The Hartford republican., 1921-03-18
Wife SUCCEEDS
GUSTED JAILtR
Mrs. Edger. Takes Husbands
Place Pending Probe
Of Lynching.

tucky's first woman jailer was APP
I pointed today by County Judge Null
1ahay, as the result of the lynching
here yesterday OF Richard James,
negro, by mob of so men. The Judge
appointed the wife OF John e. Edger,
who was removed. from office by pro-
clamation of Governor Morrow, to
serve as jailer pending the outcome
of Edger's appeal for which he is al
lowed ten days.
Tn inquest into the death OF
James was not held today as had been
planned. II may be held tomorrow,
the coroner stated tonight, but in the
hope Of getting further evidence may
be further delayed.
James body was buried today.
Judge Raps Citizens Sinking Jury
Duty
Paris, KY, March 14.-"So long as
the better class of citizens of any COM
munity shirk jury duty and the courts
are compelled to take on persons un-
fit for jury service. just so long will
the mob spirit occasionally rear its
head" said Circuit Judge Il. l.. Stout.
here this morning in delivering his
charge to the grand jury of the March
term of Circuit Court. at is the du-
ty OF every good citizen to give
of his time to the service OF his
State. II criminal feels that he has
been given fair trial he is satisfied.
more or less, no matter what the ver-
dict may have been. So long as the
citizens believe that both the state
and the defense has had a square
deal, there will be no trouble; but IL
the jurors are made up in part OF per-
sons unfit to serve, then occasionally
the mob spirit will arise.
y, Blames Unfit Jurors.
This was demonstrated at. YER
sailles Sunday when a mob took the
negro, Richard James, from the
woodford County jail and executed
him.
"But for the presence in the case
of one unfit juror this unfortunate in
cident could not have happened"
Judge Stout this afternoon issued
the following announcement:
Notice is hereby given that spe-
cial term of the Woodford Circuit
Court will be held at the courthouse
in Versailles, KY, on March 26, for
the purpose of submitting to a grand
jury to be summoned and impaneled
on that day, such information or
evidence as may or can be obtained
affecting or bearing upon the as
semblng of mob in Woodford
County and the taking by mob of the
person, Richard James, from custody
of the jailer of Woodford County and
for the unlawful taking of the life
of Richard James by hanging him OF
by other means.
"In order that the grand jury then
to be summoned and empaneled may
return an indictment or indictments
against the party or parties who may
be in the judgment of that grand jury
subject to an indictment for the above
mentioned unlawful act or acts.
Witness my hand as Judge Of the
woodford Circuit Court this14th day
of March, 1921. -a
ROBERT L. STOUT, Judge"
Issues Proclamation,
Frankfort, KY, March 14.-Declar-
ing that as long as he is governor of
Kentucky the anti-lynching law will
be vigorously enforced. Governor
Morrow today issued a proclamation
vacating the office of jailer of Wood
ford County and removing John II.
Edger, jailer from office. This ac-
ton by the governor followed the
lynching of Richard James, a negro,
charged with the murder of Homer
Naive and Ben Rogers, guards at the
Greenbaum distillery, Midway, who
was taken from the jail at Versailles
Sunday morning by mob and hang
ed a short distance from the city
limits OF the county seat of Woodford
County.
Two other negroes. Albert Kennedy
and John Bohannon, charged with
completely in the murder OF the
guards. are confined in the Frank
lin Cuonty jail.
In connection with the proclama-
tion vacating the office of jailer, Gov
ernor Morrow issued a statement
which follows:
Kentucky Again Disgraeed.