Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1860-12-10

An IDORenslve Rnglishman Lynched In
Mississippi-His Outrageous aud Inhu-
man Treatment for Alleged Tam peFina
With Slaves-AR Account Of his Painful
Experiences,
Saturdays st. Louis Democrat has the
following:
A respectable-looking man named Wm.
Smitbyman,a a native of England, and for sew
eral years a resident of juneau County, Wis.,,
arrived in this city on Tuesday, from Mem
phis, by the steamboat j. ID. Perry. Mr..
Smithyman was driven from Mississippi last
week, after suffering severe injuries for
crimes alleged against him, but of which he
declares his entire innocence. he was for
merly employed in this city for few weeks,
as a miller in the Planters Mills, on Frank
lin-avenue, and went to Mississippi for em-
ployment in June last. He bore lstters of
Recommendation and character, and obtained
work in Pamela and De Soto Counties, near
the Tennessee line. He worked tor several
parties, dressing mill-stones, and met with
no opposition from any party whatever till
week ago yesterday, when he started for
LooxahOmie, De Soto County, for Senatobia
Station on the Tennessee and Mississippi
Railroad, seven miles distant employing a
negro to carry himself and trunk in a wagon
to the railroad. He was then on his way to
Memphis.
Arriving at Sonatobia after dark, he pro-
ceeded to look up some freight for the ne
gro's owner, and in doing so went into the
freight depot. While there, three or four
persons approached him, and asked where
he was going and what he was doing. He
told them he was looking for some freight
for LooxahOmie, but they charged him with
being an Abolitionist and a suspicious per-
son, and seized and threw him into freight
car, which they locked and then went up
into the village to tell the story. The negro
| was also arrested, and, as afterward appeared,
was threatened with instant death ifhe didn t
confess that the man in the freight-car had
endeavored 10 persuade him to run off. The
negro thinking probably, to save himself
from torture, said that such was the case, but
Notwithstanding the confession, he was Sc
verely fogged.
About ten o'clock a crowd of thirty OF
forty returned TO the railroad station took
Smithman out and marched him into the
woods. There they stripped him naked
Notwithstanding the weather was intensely
cold, and gave him large number of stripes
the victim thinks 200, with a thick leathe
belt, some times flat and some times with tn
edge. A man who appeared to be Doctor
then advised them to desist, saying that the,
would finish the job the next day. The!
then put him back in the freight.car, witt
nothing but his clothes and an old rug t.
protect him during the night. In the morn
ing he was released and permitted to pa,
ftty cents for cup of coffee.
An armed force styling themselves "Min
ute.men," then took him into custody afresh
went into the woods again, made him striI
tied his hands around q tree, and the
; shaved his head as close as they could. Th
| crowd urged him to tell all about his doing
in the interior, said that they knew he wa
guilty of exciting slaves to insurrection, ha
! | tempered with them, and all that. Three G
. four said that if he would confess, his lii
should be spared, but that if he did not
I would be strung up By this time Smithy
man was half dead from exhaustion an
fright, and believing that itfwas his onl
chance of safety from hanging, he boldl
avowed that he had tampered with slaves,
With shout, the eager listeners seize
, him, and some were for hanging him rigf
= off. An attempt was made 30 get a rop
, | around his neck, but others were so anxiou
, for another operation that the would-be e.
|. ecutioners failed. Smitbyman was stripped
and LIQUID tar, almost hot enough to seal,
, was poured over his head, and half blinde
ss he was, the victim was not allowed to pI
| his hands to his eyes to keep the tar frol
binding him altogether. They then stuc
> him all over with loose cotton. After tn
was through they told him that he must sta
: for Memphis Immediately forty miles off
I and not stop till he reached that city. The
gave him FIVE minutes TO put on his clOthe
. and while he was trying TO pull off some
. the cotton several of the mob stood by kicl
y ing his limbs with their thick boots blaC
' and blue, the marks of which kicking he ST
q bears They then allowed him to stal
= Smitbyman walked all the way to Memph
: and took the boat to this city.
|