Richmond daily register. (Richmond, Madison County, Ky.) 1917-1978, 1922-05-06
JOHNSON HOLDS
REVIVAL IN COURT
On Final Day of Term In Clay
County After Many Sinners
Promise To Quit

Manchester, KY, May 6-Be-
tore pronOuncing sentence on six
men convicted on charges of am
bushing peace officers, Judge Hi
ram ]. Johnson today held devo-
tional services in the Clay county
circuit court in which several
hundred persons, including Us
school children, participated. The
prisoners were among the 1,500
persons indicted in the cleanup
campaign on charges ranging
from pistol toting" to murder.
After the children had sung
several hymns, the Rev. w. A.
Gardner, of Louisville, whose
prayer in court two weeks ago
wrung confessions from Is moon
sinners, and the Rev. Grace Will
son, formerly of Detroit, con-
Quoted prayer service. The six
men pleaded guilty and were SEN
fenced to four years = he state
reformatory, following lnforma-
ton given by the wives of two of
them when Judge johnson made
them understand that his efforts
to clean up the district, if sue
cessful, would result in better
homes and better opportunity for
their children.
When Judge Johnson sentenc-
ed the six men he told them that
they would take 'either Christ or
the devil to prison with them and
that they could return better or
worse men,"
When the court called for vol
unteers to protect the wives and
children of the prisoners during
the four years absence, $50 men
stoo dup and promised to assist.
Included among the men who
stood up and promised to assist.
arrested several weeks ago when
Judge Johnson issued warrants
for practically the entire adult
population of Mill Creek.
The exercises today closed the
term of the court during which
Judge Johnson directed sweep
ing investigation of an alleged
plot in the Mill Creek section of
Clay Hole to obstruct the courts
by preventing arrests of Mill
Creek residents. even if it was
necessary to kill officers to do
so.
The questioning of many resi-
dents including ofietrs, resulted
in the returning of 1,5OO indict-
ments, most of them charging
moonshining, bootlegging, drunk
enness or pistol toting.
The trial of the six men sets a
record for Clay county, as the
crime was committed and the
men indicted, tried and sentenced
during a short term of court.
Two other members Of the a1leg-
| ed gang will be tried at next term
of court.
Judge Johnson invited every
citizen of Manchester and Clay
county to attend the closing day
of court and the courtroom was
crowded. School was dismissed
that the school children might at
tend, and they marched to the
court house with their teachers.
Tears filled the eyes of the
prisoners and members of their
families and spectators in the
court room as the ministers pray
ed for the offenders and gave
thanks fol- work the court has
accomplished ''in making this
ibetter community in which to
rear children" and many of them
joined with the school children in
singing hymns.
The men who were sentenced
today are Frank. Joe, William
and Ed Smith, am yey and
Jim Grubbs. Homer Grubbs and
Mckinley Jones are to be tried
next term.
The men are supposed to have
been members of a party which
fired on officers, wounding Depu-
ty Sheriff Stivers. Stivers' horse
and the mounts of two other men
were killed as bullets whizzed
about the ears of the possemen.
The Staying of John Taylor, a
witness in a lawsuit that was ex-
Ipected to be tried this term, re-
suited in the Indictment of Louis
Moorewood and Merkle Smith,
both of whom are held under
bond for trial at the next term of
| court.