The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-01-08
SEPARATE TRIALS FOR EACH OF NINE MEN
 UNDER INDICTMENTS
Continued from Page one)

IS; William F. Hanby. January 27, and Glenn L. Stephens. February 5. The cases of the remaining five sol- diers, Roy Patton, Jr, Milburn E. 1 Speed, James Franklin. Manly R. Sex | ton and Clarence E. Richardson, have not been formally ct. but 1t is stated l their hearings will follow the others as rapidly as possible.
 More than 100 witnesses have been summoned for the Lancaster trial by the state and an equal number by the defense, and with nearly a score of the states leading lawyers arrayed against each other. daily sensations in the trial Is looked for.
 As In the former trials, Horace e. Wilkinson, special assistant attorney general, under 8 commission from Thomas E. Kilby, will be in charge of the case for the state. He will be assisted by W. c. Davis of Jasper, Ralph Quinn of Birmingham, Solicitor J. M. Pennington of Jasper. w. V. Mayhall of Haleyville, and c. E. Mitchell and J. P. Middleton of Ham ilton.
 On the defendants side of the coun- sel table when the trial opens will be Senator A. II. Carmichael of Tusoum- bia. Cecil Gray of Jasper, Fleetwood Rice, Judge Bernard Harwood. John Mcqueen, H. l.. Findlay, Ernest B. Fite. Kel V. Fite and Fred Jones. A touch of romance has entered the case since its last trial by the mar riage of Lancaster to Miss Josephine Ellis of Coal Valley, which occurred several weeks ago In the Bessemer jail. where the guardsmen have been confined since the last hearings in their cases in July. Lancaster is said to have met his wife while on guard duty in Walker county prior to the lynching of Baird. and his arrest in connection with the affair.
 Excitement Created
 The lynching or Baird, coming in tho midst of the industrial strife rag ing in the mineral districts of Ala bama because of the strike of coal miners in those sections created an excitement and inflamed condition of the public mind never before eaualled in the state. which was increased when nine members of the national guard, which had been placed in the affected area for the purpose of maintaining order were arrested in connection with the case and formally charged with the crime.
 The coal strike had been going on for several months when disorders Tn the affected area became so /nu- merous that Governor Kilby ordered the state militia into the field to aid In the restoration and maintenance or order Among those ordered out for duty was Company M, composed or Tuscaloosa youths to which ali the present defendants belonged.
 On December 23, 1920, after the soldiers had been on duty in Walker county for some time, Rev. Adrian Northcutt, who resided near Nauvco in the strike zone of Walker county, was shot and killed by Private James Morris. of Company M, which was on duty in that vicinity. Accounts as to the causes for and the actual killing of Northcutt differ. According to the state he was shot by Morris with a .45-caliber automatic pistol after the latter had come to his house and asked for him and had been directed to the barn from which Morris is alleged to have taken Northcutt and to have shot him after taking him down the road about 75 yards.
 William Baird. son-in-law of Northcutt. who lived in the house with him and who was one of the miners on strike. is said to have rushed out of the house and shot and killed Morris. Following the killing, Baird surrendered and was placed in the Walker county jail at Jasper, on a charge of murder.
 On the night of January 13 shortly before daylight two automobiles loaded with masked men drove to the jail at Jasper and overpowering the jailer took Baird. who was asleep in his cell at the time, from the jail put him into the automobile and took him to a spot on the road several miles from Jasper. Here, he was