Page 82 - history-of-military-units-in-columbia-county-fl-(1970)-robert-gary-shields

History of Military Units in Columbia County, FL (1970) Robert Gary Shields

REPORTS ON STATE ACTIVE DUTY

Report on Lake City disturbance:

Headquarters, Second Battalion,
First Infantry,
Lake City, Florida
.<■
The Adjutant General,
State of Florida,
Tallahassee, Florida
Sir: In the matter of aiding the Sheriff of Columbia County,
Hon. D. W. Purvis, in preserving order andmprotecting prisoners in his
charge, I have the honor to report:
During the night of Tuesday, April 28, last, I received a telegraph
message from the Governor informing me that information had veen receive
by him that an attempt might be made to lynch one Edgar J. Watson
and one Frank Rees, then in the custody of the Sheriff of Columbia
County, Florida, and directing me, as Post Commander at Lake City, to
take every precaution to protect said persons, using the local militia,
if, the same should be deemed advisable.
Immediately upon receipt of this telegram; which reached me at
about ten o'clodk, p.m., I Iqot into communication with Sheriff Purvis,
and was informed by him, that, while there had been some serious
threats of mob violence-directed against the prisoners, Watson and
Rees, Yet, he did not believe at that time the situation was sufficientl
serious to call the aid of the State Troops.. The result of this
conference was reported to the Governor that night.
On the next day, the 29 of April, the situation here seemed to be
more acute, and the threats of danger some-what more likely to
materialize than on the previous day, and I was put upon notice,
informally, by the Sheriff, that a call for the troops was not.
unlikely. Thereupon I wired the Governor for permission to have placed
at my command Company "H" of Lake City, and "E" of Live Oak, both
of the First Regiment, if such should finally be found to be necessary,
which request was granted be telegraphic orders from the office of
the Adjutant General.
On Thursday, the 30 of April, The prisoners, Watson and Rees, the
former a white man and the latter a negro, were before the Court at
Lake City, charged with the murder of a white man by the name of Mike
Tolen. It might be well to explain here that a few months previous
to the killing of Mike Tolen, which appeard to have been an assaasinatic
his brother was likewise murdered, also an assassination, both in the
open daylight, and near the same place in the southern portion of the
county. These killings seemed to have worked up considerable
excitement in the community where, they occurred, and a great many of
the people residing there appeared to believe that the prisoners
were responsible for the killing, at least, of Mike Tolen. Shortly
after Mike Tolen was ..killed, Watson and Rees were arrested and
almost immediately carried out of the county, on account of the fact
that, there had been threats of lynching, and the Sheriff feared mob
violence. When the present term of the Circuit Court convened, at
Lake City, on April 27, the prisoners were brough back and placed in
the county jail of this county. At once there began io be spread
about rumors of mob violence towards the prisoners, and upon various
occasions the news was brought to the Sheriff and to the Post
Commander, not from very reliable sources, however, that mobs swere
being formed or were about to be formed for the purpose of doing
instant execution as against Watson and Rees. None of these rumors
could be run down to any original source, and it is the opinion now,
of the undersigned, as well as the Sheriff, that they, were principally
baseless.

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