Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-05-26
THE HANGINGOF TW0NEGROEs
I'M COFFEE COUNTY. se.ss
The Trae Facts i'm she Case.

1 The Frae Facts in she Case.
II MANoHRsrER, COFFEE County, TENN
May "a. lS69.-Our usually quiet an
always lawsabiding little village was tn
scene of the most intense excitement yes
terday morning, upon the discovery tina
two negro men, who had been confines
in Jail here for some time upon charg
Of rape, were hanging from the limb Of
chestnut tree near the jail-dead. Tn,
news Of the discovery quickly spread
through the village, and it was not Ions
before large number of the citizens were
gathered about the spot. Esquire NJ. A
Garden, Coroner of the county, was sent
for, and as soon as possible jury of in.
quest was empanneled, consisting of the
hest men of the county near by. The
bodies were cut down and removed to the
| Courthouse, where an inquest was held,
the verdict Of which | copy for ycu be
low-and after some delay in procuring
the necessary help, the negroes were de-
Gently buried in the church-yard of the
village.
The facts in the case, as elected during
the examination by the sworn testimony
Of the jailor, Mr. L. NJ. Robinson, and
others, are about these. At nearly IL
o'clock on Saturday night, May %, some
eight or ten men on horseback, all dis
guised except one, approached. the jail,
coming from the direction Of Tullahoma,
and, after awakening Mr.. Robinson, de-
manded the keys ofthe jail, who refused
and tried to argue with them, but very
soon had to yield to stronger arguments
than he could resist, and he delivered
them up. While two men guarded him
the others entered the Jail, and placing
ropes round the necks of the prisoners,
Searcy and Moore, led them forth and
putting them behind them rode of, leav-
ing Robinson still guarded by the two.
In half an hour or less two others re-
turned and relieved the guard, all hiding
away together, leaving orders to Robins
son to go to bed and be quiet. Mr.. r.,
instead of retiring, put on his clothes
Gas he had been en- diSha6ille during the
whole time) and going up town awakened
some OF the citizens, to whom he related
tho occurrence and asked for advice in
the premises but as the party had left |
and taken, as he then thought, the me-
groes with them, it was decided to wait
till morning, when, as before stated, the |
negroes were found near the Jail hanging
on tree. Parties were sent out early |
in the morning in pursuit, but after
six or eight miles all trail was lost, and,
as far as heard from, they were last seen,
or rather heard, by a negro man, about |
six miles out in the direction of Fairfield. |
As few words as possible were passed be-
tween them and the jailor or others to
whom they spoke. One Of them told a
negro man whose cabin he passed, at i
must be late, as they had travelled thirty /
miles" Of the truth Of this, of course,
we know nothing. They came and went
whence they came or whittier went
we know not; but it is evident that they
do not belong to our locality. The ne
groes were brought here from the neigh
borhood Of Normandy, on the Nashville
and Chattanooga railroad, and had been
tried at the last term of the Circuit
Court, but the jury net being able to
agree they were remanded to prison.
have only given the facts as sworn to bes
fore the Coroner.
THE VERDICT.
STATE OF TENNESSEE, COFFEE
CoUNTY.-An inquest holden at Man.
cheter, in Coffee county and State afore-
said, on the 2Sd day of May, 1869, before
M. A. Garden, Coroner of said county,
upon the bodies Of Gilbert Searcy and /
Hays Moore, there lying dead, by the
jurors whose names are hereunto sub
scribed, who upon their oath do say, that
they on the night of the 22d of May, i
1869, came to their death at the hands
guised, and to the jurors unknown, by
caused by hanging.
In testimony whereof the said jurors
have hereto set their hands, the day and
date above. @