Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-09-06
MURDER WARRANT
IS ISSUED AGAINST
HERRIV KLANSMAN

HERRIN, Ill, Sept. A. (By the
Associated Press.) John III. Smith,
Herrin garage owner, was charged
by the coroner's jury with having
shot and killed Chester Reid here
last Saturday noon in q shooting af
fray in which five other men were
killed.
The jury recommended that he be
held over to the grand jury, and a
warrant charging murder was sign
ed by Coroner William MCGOWAN and
placed in the hands Of Deputy Sher-
iff George Walker for immediate
service.
Smith was the ONLY one of those
who were accused by the jury, to es-
| cape the fracas with his life.
The jury found that Deputy Sher
if J. Fl. Bud" Allison, slain, was
killed by Green Dunning, also slain,
and that Cumming was killed by Al
lison.
Tt also found that Chester Reid,
while acting as a peace-maker, was
shot and killed by John Smith; that
| Otto Rowland, Dewey Newbold and
| Charles WoHard were killed by per-
sons unknown.
Newbold and Wollard were ac-
| knowledged I<lansmen and Rowland
was by-stander, killed by a stray
| bullet.
Saw Dunning Shoot
| At the closing session of the in
quest today, Yves Freeman testified
that during the fight in front of the
CARA ge> he saw Green Dunning, Ku
KIux Klansman, fire from a grape
arbor across the street. He added
that he believed it was Cummings
shot that killed Bud" Allison, one
of Sheriff George Galligan's depu
! ties. Dunning also was killed
! Freeman also testified that he saw
an automobile in which sat City
| Judge e. n. Bowen, his ,stenog-
| pier. Miss Jane Lassater, and another
man, who he did not recognize, pass
! the scene, but that he did not see
any shots fired from this automo-
bile. Yesterday witnesses testified
that. Judge Bowen and States At
! torney DelOs Duty passed the garage
| in an automobile and had fired sew
eral shots.
"a lot Of people were shooting"
| the witness continued. Il saw the
sheriff's bunch go down the street
to the garage. Ga1ligan had a gun
and I believe I saw one on Ora
! Thomas, too. I saw Charles Den
ham and two other men come along
in an automobile and they also be-
gan firing"
Denham testified yesterday he and
the men with him did not fire, but
IL hi Il y oil
the shooting.
Allison First Man Shot
81 saw a man in Denham's car
fail wounded" Freeman said Il
also saw Cunning drop after being
struck by bullets. Bud Allison was
the first man shot in the clash, and
the shots that struck him came from
the direction of the grape arbor be-
hind which Dunning was hidden
while firing"
Concerning DR.. John 7. Black,
head of the hospital here, Freeman
testified he saw the physician on
the scene kneeling beside the body
OF a man on the sidewalk.
Several other witnesses also tesu-
fled
II have done my BEST" the core
ner said, when the evidence was
Icompleted Il have been fair to both
sides and have shown no partially.
Everyone has, had an opportunity
, before this jury to testify" and
turning to the jurors, he told them
to return their verdict on the evil
| dence placed before them The tes-
timony had been more or less con-
flicting.
The jury deliberated an hour. Its
members comprised two farmers,
three miners and a former justice Of
the peace. Witnesses yesterday teS-
titled that Galligan, Thomas and
Deputy Sheriff Allison and the three
Shelton boys fired the shots that
killed the three Klansmen, Willard,
Dunning and Newbold. No wit
uesses We're heard who knew who
killed Allison or Rowland.
At least temporary peace in the
turbulent affairs of Williamson coun-
ty seemed assured today as a result
OF promises extracted from both khan
and anti-kIan leaders by Captain
Harold NJ. Bigelow, in charge of
troops at Herrin, to take no aggres-
sive steps which might result in fur
Their bloodshed.
Captain Bigelow gained a prom.
Use from Sheriff Galligan in
Marion not to return to Herrin ex-
cept on official business and then
only after informing the military of
his intention. A promise was also
obtained from John Smith, local
khan leader, to deliver to Galligan's
deputies the automobile now held
| in his garage.
The truce comes as a great relief
to local citizens, who yesterday
waited anxiously, fearing an out
break when khan and anti-lllan were
to meet at the OCCASION of the coro-
ner's inquest into the six mems
death.
DR.. Silas McBee, Noted