The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1870-06-22
Murder and LvnChlng.
SHREVEPORT:

Recently in Mublenberg county, Kentucky one OF
tbose fendish deeds was perpctrated which scken the
~ 4oort 70 contemplate A Mrs, Newman, daughter Of
Is Josiah Reid AN estimable lady, loving wife
y and mother was violated and then murdered by
81 negro living at Il Mr.. John Grays in the woods, not
- hundred yards from the scene of the outrage. It
III seems that with her little boy she bad been to neigh
= boris when the fend set upon her. first attacking The
child bright little boy which he supposed he bad
killed. but it afterwards recovered The Grccnvlle
Republican, in giving the particulars Of the decd says
The woman was lying upon her face her hair di.
sheveled and matted with blood, The ground for
entv wards around bore marks of desperate strug.
gle. Drs. YOst, Critteuden and Frazier found unms
taxable proof of violence to the person Of the woman,
At one place her bueastpin found and the ground
indicated scuffie, At some distance farther on her
sun-bonnet and knitting work found and the dis
turbed condition of the dead leaves and ground which
bore>eyidence of violent struggle, Indicated that
here the damning deed was committed Here her
cries for help stopped by the hellsb demon with
askssaBkB Of leaves fragments Of which found
Oh the spot. His purpose having been accomplished,
the woman seems to have succeeded in escaping from
the scoundrel and to about seventy yards from
the point which the first sign OF a scufe seen.
Here her body found in the condition we have de-
acrbed.
Circumstances Roinsazto the boy Bobas the villain,
and he afrested Great indignation felt
1000. and on the day set for the in,
> vestgafg ffiaT the streets Of GreenYlle alive
with an excited crowd Mr.. Reid, the father of the
murdered woman, made aspeech to thembegging them
to let the law take its course Femarking if be- the
father could keep his bands from violence, they GER
tainIy could do 81 Wien asked in court if he had
anything say for himself the prisoner plead not
guilty DR.. Crittenden and Mr.. S. E. Smith were
sworn and made in substance he following statement
They both visited the Jail, in"company, on the morn
ing Of the trial, and had COMPENSATION with the prs
oner for the purpose eiicitng 81 any confession he might
choose 10 make. They statetsthat he first denied
the whole thing, then confessed that he killed the wo
man. but denied the RAPE; 8asstated that be attempted
take the life Of the child, and then murdered the
mother and then that be killed the mother and af-
terward left the child for dead so that il would not
tell who did it, he cqnivocated and contradicted him
self in every instance. When asked why he commit
ted The murder he said he had Away wanted TO kin
white
Sufficient proof ID tht guilt of the prisoner having
been adduced to 1ond him Oh for further trial be was
femanded back 70 Jail We append the further ac-
count of the cene4Fom. the Republican:
The mutterng storm of people, indignation at
the enormity Of the crime had been brewing a! the
morning and rumoFa were aioat that five hundred de-
teTmned Of the county, satisfied of the guilt of
the prisoner, would never suffer him 90 back to ia
but intended take the law into their 0wRlands ands
lynch the prisoner Mr. Reid again made noble ap- |
peal to the crowd in which he said: cit was my
daughter that murdered 1t is that am interested
more than any of YOU in this matter; and if I can
bear it surely you should. HarnG him not The law
will deal with him a. he deserves" I
Az the aler and guard conducted the prisoner from
the courtroom, the cry of hang him" heard or
all Sides and the prisoner in charge of the officers
Of the law, issued from the courthouse -tky were met
by crowd Of from fifty to hundred men, with
pistols in hand, who demanded and dragged the pris-
oner from the officers and guard The scene that fol-
lowed beggars description. All was excitement and
turmoil 1t seemed be the intention of the parties
to hang the negro in the courthouse yard, and it is
probably due to the earnestnes and bold speaking of
Judge Love, who mounted the fence and succeeded in
arresting the attention of the leaders for moment
that they desisted from this course. They, however
dragged him to the woods, distant half a mile from
the courthouse, and there hanged him by the neck I'M
Ill he was dead. -
After the body Of the negro had lung suspended
by rope to the limb of tree for hour or more it
was taken down, the head severed from the trunk,
and the former, all CORY and manglA stuck on the
end Of long pole, brought back to tQgn and placed
conspicuously in the courthouse yard fem whence it
was removed soon after by Justice Aaeock, placed
with the body andFdecently buried