county during the three weeks preceding the calling of the case Monday.
 The trigf ended abruptly. after atterneys for The state, including Solicitor bennington, Judge Will kinsen ahd ". z. Davis, had agreed that a fair trial could not he sktainsd after the sensational developments of the day. But just before the end came. spe~tn- Ea who at that moment packed courtroomx just missed a
 httetween LeciI Gray, couu-
 sef fo she defense, and Judge
 ikhn.
 seNilkinslon was on the stand RSt case ended. He had just " that he prepared "ccpious Htss fhich had been used by Edi- se +son in preparing the articles ns sought to show why he had The court rssfused to per
 m to do so. As he left the @3N asstand, Judge wilkinson said.
 Calls Wilkinson Liar
 vnt to say that there Is not aiie aicle which I am ncNt prepared
 4 and aack up"
 cray lumped to his feet and
 toward Judge Wilkinson, e demand to know if lie meant
 ude him one of those against
 any charge in the articles
 De made and supported"
 ou are m internal Iiar,o said
 tray, when Judge Wilkinson did lot reply. Judge Wilkinson dreNbaek his fist. Mir. Gray also preEred for the battle. The two wei separated by deputies. Jude wilkinson did say during hislestimony that he did not in- ten to make any charge against m one person.
 It ls improbable that Lancaster's case Fill be called for many months This lay In court has made every thing uncertain Neither the state nor tx defense is willing to take an other step toward trial at this time It Is indicated that the sol dierstwill not be called into court asairifor six months. It is possible if no) probable that an application for bfd will be made for the nins soldieb during the next few weeks Eounsf of the defense announced beforf leaving Hamilton that hey eouldtnot say what they would do
 
 with tie view of determining wha' action yill be taken. In the mean, time, sergeant Lancaster and lht other suardsmen will remain in th' MarioHcounty jail.
 unusual fact in the deyeI- oK lpt of the proof about the ,kf fs propaEanda which resulted iu ta he continuance of the cases vas that the material evidence has given by Judge Wilkinson nd { c. F. Mitchell, attorneys for he E krOsccutiOn.
 fr. ! Mitchell was called to the stanc It He is postmaster at Hamil 1 an d admitted that large numbe txu ra copies of the newspaper hat In I mailed out during the thre, kSs preceding the trial and tha b Wson purchased 1900 one-cen stanes for each edition. Regula supssribers received their paper Withsht postage stamps.
 Refuses to Answer
 Asled whether or not he knew tn ariiess were to appear, MT. Mitch el feluAd to answer on the ground thatit might incriminate himself.
 D cross examination Judge Will kiEpn sought to show that larg nunhers of the Tuscaloosa News wer sen to Hamilton during the frs tIal of Lancaster. The court re fIed to permit an answer, sayin lot there should be a eontinuanc hcause of the recent propaganda. Lets turn on the light" pleade fudge Wilkinson. Let's show tn propaganda which has been carrie lon throughout these eases. That what the defense is running fror now"
 John Mcqueen, counsel for the de fense. jumped to his feet. Were no running from anything and we re gent this institution" he replied. On redirect examination the de fense asked Mitchell if he and Judg Wilkinson took the copy to Letso for the editions involved in the con troversy. Mr. Mitchell refused t answer.
 z The witness admitted that he wer . to Jasper with Letson and that tn two conferred with Wilkinson bu he refused to say they discussed tn publication of the articles. He refuse to say that he knew who wrote tn articles or that he knew Letson di not write them. He insisted that h had nothing to do with the delivery ( the papers or that he knew one issu nsyas delayed three days in order tha
 ~ticles could be prepared.
 the examination was cor
 sudge Wilkinson arose an
 court to turn on the who
 Prepare Articles
 Ahael said he woul
 Wilkinson questio