Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1872-03-26
LYNCnING AT NASHVILLE.
A Mob of Five Hundred Shoots
and Hangs a Negro.
The military and Police
Called Out to Pre-
serve the Peace.
FULL PARTICULARS.

NASHVILLE, March 25.--Last night a
negro entered the house Of gentleman
named Murray, connected with the Sc
vance Coal Company, ofthis city, robbed
and murdered hin. The negro was ar
rested and confined in Jail. Tonight
about 500 or 600 men of the N. 4 c. r.
r. Co., aud others, went to the Jail, and
after shooting him four times, took him
out and hung him to gas lamp,post on
the public square. He was cut down,
however, before life was extinct, and
conveyed to the station-house, where he
is guarded by the police and a regiment
Of soldiers from Ash barracks. AT this
time (lep,m.) the widest excitement
prevails, and fears are entertained that
there will be general collision between
the mob and the negroes. Ex-Governor
Neil S. Brown, prominent lawyer, is
now making speech, trying to quell
The disturbance. Owing to the excited
condition of affairs it is impossible to
give full details.
SECOND DISPATCH.
NAsHvILLE, March 26.-The excite
ment in the city last night was great.
At one time there were many thousands
of people, besides two companies of
Federal troops, from Ash barracks, sur
rounding the police headquarters. 1t
was caused by mob Of about five hun
dred men forcibly entering and taking
David Jones, negro who burglariously
entered the dwelling of and murdered
Henry Murray, an old and esteemed
Irish citizen, Sunday morning, and
shooting and hanging him to a lamp
post in front of the police headquarters.
Aifer the negro had been hung up to
the lAmp-post the sheriff of the county
made an effort TO reach him and cut him
down, BUT some one dealt him severe
blow on the head which felled him to the
ground. On rising, he was caught by
the crowd aud whirled around from one
hand to another in such rapid success
sion that he soon found himself on the
outer limits Of the mob. Then the first
effort of the city police was made to save
the prisoner, about dozen policemen
charging in upon the crowd, cooking
their pistols, the sharp click of the wea-
pons resembling ominously as they went
in, and causing the mob to scatter to the
right and left. The chief pressed for
ward and reached the post, where he
reached up with open knife and cut the
swinging negro down, who fell heavily to
the earth, while the other officers kept
the crowd at bay. When Jones fell the
moose, which was still very tight about
his neck, was also cut by one of the
officers.
By this time more than q dozen po-
licemen had arrived on the spot, and
formed guard around the PROSTATE
form of the negro, and soon after bore
him up stairs in police headquarters,
where Jones was laid upon the floor.
He manifested signs of considerable sut-
fering, and convulsively gasped for
breath. Every groan Of pain from him
seemed to enliyen the temper Of the
mob outside, and produced responsive
cheer Of applause. The wounded negro
opened his eyes and looked about him.
The frstintelligible words he uttered was
that he had shot no one; that he had not
been where the shooting had been done.
He writhed with pain from the pistol
wounds. but finally grew more quiet
under the influence Of opiates. The
surgeons examined and probed the
wounds, which revealed the fact that the
man had been shot twice in the lumbar
region, one wound on each side and at
equal distances from the chin. While
this was being attended to, the mob still
furious, the mayor. with Governor Brown
and two companies Of troops, with
thousands of citizens, brought thither
by the ringing of bells, had arrived on
the square.
Governor Brown, at the request Of the
Mayor, descended to the street, and ad-
dressed the crowd, substantially as fol-
lows: He said that he had not bean ad-
vised Of the cause Of the trouble until a
few moments before. BE had not been
aware that the double crime Of burglary
and murder had been committed.
II the people Of Tennessee would
support his weak arm be would pledge
them, before high heaven, that every
criminal should be punished, whether it
/ be OF the gallogs or in the penitentiary,
bnt the Law must take its course. He
again implored them in earnest terms
not 10 take the law in their own hands;
it was powerful enough to protect every
citizen; and hnslly urged them 10 20 to
their homes aud never lend their en-
couragement to any attempt TO antici.
pate law. The crowd nov orderly and
qsieuy dispersed, and at 1880 an, tbs
city was quiet. The military have re
turned 70 their quarters and the police
are again all out on their beats. The
negro was taken back TO jail, but biz
condition is such that be cannot survive
many ko9rs.