Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1866-09-15
Lynching a Negro in Michigan.

II Horrible SCene.-John Taylor, the
ocloroon who attempted 10 murder the
Buck family al Delhi, Michigan, on Fri
day night, met speedy punishment Tor
his diabolicsl crime al Mason on Mon
day night. Ii will be recolIected that be
attempted The murder OF the wife, moIher
and daughier-in.Iaw Of Mr.. Buck, and
then escaped. None Of the family have
vet died, bul il is thought that the daugh-
ter csnno, recover. After bis capture he
was lodged in Jail a. Mason, the shire
town Of lngham county. On Monday
night. at about nine o'clock, twenty men,
rned with rifles, marched into The qule.
vi lage Of Mason, and proceeded 10 The
county Jail. They were followed by
twenty more armed with revolvers.
They were under command Of one Geo.
Norton, OF Delhi. They approached the
jail, and were met by Sheriff Mocdy.
They acquainted The Sheriff with their
mission, stating that lhey wished to gel
possession of the negro. The Sheriff
protested against their action. The
crowd then rushed up the stairs to the
door; three Of them seized the Sheriff
and held him. A sledge was then brought
and the door of the negEos cell knocked
off. He was then laken out, when some
Of the mob proposed TO shoot him on the
spot, others .ha! he be hung there.
Sheriff Moody came forward, and stated
that as they had taken from his custody y
The negro, they should not hang him there,
and requested them 10 take him else.
where. The captain Of the gang spoke
and said, out of respec, 10 ,he ciiizenS OF
Mason and the Sheriff, they would 60
elsewhere to execute the cuIPrlt. They
then repaired 10 place about bali a mile
northwest Of ,he village, near the railroad
and halted in front Of thorn apple tree.
A fire was kindled, a rope thrown over a
limb Of he Tree, and the moose adjusted
around the prisoners neck. A ring was
then formed. and Mr.. Buck permitted 10
question Taylor. He confessed the c;Ime
with which lie was charged, but denied
that he had ever killed any one. The
poor wretch trembled in every limb, and
so great was his fright that lie once faint.
ed. He soon revived, and, upon being
further questioned. stated .ha! he had
threatened 20 kill man at Pulaski once,
but did not carry out his threat. he was
then prepared for execution. He asked
Bucks forgiveness for what he had done.
Some one here called for minister to
pray for The negro; ; no one responded ;
a call was then made for some profess.
ing Christian 10 offer up prayer Still
no response, when low, drunken fellow
named Cook, of Eaton Rapids, came for.
ward, and said he would pray for The
ID nigger. He then began bIasPhe
nous address in the shape Of a prayer,
concluding by saving lie hoped that il the
niger went to Heaven God would put
him among the niggers there, but thai he
hoped the niger would 60 10 HI,
where all niggers ought 10 60. When
this wretch had finished his bIasphemous
harangue, some one shouted for the Cap
tain TO give the word. The Captain was
no, TO be found. The Lieutenant was
then called upon he stated he had done
all he should, and declined TO have any
thing further 10 do with the matter. Cook
lhen stepped forward and said he would
take charge Of the affair. He then count
ed one, two, three. and gave the word.
The rope was quickly pulled and the
body of The would-be murderer was
swinging in the air. Not muscle NOV
ed nor were there any signs OF life after
he was pulled up. 1t was thought he
died before the word was given, being
frightened 10 death. The body hung for
fifteen minutes, when he was cut down.
Several wished to shoe, al the body
while hanging. but were restrained. The
lynchers then proceeded to dig grave at
the foo, Of the tree, in which they pro-
posed to bury the body. The owner Of
The land came forward and protested
against the burial, and the corpse was
then thrown in wagon and carried of.
Thus ends the last act Of The drama.
The whole affair was characterized by
inhumsni,y and lawlessness, The victim
being numerically dragged TO bis death
by his coxardly lyncheIs.
The people Of Mason are justly indig-
nant a, this lswlessness, and censure the
iynchers. The negro was guilty Of al
heinous crime, but there is a law for the
punishment of such ofenses, and he
would have been punished 10 the full rig
or Of the law. We are told that the mob
was composed Of men who belong TO the
worst order of society, ignorant and de.
praysd, and that the execution was car
red on more on account OF The spirit Of
caste than revenge. The country has 81.
ranHv hah ennnnh Of mnh law and We