Huntsville Weekly Mercury (AL)
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Description: Officers as Whitecappers - Sensation in Mississippi
Date: December 14 1904Newspaper published in: Huntsville, AL
Source: Madison County, AL Library
Page/Column: Page 1, Column 3
OFFICERS AS WHITECAPPERS
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Sensation in Mississippi Caused
By Bills Found by Grand Jury
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Jackson, Miss., Dec. 13.—A profound sensation has been created by the indictment of Hon. H. T. Montgomery, member of the legislature, and Messrs. J. C. Bryant and J. B. Willis, members of the board of supervisors of Lincoln County on the charge of white capping. It was known that prominent citizens would be involved in the lawless outrages after the Governor employed Pinkerton detectives to collect evidence, but it was not supposed that county officials would be found mixed up in the white capping business. It is understood that no steps will be taken toward the removal of the officials from office until after their trials are held, as they are presumed to innocent until proven guilty, although the evidence against them is said to be very conclusive. The Lincoln County circuit court will not be able to dispose of all the cases at this term, as more than 400 indictments have been returned, among the accused parties being some of the wealthiest citizens of the county.
The wholesale indictments against the whitecappers is largely due to the work of A. S. Hoyt, the Pinkerton detective employed by the governor, and whose services are being paid for out of the special fund appropriated at the last session of the legislature to be used in suppressing white capping.