Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-02-27
HARDW|CK MOVES
To |ND|CT SLAYERS
Of FEDERAL AGENT
Attorney General Directed
to Aid in Prosecution of
Carriers in ~EChoIs County,
Wallace Urges Action

QlEScLSu AILOLuSy 0cllSldl 4NCp4OA "
proceed at once to obtain, or assist
in obtaining, indictments Of II. 7.
Carter, otherwise known as mann"
Carter, and his son, Will Carter,
the Echols county cattle men
charged with the murder Of Max
Lochridge, a federal cattle tick IN
spector, and the wounding of Roy
Ritchey, a federal cattle tick inspec-
tor, in Echols county on February 8,
and to assist in prosecuting the men
in Echols county superior court on
a charge of murder.
Attorney General Napier informed
the newspaper men that he would
at once communicate with Judge
Thomas and Solicitor Hay, of that
circuit. The next term Of Echols
superior court is scheduled to be-
gin Tuesday, March 13. Warrants
have bene issued for the Carriers,
| but they have not been arrested
They are believed by DIR, P. H
Bahnsen, state veterinarian, to be
hiding in the swamps of Echols
county. Attorney General Napier
will undertake to have them indicted
as soon as the next term of court
convenes.
Governor Hardwick gave out Sat
urday a copy Of a letter he had just
received from Henry P. Wallace,
secretary of agriculture of the
United States( denouncing the kill
ing of Lochridge as "a cold-hlooded
murder" and urging in the strong
est terms the exertion of every pos
sible effort by the state to bring
the Carriers to justice.
He gave out with this copy of
his. reply to Secretary Wallace in,
forming him that he has offered re-
wards of $500 for the arrest and con-
viction of the Carriers this being the
largest amount allowed by law, and
has directed the attorney general to
prosecute them before the grand
Governor Hardwick said he re-
garded the crime as an act of vio-
lence against the severeignty-e of the |
state of Georgia and the United
States and would exert every posi- |
BILE effort to punish hte offenders.
Pitched Battles Fought
Lochridge and Ritchey, as federal
inspectors, were working in coop.
Grafton with the state authorities in
the cattle tick eradication campaign
in FIchols county.
Opposition by certain cattle own
ers OF that county to enforcement Of
the tick eradication law has verged
on open warfare Seeral times. A
number of dipping watts have been
destroyed by dynamite. Once or
| twice the revolving cattle owners
and the tick inspectors have fought |
pitched battles with guns. The first
killing to come out of the Echols
county situation was that OF Loeb
ridge on February 3.
According to Ritchey's account of
the killing, he and Lochridge went |
to Mann Carriers place to serve no
t1ce on him of cow of his having
been taken up for dipping. They |
found Carter and his son in the |
woods near his home. Both, accord |
ing to Ritchey, were carrying shot |
guns, as if they were hunting. The |
notice was served and a short con- |
versation took place without angry |
words. on either side. Ritchey re-
pCted, and as the two inspectors |
were turning toward the road to |
their automobile they heard a gun !
hammer raised behind them.
Whirling to face the Carriers, &C.
cording to Ritchey, they found both !
guns raised. Lochridge was shot in |!
the face at close range and died in |
stantly. His face was practically |
shot away. Ritchey saved himself
by running toward a swamp. His |
back was peppered with shot and he |
was shot through the lung with O. |
bullet. He says he heard two shots
after the Carriers ceased firing on |
him, and when Lochridge's body |
was recovered it was found that |
two loads of shot had been fired |
into his stomach, apparently as he
lay dead on the ground.
Drastic Action Urged !
Dear Governor HardWick:
Il inclose herewith copy of let.
ter to the chief of the bureau of
animal industry of this department |
from j. S. Horne, inspector in
charge of tick eradication in Geor-
gia, giving the details of the fatal |
shooting by H. T. Carter and his
son, Will Carter, near Statewide,
Ga. of Max Lochridge, an employe
of this department on DR.. Horne's
force, on February 3, 1923, and the
wounding of Roy S. Ritchey, an
other employe of this department on
DR.. Horne's force. Messrs. Loeb
engaged upon tick eradication work
of this department carried on in
cooperation with the state of Geor-
gia.
81 have not been informed wheth-
er any steps have been taken by
local authorities to apprehend and
punish the Carriers, but it is the
feeling of the officials of the bureau
onf animal industry, who have been
in close touch with the tick eradi-
cation work in the section of Geor-
gia where this crime was commit
ted, that very little if any effort |
has been made by the county sher-
Tiff to serve warrants and bring the |
Carriers to justice. From the in
formation contained in DR.. Horne's
letter it may be inferred that this
was a cold-b looded murder for !
which the severest punishment I'M
der the law ought to be inflicted.
Unfortunately, there is no federal
statute adequately dealing with the
killing of the departments employees
under circumstances like this. The
only statute applicable is section
81 of the penal code, which ap
thorizes the imposition of a SEN !,
tence of not more than $1,000 or
Imprisonment for not more than
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