Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1923-02-10
preston News service)

Gainesville, Fla, Feb, SIN a
long charge to the grand jury Judge
A. w. Long declared the action of JUS
tice of the Peace in assuming jurisdle
&on of the COW stealing unwarranten
and the action of the deputy in failing
to place Abe Wilson, the accused in
county Jail misconduct of office. The
charge of Judge Long, delivered eA'
temporaneously follows:
1.-The Court charges you, gentlemen
of the grand jury, that an order was
issued that you reassemble for the reas
on that subsequent to your dismissal
the first week of the term, homi eide
has been committed in this county, III
which one Abe Wilson lost his life mt
the hands presumably, mob.
"The court desires to call your atten
ton. first. to the fact that this mau
was charged with the larceny of COW
in a warrant issued by justice Of the
peace of this county. 1t is the law o.
this state that no one shall be trlen
for felony in the circuit court except
upon an indictment found by grand
jury Tire larceny Of n COW, horse or
cattle is felony and punishable by
not less than two years, nor more than
five, in the state penitentiary. Regard
less of this mans constitutional right
and regardless of the fact that JUS.
tees court had no right or authority
to tcy and determine the guilt or limo
cense of Wilson, this justice OF the
peace, usurping the, jurisdiction of
higher court placed this man upon
trial for petty larceny, valuing the
COW at $15 and proceeded in the nlgh,
time, to try the case. rendering n
judgment that he pay fine OF S3OV
and costs or be committed to the
county Jail for period of six months
Upon this Judgment. void as 1T was
and upon a commitment issued by
him, as void as the blank paper upon
which it was written, this man was i'll
carcerated. not in the common Jail OF
Alachua county, but In Il Jail at New
berry and taken therefrom and eXEt
cuted.
"It is also apparent from the files
that this justice of the peace is the
coroner who held the inquest; that
without any examination of the body
of Wilson by those competent to judge
or determine the case OF death that is
to say, whether he died from hanging
or whether he was murdered in
some other way, and then hung up in
order to throw responsibility upon an
unknown mob, was not determined
but the verdict of the jury was that he
came to his death by hanging.
SCORES DEPUTY SHERIFF
''The court calls your attention to
the fact that Alachua county has but
one Jail, and that it was the duty of
the deputy sheriff not to have placed
this man in a Jail at Newberry, but
to have transported him with all speed
to the common Jail of AIachua county,
and delivered him into the custody of
the sheriff.
~
NOT BECAUSE HE WAS A NEGRO
at is not to be said that because
Abe Wilson was Negro that the full
est investigation should not be given.
This court instructs YOU that 1t maj.
ters not his race or color. the law has
been violated; constituted authority
has been ignored and opposed. and it
Is your duty to sincerely honestly
and fearlessly make an effort to bring
the guilty parties to justice. 1t has
been well said that this government of
ours is one that can protect the hum
blest citizen standing i'm the shadow OF
his little cot, as well as it can protect
the wealthy In his castle OF marble
and gold.
THE EXECUTION OF WILSON
WAS JUST PLAIN MURDER
"The execution OF Wilson was not
1ynching in the plain acceptance of
the term; he was not executed by an
enraged populace whose reason had he
come dethroned because of the helm.
BUSINESS Of the offense. nor was II to
ayenge the honor OF some innocent
woman but It was murder, as foul as
ever perpetrated and has reflected up
on this county and the commonwealth
Of Florida and has been condemned in
the great dailies and magazines OF the
country. II the officers of this county
and yourselves as grand jurors do not
use their best efforts TO determine who
committed this disgraceful crime with
in the confines you shall be regarded
as remiss in your duty and shall
answer for this neglect in the last
great day.
REFERS TO RESOLUTION.
"Ny attention has been called to
resolution rass"d bv the Deople OF