To Catch Lynchers

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

The State Executive Department has taken every possible action to apprehend the men who lynched Reuben Sims, a negro, at Little River, Baldwin county early in last week. Sims was implicated in the assassinatinon of Dr. C. D. Cole, a prominent and popular citizen.

The assassination and the lynching occured in a remote section of Baldwin county, about forty miles from Bay Minette, the county seat. Sheriff J. M. Armstrong telegraphed Gov. Jelks that he would go to the scene and arrest all parties implicated in the lynching. Later the sheriff wired the Governor’s office in the section where the tragedy occurred and that no arrests had been made.

Yesterday a rewared of $400 was offered by Gov. Jelks for the first arrest and conviction of a person implicated in the lynching. Rewards of $100 each, were also offered for the second and third arrested and convicted of having had a hanp in the lynching.

The Governor has no authority to order a special term of court to make and investigation into crimes, but the Governor’s office yesterday wrote Judge W. S. Anderson of the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit that if he desired to go to Bay Minette and convene a special term of court, the Governor would direct Supernumerary Judge A. H. Alston to proceed to Mobile to relieve Judge Anderson. The Circuit Court of Mobile county, over which Judge Anderson presides, will begin its session tomorrow.

The new Lusk act authorized Circuit Judges to convene special terms without thirty days’ notice, as under the old law, and it it expected that Judge Anderson will go to Bay Minette and investigate the lynching of Reuben Sims.

Citation:

“To Catch Lynchers.” The Standard Gauge (Brewton, AL), May 5, 1904.