No Special Term

Case(s)
Source Type: Newspaper
Author: n.a.
Publisher: The Atmore Record
Place of publication: Atmore, AL
Date of publication: 5/13/1904
Transcript:

Jodge W. S. Anderson of the Baldwin Circuit Court has again declined to call a special term of court to investigate the recent lynching of Reuben Sims, a negro at Little River, who murdered C. D. Cole of that place about two weeks ago.

In a letter from Judge Anderson to Gov. Cunningham he nays he will not call a special session of the court until he deems that course necessary.

Judge Anderson holds that it is the duty of the Governor to order a special term of the court. Gov. Cunningham had been advised by Attorney Gerneral Wilson that there is no valid law under which he may order a session of the court.

The Governor intimated that if it was necessary he would call the legislature together in special session to clothe the Governor with power to order a special term of a circuit court. – Baldwin Times.

We are reliably informed that the Governor is after the wrong man, and Baldwin is claiming honors she does not deserve. If the negro, Reuben Sims, was lynched, it was not on Baldwin county soil(?), and we would advise the Baldwin county sheriff to “go ‘way back and sit down,” and our acting Govirnor to inform himself better.

We do not wish to be misunderstood. We do not approve lynching – God forbid, – but we wish to give his Satanic majesty justice.

We feel that Judge W. S. Anderson has been unduly criticised for not calling the special term of court in Baldwin. We are sure he has good reasons for his refusal. Why not ask Monroe county about it?

Citation:

“No Special Term.” The Atmore Record (Atmore, AL), May 13, 1904.