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THE AUGUSTA DAILY HERALD
VOLUME XIV., No. 18
DR. WILKINSON CHARGED
EFFORTS AT INTIMIDATION
SAYS THOSE WHO WORK
AGAINST BLIND TIGERS
r t>HAVE TO FIGHT AGAINST
BEING DISCREDITED
SOME METHODS USED
Says That City Officials’
Names have been Rubbed
Off Court Blotter
In his sermon at the St. James
Methodist church Sunday night Rev.
Richard Wilkinson declared that ef
forts were being made to embaras's
and discredit the witnesses against
the blind tigers in Augusta. Dr. Wil
kinson said that the liquor interests
had as well organized a system for
doing Tiiis ns the church had in its
missionary work.
Dr. .Wilkinson said that in Seattle
a minister .whom the liquor interests
desired to get rid of, was lured to
...e home of a liquor dealer on the
pretense that the man desired to sug
gest some method of doing away with
the evil. Once in the place the mitt,
ister was shown to an elegantly ap
pointed room and left alone by the
saloon man. Soon a woman appear
ed in the room, “clad in nature's
garb,’’ and a bidden camera took the
pictures of the two. Three days later
the minister was shown the picture
and given two days to leave the city.
Realizing that he would not be able
to explain he left, but the trick was
found out and the saloon man was
made to leave ever more hurriedly.
It was along these lines, said Dr.
Wilkinson, that the efforts in Augus
ta were being made. Gentlemen in
terested in the light against the ti
gers who rode on the street cars ho
said were subjected to the mortifica
tion of having women of doubtful
character made to sit by them on the
street cars, and seek to enter into
conversation with them.
One of those prominent in the
move against the tigers, said Mr.
Wilkinson, was with his family a day
or two ago when a carriage drove up
to the door and the message w r as de
livered from it that a lady had just
arrived on the train and wanted to
see him, and had sent the carriage
for him. The gentleman refused
saying that if the lady whose name
was not given, wanted to see him,
she couid come to his home and see
him there.
WOULD REFUSE
MIDNIGHT CALL.
Dr. Wilkinson declared that things
had come to such a pass that if he
were to receive a mid-night call to
come out to attend a dying mail he
would refuse it, believing it to be a
trap laid for him.
Charging that the city officials
were some of them responsible for
the state of affairs in the city he
asked that the “Voters of Augusta
arise and one by one put them out.”
It was following a fervid appeal
along this line that he called on the
congregation to “Stand on your feet”
as a protest a mark that they
would enlist in the fight for a bet
ter city government. The great
crowd that attended the service rose
like one man, even those outside in
the Sunday school room to which
the audience had overflowed, rising
at the request.
Dr. Wilkinson again paid his re
spects to Recorder Picquet. He
said that witnesses were available
who had heard him say he was big
ger than his office, and that in pres
ence of other witnesses he had said
he did not believe in the law.
Dr. Wilkinson asked that a fellow
big enough for the office be put in
it and that they get an office big
enough for the man. Dr. Wilkinson
said he had heard that the Recorder’s
chief qualification was he could scare
the negroes.
Addressing himself to the com
plaint that the church was going into
politics Dr. Wilkinson said that il
the officials would take the evils up
the church people would not have
to do it.
Another solution would he the in
forming of the Recorder, he said of
the existence of the law concerning
public nuisances, by which the blind
tigers could be handled, as such, as
told in the letter of Governor Smith,
and which did not necessitate the
witnesses knowing the color of the
hair of the man who 6old the liquor
and did not have to show that th*
proprietor of the place did the gall
ing.
At this point Dr. Wilkinson speak
ing of the Recorder said, "You know
and I kpow that he is simply trifling
with this law,” and if he would give
those convicted the sentences he
should the situation would soon be
cleaned up.
VIOLATIONS
WINKED AT.
Dr. Wilkinson declared that the
violation of the law was being wink
ed at In Augusta. He said if council
would do more the ministers would
not have to do so much. The min
isters would be glad to stop he said
If the officials would do their duty,
but until they did be was going to
fceep on the job.
As a sign of the rotteness he claim
ed existed in Augusta Dr. Wilkinson
said that charges had been entered
against one of the police commission
ers on the police court blotter and
the charges had been marked off and
JESUIT COLLEGE IT
SPRINGFIELD IS
BURNED
Crossed Wires in Chapel
Believed to Have Caused
Blaze Which Soon De
stroyed Main Building—
No Lives Lost.
MOBILE, Ala—Famous Spring Hill
college, the largest Jesuit institution
in the South is on fire. The flames
are rapidily gaining headway.
The greater part of the main build
ing of the college has been destroyed.
The fire, which is thought to have
been caused by a crossed wire ill the
chapel, was discovered during the
morning service. The several hund
red students present are all believed
to have gotten out safely.
The college authorities gave oiilf a
statement soon after the fire that all
persons connected with the college
had been accounted for and were
safe.
Many in Augusta and vicinity are
interested in the fire at the Spring
Hill College. It is a favorite institu
tion among Catholics, and several
well known Augustans are numbered
among its alumni. Nearly .all the
priests at the Sacred Heart church
and College were educated there and
some of them have been members
among its faculty at one time or
another.
CAR RAN DOWN MEN
BLINDED BY LIGHT
Came Out of Experiment
Laboratories and Could
Not See Approaching
Car.
NEW YORK. —The death of one
man and the serious injury to an
other has brought to light a new peril
in the metropolis. Since the accident
it has been proposed that men who
work in the power houses of elec
trical companies be placed in a dark
room for half an hour after their work
is done before they are allowed to
go home.
Two assistants were helping Thom
as Edison, the inventor, in the test
ing of a new high-powered electric
light. They worked most of the night
and when they left the labratory
were unable to see. Nevertheless,
they attempted to go to their homes
and were run down by a trolley car
which they could not see approach
ing.
Investigation is said to reveal that
many of the electricians who work on
some of the big electric plants of the
city where they are obliged to spend
hours under glaring light, have the
same trouble, and it has been sug
gested that such men be required to
accustom themselves to ordinary light
before they leave for home.
SPARTANBURG NEGRO WILL
BE HANGED ON FEBRUARY 5
SPARTANBURG, S. C.—Will Fos
ter, colored, twice convicted on the
charge of murder, will be hanged in
the county jail on Friday, February
5. Foster was convicted of having
killed John Young, an aged white
man, about eighteen months ago. He
secured a new trial after his first
conviction, but was convicted a sec
ond time. There has been some talk
of an effort to have Foster’s death
sentence commuted to life imprison
ment.
HEBEW COUNCIL MEETS
IN QUAKER CITY MONDAY
PHILADELPHIA.—Leaders of the
Jewish faith from all over the Uni
ted States and Canada are the guests
of the Quaker City Monday at. the
opening of the twenty-first council of
ahe Union of American Hebrew Con
gregations. Meetings of the executive
board of the union and similar
boards of other national Jewish or
ganizations were held this afternoon
In the rooms of the Mercantile club
and will be continued Monday even
ing. The general session will open
Tuesday with an address by the presi
dent of the union, Louis J. Goldman.
never heard. He charged this against
the recorder He called attention
to another case against a police com
missioner charging him with pinning
a blind tiger. The ease had not
been pressed he said and was still
hanging fire.
Dr. Wilkinson said that it had
been charged the movement against
the blind tigers was limited to a
few of the Methodist churches and
was a money-making scheme. He
denied this indignantly.
When the hats were passed for
the collection he announced that ail
those who were law-breakers or in
sympathy with them were not to con
tribute. He asked the ushers to
take a list of those who allowed the
hat to pass by them without con
tributing.
Forecast for Augusta and Vicinity—Fair tonight and Tuesday.
AUGUSTA, GEORGIA, MONDAY AFTERNOON, JANUARY 18, 1909
ROOSEVELT WAS
SCATHINGLY
DENOUNCED
Representative Willett of
New York Arraigns the
President in Bitter
Speech.
WASHINGTON D. C.—Character
izing President Roosevelt as a gar
goyle and as “This pigmy descend
ant of Dutch trades people” and
charging him with having establish
ed a court in the White house which
W'ould have delighted the heart of
his admired Alexander Hamilton, Rep.
resentative Willett, of New Yo’-k. in
the house representatives made one
of the most bitter attacks on the chief
executive ever heard in that body.
Willett took for his theme “The pass
ins of Roosevelt” and in his speech
of great length dealt with numerous
if the president’s acts since he came
into office and scathingly denounced
them.
Willett said, “He tries our patience
but he is always good to laugh at.”
Willett save a brief biograph of
Roosevelt’s life and accused him, in
his early manhood, of having had pre
posterous notions, of having ‘ knifed"
Secretary Long, of being “A warrior
alone in Cuba,” of having won (he
governorship of New York by a mere
fluke “When the false haY. of San
Juan Hill was above his head; the
beneficiary of the assassination and
last and crowning piece of luck the
nominee for president whan all ag
gressive elements of opposition want
ed to see their own candidate de
feat'd.
“He tells us the Southern aristo
crast were among his polyglot ances
tors; but I can inform him that if the
wife of Robert Toombs or of Jeffer
son Davis had been treated by him
as Mrs. Minor Morris was, he would
have been called out or branded as a
coward if he had been thousand times
president,” he said:
“We have a king and a court now.”
He referred critically to the presi
dent’s attitude toward Dewey, Schley
and Miles and declared the president
showed his teeth at all real heroes”
because real heroes are gall and
wormwood to ones.”
He declared the president had al
lowed “scandalous conditions” to ex
ist in the army and navy.
Willetts references to the president,
became so severe that Chairman But
ler interrupted and admonished him.
“It is entirely within the rules of
the house,” said he “hat official con
duct of the president may be criticis
ed or commended. The chair plead
ed, “Please not offensively refer to
the president of the United States.”
Hughes of West Virginia, protested
that Willett was not using language
permitted in debate, and point oi or
der. The chair held that It had au
thority to direct that the remarks
made out of order be omitted from
the record and said he would consid
er the point of order when the chair
had an opportunity of- examining the
remarks made by the gentleman.
Hepburn of lowa, insisted that Wil
lett should take his seat; Mann of
Illinois, read the rules on case. The
chair directed Willett to take his
seat which he reluctantly did.
Before the chair passed on the
points of Messrs. Hepburn and Mann,
Mr. Candler of Mississippi, moved
that Willett be allowed to “proceed
in order’ on that motion a vote was
taken with the result that by a par
ty vote of 78 to 126. Tne house re
fused further to hear the New York
member.
In vain Fitzgerald of New York,
sought to have the chair construe the
rules so that Willett might proceed.
Willett had practically concluded his
remarks and he received the verdict
of the house with a smile.
MRS. LULA B. WEBER
DIED MONDAY MORNING
rr he death is announced of Mrs.
Lula D. Weber, the wife of Mr. Emil
Weber, which occurred at 8 o’clock
Monday morning, at the family resi
dence, No. 1108 Twiggs street.
The deceased was in the 40th year
of her age, and passed away after a
brief illness. She was beloved In
her community, and her death is
deeply mourned.
She leaves, besides a deeply dis
tressed husband, three daughters, as
follows: Mrs. L. W. Ward, Mrs. W. V.
Miller and Miss Bertha Weber. She
is survived, also, by her nTither, Mrs.
S. R. Cloy; two sisters, Mesrames. J.
D. Moss of Charleston and Mrs. W.
G. Cloy of Gough; and one brother,
Mi. T. A. Quarrels, of Augusta.
The funeral services will be con
ducted from the residence on Tues
day afternoon by Rev. L. G. Johnson
and interment takes place at the City
cemetery.
RIGHT REV- B- J. M’QUAID
DIED MONDAY MORNING
ROCHESTER, N. V.—The Right
Rev. Bernard .1. McQuaid, bishop of
the Roman Catholic diocese of Roches
ter, died Monday morning.
NEWBPAPERB ORGANIZE.
CHARLESTON, W.Va.—At a meet
ing here Monday of publishers of
leading newspapers of West. Vir
ginia, a state league was Organized
for the correction of certain matters
and the promotion of legislation fav
orable to newspaper interests.
QUEEN VICTORIA
Queen Victoria, of Spain,
who is reported to have
been mysteriously shot in
the forehead during; her
recent visit with King Al
fonso to the Hunting
Lodge of Archduke Fred
erick in Austria.
Hi I H. HIRRIU
WENHOII
Will Alternate Between
Aiken and Terrace—Mr.
Ogden at Terrace.
Mr Edward H. Harriman, America's
foremost railroad magnate is in Aik
en, S. C., the guest of his cousin, Mr.
Joseph Harriman, who owns a cot
tage there. He will visit Monday af
ternoon the Hampton Terrace hotel,
a private trolley car having been
sent to Aiken for his accomodation.
Mr. Harrlman’s time will he divid
ed between Aiken and the, Terrace.
He is accompanied by Robert Gil
lette and a party, including members
of the family. They arrived over the
Southern Monday morning, in a priv
ate car of the Union Pacific rail
road.
Mr. Harriman spent four hours in
Washington Sunday. He left thero
at 4:10 o’clock p. m., for Aiken.
Not to mention President-elect TaTt
and Mr. John D. Rockefeller, who are
at the Bon Air, in Summerville, Au
gusta’s unrivaled winter climate has
won another conquest, Mr. Robert O.
Ogden, the millionaire philanthropist,
and educator, being now a guest of
the Hampton Terrace hotel. Mrs.
Ogden is here, and Miss E. M. Folsom
of Hampton, Va,, and Miss Stuffio
ben of New York.
TRIAL SHERD CASE
OCCUPIED COURT
ON MONDAY
The attention of the U. S. Clrcnlt
and District court was directed en
tirely throughout the Monday morn
ing session to the recital of testi
mony and the Introduction of evi
dence for the prosecution In the case
will be taken up again. The defense
will introduce the testimony of 21
witnesses.
Shedd Is being defended by Maj.
Jos. Cumming and Mr. Oswell R Bve,
while the prosecution is conducted
by Dlst. Atty. Alex. Ackerman
JUDGE HAMMOND
CHARGED GRAND JURY
The grand jury met in the superior
court room Monday morning and
they were charged by Judge Henry
C. Hammond. Judge Hammond's
charge was on the duty of grand
Jurors. He told them the law and
what was required of them. He spoke
of the responsibility and the duty of
grand jurors to return Indictments,
without any feeling, but to carry out
the law. The charge was very brie?,
and the grand jury went Into session
a few minutes after 10 o’clock.
MME. CALVE WILL
ARRIVE THIS EVENING
Caught Central Train Out
of Savannah at Pooler—
Will Sing Here Thursday
Special to The Herald
SAVANNAH, Ga.-Mme Calve left
here this afternoon for Augusta, she
went to Pooler In a private convey
ance and caught the Central train
there. She will reach Augusta this
evening. The madam has been suf
fering from a slight throat affection.
Mine. Calve will Blag la Augusta
Thursday.
DECLARING MEN CANNOT GET FAIR HEARING
MR. BRANCH ASKS FOR A CONTINUANCE
PLEA MADE FOR POSTPONE
MENT OF THE TRIALS OF
MEN CHARGED WITH
VIOLATION OF PRO
HIBITION ACT
PUBLIC MIND INFLAMED
Brought on By Utterances
of the Ministers, News
papers and Calling of
Mass Meeting
Mr. Austin Branch, attorney for M.
J. Downey, charged with a violation
of the prohibition act, when the case
was called before Judge Eve in the j
city court this morning made a bril-!
liant argument for a continuance, on I
the plea that in the inflamed state
of the public mind, brought on by the
present agitation the men could not
get a fair trial. Mr. Branch also filed 1
a brief, which Judge Eve took under
advisement until tho afternoon, when
he will render his decision. Mr.
Branch claimed that ths sermons be
ing preached from tho pulpits, the
newspaper publicity being given them
and the calling of (he mass meeting
has brought on such a state of feel
ing that the men on trial do not have
a fair chance for an impartial hear
ing.
The brief filed by Mr. Branch is as
follows:
Now conies the defendant in the
above stated case and asks that the
trial of the same bo postponed and
continued on the ground that he can
not, at this time, secure a fair and
impartial trial, and as a reason why
he cannot at this time secure a fair
and impartial trial the defendant sotß
forth the following facts:
Ist. That for the past month or
six weeks in tho city of Augusta there
liar, been a continued and persistent
agitation of the people of Augusta
upon the subject of alleged violation
of the prohibition law of Georgia.
Morning and night on every Sunday
the ministers In the churches have
been delivering sermons, all based
upon the assumption that the law
of Georgia has been set at. defiance
and flagrantly violated by your de
fendant, and by others similarly situ
ated.
2nd. That the greater part of these
sermons have been delivered to large
congregations and have been delivered
since the arrest of this defendant and
while he was waiting for trial.
3rd. That all these sermons and
discourses, as stated, have assumed
and have stated as uncontrovertible
and undlsputable facts that (he law
of Georgia was being constantly and
; flagrantly violated and defied by your
defendant and by others against whom
I said charges were pending and the en-
I tire community, or at least the part
of the community as gave credence
j and were moved by these discourses,
| has been entirely convinced that the
j law has been violated flagrantly and
constantly and has been violated by
those against whom charges
were pending, one of whom
is your defendant. That as
a result of all these matters the
mind of the entire community has
been biased and prejudiced against
your defendant and against others
charged with similar violations, until
the legal presumption of innocence,
which your defendant has a right to
enjoy, and should enjoy, haR been
destroyed by the prejudice In tho
minds of the public, which It would
reqiure the strongest character of evi
dence to removo.
FEATURES OF
SERVICES.
4t,h. That as a result of these agi
tations the two dally newspapers of
the city have taken the matter up
and with inflammatory news stories
and editorials have led the commun
ity to believe that the laws of their
state were being violated and set. at
naught by a band of defiant and de
termined law breakers, one of whom
Is your defendant.
sth. That as evidence of the fact
your defendant exhibits to this court
an article from the Augusta Herald
dated Sunday, January 17th, under
the heading “Features of Services In
the Churches Today" hereto attached,
marked Exhibit A.
6th. aB further evidence of
the condition of the public mind and
feeling and the inflammatory and
prejudicial articles that have been
published and read In the said daily
papers, which said dally papers have
a large circulation among the class
of people from whom the jurors are
selected or the class of people with
whom the Jurors constantly associate
and receive their impressions and
opinions, your defendant submits an
other newspaper article from the Au
gusta Chronicle, Monday, January 18,
1909, the ver- day on which your de
fendant Is ; 'red to go to trial. The
article belt ; headed “Local Protest
ant. Ministei Waging Fierce Liquor
Fight.,” "Appeal Sent Out for the
Mass Meeting Which Will lie Held
Tomorrow Night,” “A Word to Jur
ors.” All of said articles being an
inflammatory appeal calculated to ex
cite the prejudice and bias of the
jurors and the community against
your defendant and against others
charged with violation of the law, and
calculated to entirely destroy the pre
sumption of Innocence, which It Is the
right of your defendant to enjoy.
7th. The further article showing
the condition of the public mind and
from the same Issue of the Augusta
Chronicle is entitled “Too much state;
Too little Church. Dr. Wilkinson
again preaches on Blind Tigers.” All
of said article being, as stated in the
DAILY AND SUNDAY $6.00 PER YEAR
THREE TIGER USER
PLEIDEB GUILT!
Test Will Be Matle to De
termine What Will lie
Done With Failgett’s
Whiskey.
i 1 *
Mr. A. P. Padgett pleaded guilty to
violation of the prohibition act in (he
city court Monday morning. Sen
tence was not pronounced. A large
amount of whisitey was found on tho
place. The supreme court has not
decided what can lie done with tho
whiskey and the county officials art;
going to make a test case, before
sentence is passed on Mr. Padgett.
John H. Kahrs, who was recently
convicted of violation of the city's
blind tiger ordinance pleaded guilty.
Mr. Wallace Pierce, the attorney for
Mr. Kahrs made a powerful plea for
Mr. Kahrs. He said that Mr. Kahrs
had signified his intention from now
on to obey the law and to give every
help ill his power to tlie officers. lie
asked that Mr. Kahrs be shown
mercy as he was placed in a rather
peculiar position.
Judge Eve said that Mr. Kahrs has
pleaded guilty of violation of the law
and that in the wide power of the
court he had to decide what fine or
imprisonment to give him. He said
that ho would fine him >6OO or 6
months on the public works. The
fine was paid.
Geo. Oxford pleaded guilty of viola
tion of the prohibition act and was
sentenced to pay a fine of >4OO or
serve 6 months on the public works.
Mr. Oxford’s place was raided on Do
comber 31st.
body of the article, a marvel of rhe
toric at once appealing and convinc
ing. “The heart of the great con
gregation was with the preacher,” "Ho
had their sympathy and their fro
quent aniens.” The said sermon lin
ing entirely proper from the point of
view of religious oratory, but calcu
lated to prejudice tho minds of the
people of this community and to con
vince them in advance of the trial,
of the guilt of the defendant and oth
ers against, whom these charges are
ponding, calculated to destroy a fair
and partial trial and calculated to re
move and rebut, the presumption of
innocence which it Is the right of
your defendant, to enjoy.
Bth. As a further evidence of the
condition of the public mind upon
this question your defendant exhibits
another article from said paper en
titled T)r. H. T. Cree on Indiffer
ence, Delivered Powerful Sermon at
First Christian Last Night. Plain
statement of facts presented and peo
ple were urged to got active In pro
hibition campaign.” Tho whole of
said article being calculated to deny
to your defendant a fuir and Impartial
trial and being calculated to rebut
the presumption of Innocence which
It Is the right of your defendant to
enjoy before the courts of tho land.
CONDITION OF
PUBLIC MIND.
9th. As a further evidence of the
condition of the public mind and the
Inflammatory appeals that are being
made and that will continue being
made before, at. and during Iho trial
of your defendant attached to this
motion marked Exhibit D. an article
from the same Issue of the paper en
titled “Mass meeting was announced,”
“Ministers of the city trail for large
attendance at. meeting tomorrow
night." That the matters and things
referred to In the said last mentioned
article Is the proposed visit upon the
Invitation of the same persons who
have been announcing the flagrant
violations of the prohibition law In
Augusta of Hon. Seaborn Wright of
Rome and Mr. W. A. Covington are
to appear In the city of Augusta and
deliver orations and speeches to
which the people are invited to at
tend upon the general subject of
stamping out the violations of the
prohibition law, which It Is assumed
are being committed in the city of
Augusta and urging the conviction of
all these defendants and your defend
ant, whom it is assumed and assert
ed Is one of the class who flagrantly
violated the laws of this State. Your
defendant submits that, the bringing
to Augusta of these distinguished pro
hibition agitators at the very time
when your defendant Is going on trial
is an ill advised and unjustifiable at
tempt on the part of the people In
terested In said agitation to Influence
the conduct of the courts and the ad
ministration of justice generally.
READ THE
EXHIBITS.
10th. That for all these reasons
your defendant respectfully shows
that condition of the public mind Is
so inflamed and that the prejudice
anti Idas of tin- public have been so
aroused that by constant assertions
in the public prints and from the pul
pits of the religious denominations
that ti<- law Is being violated and
has been violated. That all these
facts taken In their general connec
tion makes It Impossible for the de
fendant to secure at this time a fair
and impartial trial. Makes It Impos
sible for him to enjoy at the hands of
the jury the presumption of Innocence
to which he Is legally entitled.
Wherefore the defendant prays that
this motion b" Inquired of by the
court and that the trial of said case
be continued
Mr. Branch took the exhibits at
tached to the petition and read them
OLOEBT METHODIST
miisims DEAD
LAKE CHARLES, La.—Rev. As
bury Wilkinson, said to have been per
haps the oldest Methodist minister In
the entire country, both in years and
In point of service, died here Sun
day at the ago of ninety-one.
In part. He read the story from the
Augusta Herald telling what the
preachers in the different churches
would say Sunday. Mr. Branch said
that the newspapers published sucTi
inflammatory news articles, and the
preachers preached front their pulpits
that these men were guilty, that It
was Impossible for the men accused
of violating that law to have a fair
and impartial trial, as the public mind
was so Inflamed and that every one,
front the utterances made, was so Im
pressed that they believed the men
guilty before they were tried.
Mr. Branch said he did not want
to bo misquoted or misconstrued in
what he said, so that any person
couid say that ho was down or knock
ing the churches. He said that, the
good, faithful and devoted ministers
of the city were doing what they
thought, to be their duty, and that
he was going to do his. He said he
has the utmost respect for the preach
ers, but lie said, ‘‘the preachers ot
Augusta are guilty of impropriety.”
These men who are accused have
come to tho court to be tried. By
law they have the presumption of In
nocence until they are proved guilty.
“They haven’t got that presumption
of Innocence,” says Mr. Branch.
Tnklng another exhibit, a cllj>
ping from the Augusta Chronicle on
Monday morning, he quoted from the
story headed, “Local Protestant Min
isters Making a Liquor Fight." Quot
ing that part of the article about
jurors, ho said that Dr. Pierce was
trying to tell the Jurors what they
should do when they enme to the
court house, to try these men, who
are supposed to have a presumption
of Innocence.
He spoke of the sermon by Rev.
Howard T. Cree on "IndlffenWice.”
Mr. nranch said that the preachers of
the city wore saying that ihe county
and stute officials were not doing their
duty and It was the preachers’ duty
to get Hon. Seaborn Wright and
Judge Covington to como here and
give the jurors backbone before they
entered the jury box. They were try
ing to tell the officials how they
should act.
GUILTY BEFORE
THEY ARE TRIED.
Mr. Branch said that the preachers
were going on the theory that the
men were guilty before they were
tried. And that they were a set of
lawless men who were determined to
break the law. And that he, Austin
Branch, was a man defending tho law
breakers. He said he was not. He
was a man who was going to do his
duty. He said that these men were
only accused of breaking the law and
it was his duty to defend them. No
one could say that he was trying to
reflect on any preacher. He said they
had only to remember that his grand
father was a minister, and they would
know that he had the utmost, respect
for the ministers of the gospel.
Mr. Branch said that to hold the
mass meeting Tuesday almost In the
court.,* to have a mass meeting called
for the purpose of having tho law en
forced, to call In men who did not
know the situation and have them tell
the people of Augusta that these men
were guilty and they must oonvlct
them, to have the mass meeting be
fore the men were even tried, and at
tho very time these men were in Jeo-
I pardy in the courts, was shocking.
He said that under the circum
stances it. was impossible for the men
to have a fair and Impartial trial.
”1 know It because the sermons and
the newspaper articles have had their
! influence aga on me,” he said. I
hesitated whether I should do my
duty this morning. I trembled and
was afraid. 1 wondered It I would
| be doing right, to fight a combination
of ministers, who thought they were
; doing their duty, I decided that I must
Ido my duty and I am doing It.”
Mr. Branch said that, it was all
right to get the evidence and have
I the men arrested, but after they
were arrested, that It was time to
have a little peace. Time to lot
[things quiet down, so the minds of
the Jurors would not be prejudiced.
.“But,” said Mr. Branch. "Having a
! mass meeting anil calling on the
people to make these men obey the
law at, the time they were about to
I go to trial, made It so that any. man
who read any of the newspaper ar
ticles. or who heard anl of the ser
mons, biased on the subject." On
that ground he asked for a conttmi-
I ance.
Judge Eve ordered a recess until
3:30 o'clock at.d told all jurors to be
I hack at that time.
Among the ministers present at the
i city court. Monday were Rev. E. M.
! Lightfcot, Rev. H. J. S. Toomer, Rev.
! Richard Wilkinson, Rev. H. R. Joiner,
! Rev. R. L. Campbell, R v. C. M. Wil
kinson, Rev. Howard T. Cree, Rev.
'Geo. E. Gullle. Rev. Luke G. Johnson,
Rev. O P. Gilbert and Mr. Edwin
Hill.
MEETING OF MERCHANTS.
A meeting of the Retail Merchant's
association has been ca'led at 8
o’clock Tuesday evening, in the
Chamber of Commerce. Matters of
a routine nature will be taken up,
and probably new business ot later*
| eat and Importance.