Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-05-24
FORMER GOVERNOR CATS
ARRESTED AT ALBANY, Ga,
AND RELEASED ON BOND

JACKSONVILLE, Fla, May 2S.-
Sidney J. Cats. former governor OF
Florida, arrested at Albany, Ca SStu-
day on a federal warrant charging
peonage, and released in $4,000 bond
arrived here shortly before 10 o'clock
tonight.
No move was made towards ar.
resting the former governor on an
Indictment returned in Bradford
for alleged acceptance of a
bribe. and he went Immediately to
the home of his brother-in-law in
Riverside. suburb.
Mr.. Cats was met at the depot by
his daughter, Mrs. K. r. Paderick,
and an elderly woman.
The warrant on which Mr.. Cats
was arrested at Albany charges that
he held two negroes, Ed Brown and
John Henry Rodgers, in peonage ON
his farm in Walton county. 1t was
returned at Pensacola May IS.
The Bradford county grand jury
had previously indicted Mr.. Cats on
the allegation that while governor OF
the state and ex-officio member OF
the pardSn board, he received $500 to
influence his vote for pardoning J. j.
Simmons, a negro serving a life sens
tence at the Raiford state peniten.
tiary for the murder of a deputy
sheriff in Bay county in 1918.
A capias was issued for his arrest
and bond fixed at $4,000 by Circuit
Judge Long. The Bradford county
jury acted by reason of the fact that
Raiford is located in that county.
Local authorities stated they had
no instructions to arrest the COVER
nor here on this charge. Reports
from Albany stated that Attorney
General Buford, of this state, had re-
quested that Cats be held until he
furnished bond on the Bradford coun-
ty charge. The sheriff requested
message from Governor Hardee maxi
ing the request and when it was nos
received at LAS o'clock the former
governor was given his freedom.
Advices from Starke, county seat
of Bradford, tonight, were to the eff
feet that the former governor was
understood to be enroute there to sur
render at the time of his arrest in
Albany and that no effort would be
made to take him into custody here.
"A JOiAI l6SlSldllN6 COHHllLIS6 III
conducting an investigation at Talla-
hassee into certain official acts of the
former governor. Their sessions have
been executive and no announcement
has been made Of the proceedings.
Mr.. Cats refused to make a state-
ment upon his arrival here, telling
newspaper men that If they wanted
to be polite leave me alone" At AL
bany, according to reports, he stated
his arrest was the work of political
enemies"
At the home of his daughter to-
would make a statement within a few
days. Nothing could be learned of his
future plans.
Cats MAKES BOND
OF $4,000 IN ALBANY
Albany. Ga, May 2S.-Former
Coz nor Sidney ]. Cats, of Florida,
ga bond Saturday in the sum Of
800, following his arrest by local
S.1cers on a federal indictment for
peonage in Florida. He left at 1855
p. m. for Jacksonville.
Five Albany citizens signed the
bond Mr.. Cats was assisted in Sc
Allen Smith, D. D. pastor of the
First Baptist church, of Albany, and
the Rev. r. J. O'Bryant, pastor of
the Byne Memorial Baptist church,
the latter a personal friend of the
former governor.
Before the federal bond had been
signed Sheriff Tarver received a tele-
phone message from the attorney
general asking that Mr.. Cats be held
for the state authorities after the
federal bond was made. Sheriff Tar
yer asked the attorney general to
nave Governor Hardee, of Florida,
send a telegram containing this re-
quest and stating amount Of bond,
After a considerable wait the attor.
ney general again was called UP and
urged to hurry the telegram from
Governor Hardee, but the attorney
replied that he and the governor
would have to hold a lengthy COM
ference first.
Mr.. Cats insisted that the attor~
ney general was attempting to delay
matters and harass him in every
way possible. Whereupon the sheriff
informed the attorney general that
unless he received a message from.
the governor before 1:45 o'clock he
would release Mr.. Cats. who wanted
to leave for Jacksonville at 1855
p. m. The message did not come and
the former governor was allowed to
depart. He declared to the last he
had been prosecuted.
Before leaving Mr.. Cats informed
his bondsmen he had been to British
Columbia and did not learn of the
indictments against him until he was
in his possession q ticket from Gins
cinnati to Jacksonville and was
waiting here for a connection.