The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-02-24

death, again centrals over this city, the original scene of probably the worst crime in the annals of the state. Judge Wilkinson, who stunned the defense at Hamilton, Marion county, Tuesday morning, by dismissing the charges against Stephens and his as- sociates in prison and promptly having them rearrested, pending new indict- n.ents. thus transferring Jurisdiction back to Walker county, has announced that the grand jury will be reconvened in special session Friday morning. The manifest purpose is to reindict The ac- cused soldiers.
 MAYBE OTHERS It also is understood that. in ad-
 dition to reindicting the soldiers nlready in jail. there Is very strong probability that at least two or three others will be for mnlly accused of participating fin the lynching of young Baird. This,> of course. is speculation, but the rumor is persistent, and Is given
 substantial credence by the fact that Judge Wilkinson and the
 grand jury examined several score witnesses at n special session last week, and it is thought the cvi. dence presented at thu time im- pIfcated others.
 According to the best obtainable in- formation, the session which begins Friday will be short and that a re- port will be made to Judge T. F. Sow ell, of the circuit court, perhaps late Friday afternoon and certainly not later than Saturday. probably 15 witnesses well be examined. Among these will be Major Fallow, Lieutenant Page and three or four privates. The remain- der will be residents of Townley and other mining towns in the Walker county coal districts.
 RUMOR CORRECTED
 Judge Wilkinson. by telephone this afternoon, suggested to Gen. R. E. Steiner at Birmingham that Major Fallow, Lieutenant Page and the other subpoenaed soldiers be permitted to remain in Jasper until the grand jury investigation is finished. This request caused rumor to circulate that fudge Wilkinson had asked that the Walker county troops be excepted from tho governors recent order to demobilize all soldiers in the strike zone.
 There is absolutely nothing to the rumor that I asked that troops re- main here," Judge Wilkinson stated T merely asked that those subpoenaed as witnesses be permitted to remain to save time and expense and ncon- venience in calling them from Bir- mingham to Jasper when wanted There also is a probability that they may be of service in expediting the presence of other soldiers, if other soldiers are needed at the inquiry. There is no further need of troops here, except the few who may be called to testify.''
 TRIALS UNCERTAIN
 Assuming thnt the nine soldiers
 now in jnfi accused of mObbing
 Bnfrd are reindicted, the exact
 date of their trial or even n close
 guess is impossible. It is under
 stood that Judge SowelI will nr-
 range n trinI docket for the pres
 court either Thursday of Friday.
 In that event. the mob cases would
 not be set. in thnt the indictments
 will not have been returned at that
 time. Tint would mean, it is
 stated, that the best possible
 chance for m early trial would be
 removed to the foot of the present
 criminal docket.
 It was emphatically stated today that Judge Wilkinson will make every possible effort to keep the cases in the Jurisdiction of the Walker county circuit court That is, he will resist with every resource of the law any move of the defense to secure a change of venue.
 The special attorney general will not return to Birmingham before Sat l urday. He will remain in Jasper un- til after the grand jury session.