Revolting Crime Widely Discussed

JUDGE H. B. FOSTER HAS ACTED PROMPTLY AND WILL HAVE THE NEGRO, JOHN HATCH- ER, COME BEFORE A SPEC- IAL GRAND JURY ON THE ABOVE DATE.
REVOLTING CRIME WIDELY DISCUSSED
When the Times-Gazette came out yesterday morning giving such details of the dastardly crime that had been committed by the negro brute sh John Hatcher, as could be published? ed, a wave of horror swept over th community. The details are too revolting to be printed in a family newspaper, but by reading between the lines it could be readily seer that one of the most horrible crime ever committed in Tuscaloosa county had been enacted about dusk on Saturday two weeks ago near the law-abiding little town of Kellerman. It was fortunate for John Hatcher that the people of that neighborhood did not know that he was on the train when he was brought to the city for another chapter of crime would have been added to the fair name of our city. Messrs. G. o Willard and E. E. Hosmer, the deputies who brought the negro to the Tuscaloosa county jail are to be commended for the prompt manner in which they refused to let anyone at Searles enter the car where the prisoner was, for there was considerable indignation at that place when it was learned that the perpetrator of the most horrible crime in the category of crimes was aboard. As it was the action of those two men prevented another crime from being enacted and the man was landed behind the bars so that he could have justice ad- ministered to him by due process of law. Judge H. B. Foster yesterday acted promptly in the case and called a special session of the grand jury to meet on Dec. 17, tomorrow, to pass on the question as to whether or not an indictment should be found, and if he is indicted a special venire will be summonsed for January 28th and John Hatcher will face a jury of his peers to pass on the question of his guilt or innocence. Had Judge Foster not acted promptly the negro would have been taken back to Kel- Lerman to stand a preliminary trial and no Sheriff could have been responsible for the safe return of the negro to his cell in the Tuscaloosa county jail. Because one terrible crime has been enacted in the confines of Tuscaloosa county is no reason why another should be added to the one already committed and this paper desires to commend Judge Foster’s action in the highest manner. Every man is entitled to a fair and impartial trial and on this occasion, John Hatcher will get it While there is a feeling of horror expressed on all sides at the action of the brute in assaulting Mrs. Ida Spurgeon there have been no threats of violence and the negro can get a fair trial here in Tuscaloosa county. The people of Kellerman kept the matter of the assault very quiet because they wanted to get the negro and were fearful that if they made much of a fuss about it that the assaulter would become alarmed and skip clear out of the country. Their judgment has proven to be good for the efficient detective work of Mr G. o. Willard succeeded in landing the man behind the bars before the Sheriff’s office in this city had been notified. The negro was in communication with his people at Kellerman and he thought that the matter had blown over by it being taken so calmly and that is why he became so bold and did not run away any further than Trussville, where he was taken in charge by Mr. Wil- lard and Deputy Jack Brown, of Bibb county.