Mobile And Vicinity Baldwin County Sheriff Sees Judge Anderson Officer Urges That Special Term of Court Be Held to Investigate Recent Lynching- Two Big Mortgages Recorded- Military Companies Inspected

• Reuben Sims

Special to The Times-Democrat.

Mobile, Ala., April 29. – Judge William S. Anderson of this morning from Acting Governor Cunningham urging him to reconsider his former decision and hold a special term of the Baldwin Circuit Court for the purpose of getting a grand jury to investigate the lynching two weeks ago of Reuben Sims, a negro at Little River, charged with the murder of C. D. Cole. Judge Anderson was on the bench when the letter was received and read it hastily. Court adjourned at noon, and a few minutes later Sheriff J. W. Armstrong of Baldwin county entered the courtroom and was closeted in a conference with the judge two hours or more. The sheriff urged the calling of a special term, but Judge Anderson held that under the law a supernumerary judge could not legally take his place during term time unless he was sick or otherwise disqualified from holding court. However, Judge Anderson has taken the matter under advisement, and will give his decision within a day or two.

To The Times-Democrat representative Sheriff Armstrong said there were sixty men implicated in the lynching, and that he had accumulated considerable evidence. Under the law the sheriff can make one arrest for a capital offense, and then the Governor can himself order a special term of court. This will probably be done in case Judge Anderson decides adversely to the proposition.

“Mobile And Vicinity; Baldwin County Sheriff Sees Judge Anderson; Officer Urges That Special Term of Court Be Held to Investigate Recent Lynching – Two Big Mortgages Recorded- Military Companies Inspected.” The Times-Democrat (New Orleans, LA), April 30, 1904.