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

Receiving a 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. lie left Immediately,
He told his story today to the
Times-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 leaye-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.. Bivins 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 -aAIDailiff fer some time. He
IS not a deputy sheriff.
County Commissioner A. c. Muir
ray of Schley county, today asked
the Times-Recorder to correct an err
ror occurring in yesterdays account
of the Schley county situation. he
stated that the county commissioners
had offered 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 conversation with
Mr.. Murray resulted in the statement
being published as it was.
Bailiff Carter also asked the
Times-Recorder to make correction
f; 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 Baillff Carter had approached
the county commissioners with an Of
fer to arrest all Of the accused men
If they would pay him, and that they
then offered the reward to him Sc
cretly, but he did not make the trim
! after the accused men.
/ Railiff Carter Denies.
Il want emphatieally to deny the
charge" said Mr.. Carter. II 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 if they would pay me fol
| it. The fact is, was TOO busy.
was the bailiff who served through
the coroner's inquest both Monda,
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 q
| false light in this community. | an
not afraid of anyone or anything il
this case, but simply had no occas
ion to make any effort to arrest any
one"
Mr.. Carter stated that there ar,
i five bailiffs there, and that the MAJ
referred to.i nthe report as Mr.. Car
Ter was neither himself nor Mr.. Biv
ms, who is also bailiff. Who tho
man was he did not state.
| No word came today of any ad
ditional arrests on the warrants helt
| by Sheriff Battle in the lynchins
case. 1t is understood that effort.
have been made to get in touch will
Solicitor julie FELTON,, of Montezuma
Tor advice in regard TO the situatio,
IN Scheley, but when those effort
were made he was away on law busi
ness elsewhere and could not be 10
Gated