Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1868-08-10
CoFFEEvILLE
The murdsrers Of ncswinc Hung "a
y Bweetgum Tree.
A Dumb BOY murdered By LeysI
Leaguers.


The following chapters, exhibiting the
demoralixed state into which the coun-
try has been thrown by Radical rule. We
take from the Grenada (Miss.) Senfinsl,
Of Saturday ''pl'1
THE nuRDERERs or xswIxE HuSo.
In dense copse near the water tank,
on the Mississippi Central railroad, at
CoffeeviIle, on Saturday morning last,
the negroes, Tom McLain, the assassin,
and Gilbert, bis accessory TO the murder
Of Robert McSwine, were found hanging
TO tree, which it seemed nature had
adapted for that purpose. -leo io
For several days previous to the hang
ing we heard II whispered that the Loyal
Lsaguers of this place had plan in
hand aided BY Others, the purpose OF
which was to rescue the two murderers
Of Robt. -McSwine, alleging that they
were innocent. This with the fact that
the negroes while being taken to Coffee
vile, so we are told, waved at their
friends, who met them at several places
on the way stating they would soon be
all right again" we suppose, led a great
many to think that the Loyal League
threat was no idle boast No one thought
much of these circumstances until
Coffeeville on Friday night last was
startled to find the town in the hands Of
masked horsemen, every important point
being picketed, and everything done so
quick that no one was aware Of It until
the very fact was known. The number
Of men is variously estimated at from
forty to two hundred and fifty. The
jailer counted some forty men from his
room. Ia an instant after this party OF
the horsemen surrounded the jail, broke
down the fence, placed q guard around
the outhouse and demanded admission.
The deputy sheriff, Mr.. ]. 7. Garner,
and the jailer, Mr.. A. B. Conner, vainly
attempted to defend the premises.
From the prisoner Holmes, who was ip
the adjoining cell, we learn that the me-
groes made no resistance, but rather went
willingly with their captors--believing
them, we suppose, to be Loyal Leaguers.
In shorter time than it takes to tell 1t,
the prisoners and their captors had
started for the place of execution. From
a citizen who saw part of the proceed
ings, we are told the negroes made no
resistance until they commenced de-
scending the hill, when they we're told
their fate. No sooner was this done than
Gilbert was heard to say pitsously he had
no hand in the killing-that Tom Mclean
had done the deed-that If they would
spare his life he would expose every
thing. In the melee of pulling them
along, Tom sullenly complained that
Gilbert had urged him to the deed, and
had bought the ammunition. Much more
was said, but inaudible to the spectators,
for the masked horsemen had warned
the people they would kill any one who
dared to follow them. Nothing more
was seen next morning but the bodies Of
the two prisoners found dangling in the
air from a sweetgum tree with three
branches, each pointing in an opporite
direction.
A DEAF AND DUMB BOY MURDERED.
Still another victim, to sppease the
wrath of the Loyal Leaguers, has been
added to the list of crimes. A deaf and
dumb black boy, known as Bob, an
important witness in the late assassina-
ton Of Mr.. Robt McSwine, was shot and
instantly killed on Monday night last,
some miles north of this city. When first
brought into the question it was sup
posed, as he was deaf and dumb and
uneducated, that he could not communi-
icate his thought as witness A gen.
tleman, Mr.. Crawford Statham, was,
however, found who could understand
Bob. by signs almost as we'll as if be had
the use of speech. The SUPPOSE
ton was that Bob. could have
made such revelations in the late
assassination as would have implicated
many who are now screened by secrecy,
and in order to silence him some ennis
sary of the Loyal League had the poor
boy murdered.