The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-04-14
The Recent Lynching Case In staun-
ton.

ticuiars OF tne hanging OF Ih0s. Hodges
a crowd OF unknown men, in Staunton, o
last Tuesday, notice of which was tele
graphed to and published in our paper tn
same day:
On last Tuesday morning between on
: and two o'clock, number of men rode u
in front of the Jail in this city, and calm
for the jailor, Mr.. Harlan, stated that the
had prisoner to deliver to his charge
Mr.. Ii. asked who the parties were win
made the demand for entrance. The re
ply was "Kale ~ and that the prisoner
: name was "Fitzgerad." Mr.. Ii. REPLIED
that he understood their object, and tha
they could not be admitted. The partie.
replied that they wanted to get in, and in.
tended to go in. Mr.. H. persisted in hi.
refusal
| The men then went off, and shortly
afterwards returned on foot. The demand
Tor admission was repeated, with \ similar
result to that just announced. The leader
OF the party remarked to his comrades
Men, he refuses to open the door" The
response was, "Break it open then" The
captain started for the door. but the
men hesitated, when the leader, in a stern
and commanding voice, said: Damn it,.
men, are you going to falter at this hour p
Instantly the crowd moved towards the
door. Two or three strokes with crow
bar soon sprung the lock, and the door
flew open. Jalor Harlan appeared in the
passage. The keys were demanded, and
refused--the jailor remarking, "Gentle-
men, you are here n violation of law and
order, and | am an officer of the county,
and you cannot get the keys" "Then,'
remarked one of the men, "your wife
can give them TO us--that will not
De your delivering them" Mr.. Har-
Ian replied: "No, neither myself nor
vile will give them to you" "Then
we will break open the cell, for we came
Tor and intend to have that man." mean
ing Hodges. They speedily broke off the
hinges of the outer door to the cell, and
then wrenched off the large iron staple
and lock which fastened the inner door.
and entered the cell. George w. Smiley
was in the same room with Hodges. Some
SIX OF the men entered. Looking at Smi- |
ley, one remarked ''This is not The man" |
but extended his hand to Smiley and |
asked, "How are you, George ?" Smiley
did not recognize the party, as the light
was very dim. Turning to Hodges, sew
eral said "this is the man--we know vou.n
Hodges replied, "No, am not the man"
Inc answer was to gather him up by the
ieet and head, and bearing him out, place
him in two-horse wagon filled with old
pots, kettles and crooks, which made con-
siderable noise as they drove out of town
up the Greenvlle road.
The next morning the body of Hodges
was found hanging to tree, and jurv
ot inquest summoned who rendered ver-
1ict in accordance with the above facts.
When the passage door was thrown
open, the jailor was seized by the back of
he neck by an athletic man, aud his face
pressed against the breast of his captor-
he man remarkipg to Mr.. II ., as he did TO
ar. McCutchen, ex-sheriff, who was sleep-
ng at the Jail and had come down into the
they did not intend to hurt
halr OF any ones head, except Hodges,
ut that they were determined to have {
i'm.
lodges had not eaten anything since
aturday, the time he was first incarcera- /
ed. lie asked Smiley if there was any I
'ay to get some arsenic, that he was tired
I life. Smiley told him he could have r
othlng to do with anything of the kind. /
le then rolled up his shirt sleeve and ex-
mining the veins of his arm, asked if be s
ould not bleed himself to death bv cutting e
ne OF them open. Smiley told him that 4
thought not--that it was foolishness for
Im to take his own life. TSmley was not r
'quainted with the character OF the Of n
nee for which Hodges was confined. and
'ving only heard his story, thought he
as an injured man
When the banging at the door was first
card BY tho two prisoners, Smiley re-
arked to Hodges, that he thought the in
uders were after him. Hodges asked if II
(S thought they would take his life le
nlley remarked that he did not know.
1t that he thought they were after him. N
odges then commenced praying quite fer g
ntly. re
Hodges was recognized as desperate bl
aracter 1t is said that be killed a man
med Brofford, in Rockbridge, during the la
lr, was placed in the jail of that county,
t subsequently, made his escape that be be
led one of Capt j. G. Marquis men, hi
lie by name-n the mountains of the IL
stern part Of the county, aud wouoded
VII. brooks through the neck, in 1864. Gil