Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1922-02-18
DEATH THREAT
INDARK ROUTS
HARVEY'SCUARD
Bailif Bivins, of Schley County
Ordered By Band To Leave
And He Complies

Receiving warning from a group
of men in the dark last night at the
home of Henry Harvey, one of the
men named in the Will Jones lynch
ing party in Schley county, where he
was guarding Mr.. Harvey at the di-
rection of Sheriff r. E. Battle, Bail
iff Clarence Bivins was told that if
he wanted to live he had better leave
at once. he left Immediately.
He told his story today to the
Tfmes-Recorder by phone when asked
to verify the report TO this effect.
Sheriff Battle carried me out to
Mr.. Harvey's home last evening to
stand guard over him. said Mr.. Biv-
ms. Along about 8 o'clock ] went
out into the yard to get bucket of
water Some one called to me from
near the road short distance away
in the dark and asked ME if | was
there to guard Mr.. Harvey. | re-
piled that was. There ware at least
six men in the party. One of them
called to me that if | wanted to live
TO leave-and | left. / didn't even
go back in the house. My son-in-
law, Otto Nelson, was there with me
to keep me company, and we got
into his car and came back to town.
| took them at their word and didn't
stay any longer"
Harvey In Bed.
Mr.. Biyins said Mr.. Harvey, who
was wounded by the negro Jones who
was afterward lynched, was in bed,
and the son of Bob Chapman and his
wife, with whom Mr.. Harvey makes
his home, were in the house with
him. Mr.. Bivins is 81 years old and
has been bailiff for some time. He
is not deputy sheriff.
County Commissioner A. G.. Muir
ray of Schley county, today asked
the Times-Reeorder to correct an en-
ror occurring in yesterdays account
Of the Schiey county situation. he
stated that the county commissioners
had offered a reward for the arrest
of each of the two soldiers wanted
in the lynching case only, and not
for the other seven local men. A mis-
understanding in a conversation with
Mr.. Murray resulted in the statement
being published as it was.
Bailiff Carter also asked the
Times-Recorder to make correction
in its report concerning him, which
1T cheerfully agreed to do, assuring
him it wanted to publish nothing but
facts. In the report it was stated
that Bailiff Carter had approached
the county commissioners with an of
fer to arrest all Of the accused men
# they would pay him, and that they
then Offered the reward to him se-
eretly, but he did not make the trip
after the accused men.
Bailiff Carrier Denies.
Il want emphatically TO deny the
charge" " said Mr.. Carter. Il have
never had warrant in my possession
IN this case, have had no offers from
the commissioners, did not approach
them and tell them / would make
the arrests il they would pay me for
1t. The fact is, | was too busy.
] was the bailiff who served through
the coroner's inquest both Monday
and Tuesday, and was up most of
Monday night doing work for the cor
oner's jury, etc. did my full duty,
and do not want to be put in d
false light in this community. | am
not afraid of anyone OF anything in
this ease, but I simply hadsno occas-
ion to make any effort to arrest any
one
Mr.. Carter stated that there are
five bailiffs there, and that the man
referred to in the reports as Mr.. Car
ter was neither himself nor Mr. Biv-
ms, who is also bailiff. Who the
man was he did not state.
No word came today of any adj
aditional arrests on the warrants held
by Sheriff Battle in the lynching
case. It is understood that efforts
have been made to get in touch with
Solicitor julie FELTON,, Of Montezuma,
for advice in regard to the situation
in Scheley, but when those efforts
were made ne was away on law btrsi.
ness elsewhere and could not be 10,
Gated