Fitzgerald leader enterprise and press. (Fitzgerald, Ben Hill County, Ga.) 1921-1964, 1922-01-19

some trouble there.
Mrs. A. c. Jeffords testified that
soon after Mr.. and Mrs. Fred Stubs
land young son, who had been spend.
ing the evening at her house had left
she received a telephone message adj
Hising her of the trouble at the En-
gineer's picket post, did not know
lwho telephoned. She had already re-
tired and hurriedly putting on her
slippers and bath robe, ran across to
the residence of Bruce Martin, and
found Mr., and Mrs. Martin in bed
She told of the message over the phone
and both of them hurriedly dressed
and Mrs. Martin returning with her
to her own residence and Mr.. Martin
going elsewhere, she knew not where
On returning to her own house. Mr..
and Mrs. Stubs soon arrived there
also, having heard of the shooting
Mr.. and Mrs. w. A. Bowling and Mr.
and Mrs. VIM. Bryant stopped in their
car in front of her house, whilst Stubs
and his wife were talking to her
w. A. Bowling, agent for the Com
munity Oil Co., and the Willard Bat.
terry Co., testified to being out rid
ing on July S, when they heard of
the shooting. Going out north Main
street they saw several people at the
Jefford's home and Bryant being a
brother Engineer, requested Bowling
to drive up and learn if they could be
Iof any assistance, Bowling testified
that when he stopped his car Fred
Stubbs walked up to it and told them
that he had just learned that there
was SOME trouble at the picket post,
that someone was shot but that he
didn't know of the particulars.
bowling also testified that before
reaching the Jeffords home, he heard
the engine coming into the depot that
was said to have brought in the
wounded engineer.
The defendant Fred Stubs here
took the stand and made one of the
clearest, most convincing statements
ever made in the Ben Hill Court
House.
Stubs Makes Statement To Jury
Your. Honor and Gentlemen of the
Jury:
was an employee of the A. B. &
A. Railway up until March 5th, 1921
when | withdrew from their service
asserting my rights as All American
citizen for a principle | thought |
was right and still think so. | have
maintained an attitude of peace during
the period OF this strike. having offer.
ed my services to the Mayor, Sheriff,
and Chief of Police of this city at any
time they saw fit to use me in any
capacity to enforce the laws. | re
manned in Fitzgerald until about Aug
ust when my wife was taken sick and
lit became necessary to put her under
care of physician Not being fl
Inancially able to give her the proper
medical attention | carried her to Flor
ida, and put her under the care of my
brother-in law who is a specialist at
Daytona
While liz Fitzgerald was taken in
custody by the sheriff charged with
intimidation and interfering with the
present employees of the road Be
fore going to Florida l called up
Judge Cover and asked for permits
sion to leave the state as | was under
a $500 bond, Judge Cover readily
gave his permission but Informed me
to first get permission from Solicitor
Wall and what ever his decision was
would be agreeable.
Solicitor Wall gave his consent and
left and went to Florida | left my
address with the Solicitor and the
| Sheriff and told them that | would re-
turn at anytime they wanted me for
trial. After having been in Florida
about thirty days, I received tele-
gram from Mr.. w. M. Martin, gen
eral chairman OF the Locomotive Eng
ineers, calling me to Fitzgerald. Not
J being able to draw any conclusions
from the message, | Immediately call
ed Mr.. Martin and he informed me
that the Grand Jury had returned a
bill of indictment against me charg
ing intimidation and coercion OF the
present employees of the road I told
Mr. Martin | would come to Fitzgerald
on the following day I left Daytona
! Sunday night. | went to the phone
at once and called the sheriff. His son
Henry answered the phone and told
me his father was in bed. told him
to notify his father that I was in
Fitzgerald and would report to him
in the morning. The following morn
ing~I met Sheriff Dorminy on Grant
street and told him I was here and
asked him if he wanted me. He infor.
med me of the warrant and wanted
me to make bond went to the court
house and arranged bond Mr.. Fair
fields case was the first called and
not knowing when I would get tria
went to Judge Cover and asked
permission to again return to Florida
with my brother in law who had driv.