The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-03-20
YOUTH PREVENTS
 TWO LYNCH|NGS
Intense Feeling Results From Murder of Tennessee
 Deputy Sheriff
By Associated Press

Chattanooga, March 19.-According to citizens of Durham. Ga, D. W. Williams. the young manager of the commssary at the Durham coal mines on Lookout mountain play ed a heroic role in the. stirring episode that followed the shooting of J. W. Morton, deputy sheriff, by the Baker boys. at Durham yesterday, having almost slngle-handed, on two different occasions and at different places prevented lynching of the ac- cused. The story is related by wit nesses in substance as follows:
 When the Central of Georgia train rolled up to the little loading station of the mining company yesterday al noon Ralph and George Baker scarcely out of their teens. stepped from a car near which Morton, who was 67 years of age, was waiting to assist his Invalid daughter, Mrs Gordon Phillips. who had come to the mining town to be treated by the company doctor. One of the Bakers placed himself In front of the off cer and said:
 Well, you got warrant for us have you?"
 Morton replied:
 No, boys, l have no warrant for you"
 Then without further words the two brothers opened fire and the aged man pitched forward with his body riddled with bullets, but fired one shot as he fell dead.
 Witnesses Stunned The 50 or more men standing around the station were stunned by the suddenness of the tragedy, but not so with Williams. who was ir the cornmissary some distance away and who immediately ran to the scene following the roar of the guns Unarmed, but taking in the situ- ation at once, he secured revolver from bystander and calling two other young men to his assistance started in pursuit of the fleeing gun men. George Baker was soon run down and captured, when a mob oi men who had gathered threw rope around his neck and were threaten ing to hang him. Williams boldly told the crowd that Baker was his pris- oner and that he intended to protect him, finally persuading the angry citizens to disperse.
 Meantime another posse was trail- ing Ralph Baker and finally found him in the loft of a farm house sew eral. miles from Durham. He was dragged out, chain thrown around his neck and plans made to string him up to a tree. Williams had joined the searchers by this time and along with few other men pro tested against the lynching. but some of the citizens were determined to work vengeance. One of the leaders then drew line on the ground and asked all favoring hanging Baker tc step across, declaring with an oath that a majority should rule. Imme- diately nearly all of the hundred men present stepped across the dead line but Williams took a firm stand for law and order and again prevented g lynching. the second time within a few hours.
 The prisoner was then taken to Durham and turned over with his brother. to Sheriff Harmon, who had hurried to the scene from La Fayette in car, and both of the ac- cused were placed in jail.
 That the killing of Deputy Morton was deliberately planned was indi- cated by the fact that the Baker boys are said to have cut the telephone wires before boarding the train a, Flint Stone for Durham. The affair coming upon the heels of several other killings of officers by moon. sinners and liquor runners. has ere
 ated tense feeling throughout the country.