Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1861-08-15

he was Sdlu 10 nave maue Key 10 open
Mr.. Shaver's dry goods and provision store,
where the negro would seize arms and
powder, and as reward for this key he
was to receive the store. The negro,
whose enforced confession implicated him,
told precisely the spot where the KEY was
concealed; on searching, however, nothing
could be found there, nor in his hut or shop,
to serve as evidence against him. Yet ST.
mon was tortured. He was undressed, had
his hands and feet tied, and bis knees were
bent in against his chest, and stick put
under them above his arms. In this con-
dition he was rolled on the floor, and re-
ceived 2SO lashes-his blood, of course,
flowing in streams ere the punishment was
over. When one of the torturing brutes
was tired, be would ask his neighbor to
take his turn, while others were counting
the number of lashes, and shouting in
diabolical way. $50 on; make him tell;
90. on!" But Simon received the $50
lasbes without uttering word of confes-
sion or praying for pity, and the brutes on
ly because they found out that if they went
on there would soon be an end of his suf-
feriugs. When he had little recovered
be was carried away. One Purcell,
young man, book-keeper with Mr.. Clarke,
noticing that Simon was sick, drew his
knife and held it at his throat, while an
other member of the chivalry, one Levi
Shaver, pointed his cooked revolver at his
mouth, both threatening to kill him at once
if he would dare to vomit.
OF those who were whipped, almost all,
men and women, had their clothing torn
of, many being tied up like Simon, others
being whipped on both sides, until their
bodies presented the appearance of one
vast wound.
When the SHAREHOLDERS thought they
were in possession of all the secret plans of
the conspiracy, the same were summed up
as follows.
During Christmas night, at the sign of
the bursting of big pine tree, the slaves
were to rise and slay all the white men and
old women; the remaining white women
were to be distributed among the negroes;
and, beside white lady, every black man
was to receive two mules, forty acres Of
land, the necessary agricultural implements,
and $500 in cash. The principal leaders
of the insurrection were said 10 be: Will
liam Rollo, a poor white man; Andreas
Higgins, free octaroon Simon, the black
smith, slave: Ike Zang, ditcher, called.
Ditchey," slave, and uncle Tom, slave.
William Rollo had been driven from
Pine Level four weeks previous to the in
surrection, because he was suspected of buy
ing stolen chickens from the negroes, and
had gone to Montgomery. Some negroes
had said that he was to lead the insurgents
from Pine Level TO Montgomery where they
would take possession of everything ralua
BILE, and where Rollo would be established
as the principal storekeeper-all the black
folks having pledged themselves to trade
with him. This scheme may seen incred-
ible but was generally believed by the gull
libie Ghiralry, who for months afterward
could not find anything ridiculous in it,
They at once dispatched two men to Mont
gomery to capture the chief to the conspi-
racy, who was so unconscious of the affair
that even after having been warned, he
made no attempt to escape. Poor Rollo
was not little surprised at being tied up
with ropes and dragged along by two fe-
rocious brutes, one of whom was the be-
fore named Martin Noll. Nothing but the
confession of the slave, obtained in the
manner described above, was brough as
evidence against him; and though the
Southern Chivalry exclude negro evidence
from all the courts, still a drunkdn mob
There was neither Judge nor jury condemn
ed him to be hanged in company with
the other who were said to be ringleaders.
The gallows was erected in the middle
Of the town, that the spectacle might strike
terror into the hearts of the slaves, aad
that everybody might participate in the
enjoyment. Rollo was placed on car,
and rope was then put around his neck
he could hear his poor wife screaming, and
see her begging the brutes to spare him.
She wanted TO run to his rescue, but was
actually pushed and kicked back-the car
was hurried of, and Rollo was left in his
agony-while his wife accused his murder
ers and entreated God to avenge her inno-
cent husband.
During the two or three following days
the other so called conspirators were dis
posed of in the same manner. Some pray
ed for their lives and some said that the
white folks could do with the poor nigger
what they pleased. Simon begged to be
released Of his pains as soon as possible;
he had previously begged to be shot or kill
ed in some manner, and said be was glad
to get out Of the South.
The hanging would have continued the
negroes not been worth large sum in the
market. The richest planters, men of in.
fuence, saved their negroes, and confined
their punishment to repeated chastisements.
Several of the poor white men, who owned
but one or two slaves, whom the mob in
tended TO hang, took them away to distant
places, thereby saving their property, no
other feeling than cupidity predominating::
There never has been any investigation OF
the matter before the court. none OF the
mob was accused, and nobody has been
blamed. Rollo's wife is now beggar.-
The owners of the slaves did not even dare
to ask for cent of indemnity. The only
inouirv into the matter was made in some
peIeh6oring townships, where more intelli-
gent men at once perceived the true state
Of affairs, and threatened to interfere if the
Pine Level mob did not stop their illegal |