“Wilcox Kicks Against Age-Herald Write Up.”

Wilcox Kicks Against Age-Herald Write Up. The good people of our county make vigorous protest at treatment received in an editorial in the Birmingham Age-Herald March 16th, 1905 in reference to the lynching of the negroes who shot Prof. Claude Hardy, of Pine Apple. The Age-Herald did not treat the matter as a news item, nor use the wires to verify the information before publication, but proceeded in a caustic editorial to jump on Wilcox with both feet, and give us hot shot in solid slugs–however, in an abscure part of the paper of same issue they graciously stated in a short squib that their information was incorrect, but, we got the lambasting all the same, and the bad effect of the report, (although no lynching occurred) was given the wide circulation of that esteemed organ, with its attendant results abroad, the editorial emptied the vials of its wrath on us, and the little squib did not contain sufficient healing balm to cover the bruises made. The Age-Herald, however, on March 17, editorially, did make honorable corrections “for which we thank them,” it puts matters straight as between the Age-Herald and Wilcox county, but the evidence got to the jury all the same and the Northern press will paint us as untamed cave dwellers with horns, etc. The Age-Herald says their space writer did the job–says that he was hungry for a lynching as a war correspondent is for a battle, and a mere possibility in his mind, becomes a full event. We respectfully suggest that if the appetite of the space writer becomes troublesome, that he be loaded with a sufficient amount of Birmingham’s best beef or beer to satisfy him ; muzzle him, cloriform him, or in some way suppress him, don’t turn him loose on a suffering public, if he needs scope for his fertile imigination, try him on supposed irregularities near home, the black belt counties have enough that is unavoidable to answer for, and should be spared the odium of imaginary troubles and we further state that the sentiment in Wilcox county and the sentiment of the press and officials now trying to effect the arrest of these negroes are absolutely opposed to a lynching, and if it can be avoided, they will be safely landed in our county jail without a scratch, and will have a fair and impartial trial in the courts.