Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1874-08-22
THE HANGING OF TOLIVER.

eley county, was executed upon the
negro criminal, John Toliver, not by
the officers of the law, but by band OF
several hundred citizens, thoroughly
organized for the purpose, and appa-
rently under the leadership OF those
who were fully competent to command
and direct the movements OF large bod
les of men. What occurred at the jail
is thus stated by Il. A. Blondel, jailor,
and Mr.. A. Virtue, his deputy, as given
before the Jury of Inquest ON Friday
morning.
X. A. Blondel, jailor, testified as fol-
lows: About one o'clock was awak-
ened by a knock at the door; looked out
of the window and asked who was
there; some one in the crowd answered.
ave have prisoner for you;' as usual
when prisoners are brought in, Mr. VIZ
tue, the assistant, and mysei c'ne
down with KEYS, we opened the door'
the crowd pushed in and demanded the
KEYS. | told them they could not have
them with nv consent; they then grab
he'd hold of me, they also had hold OF
Mr. Virtue at the same time, and took
the KEYS from me and pushed me in the
parlor and held the door; did not know
any of the party.
Mr. a. Virtue testified that on going
home about ten o'clock he saw an unu-
sual crowd on the street, told Mr.. Blon-
del there was something going ON
heard knock at the door, heard some
one say there was prisoner to put in
and to come down quickly before a
crowd gathered; / took my light and
Mr.. Blondel the keys and we went to
the door, opened it and the crowd rush
ed in and grabbed him and asked for
the keys; made no answer, they took
the KEYS from Mr.. Blondel, after placing
pistols to my head and saying they
would blow my brains out if | did not
get them. They then opened the main
door of the Jail and told me if did not
show them where the Niger was they
would blow my brains out. They finally
got the door of the cell open and went
iu, threw Toliver down and tied his
hands behind him and then took him
out. Did not positively know any OF
them.
He was taken about mile north OF
town, to vacant lot at the intersection
Of the Hedgesville road and the VII
Transport turnpike. Here halt was
mace near locust tree. The wagon in
which Toliver was seated was driven
under aud close to the body Of the tree,
the horsemen forming circle perhaps
thirty deep. The prisoner was gwen
ten minutes to pray, and then five MN
utes mere was consumed in preparation
for his execution. The rope was thrown
over limb and all that was mortal OF
John Toliver dangled between earth
and sky. 1t is said by some that Toliver
was under the impression that ne had
been taken out merely to force acenteS-
sion frcm him. However this may be,
il is certain from his conduct that he
either supposed that he would not be
hunn. or else he had made up his mind
TO protest his innocence to the last mo-
ment, hoping that his captor5 might
relent.
4 Jury of inquest was summoned on
Friday morning by coroner Chambers
and consisted Of the following named
gentlemen
Frank Patterson, George F. Ruther-
ford, DR.. J. Johnson, J. Ii. GettlnGer'
Thomas Collins, Jas. II. McSherry, ..
p. Douglass, J. A. Blondel, ID. &. by,
ers, ID. NJ. Shaffer, Thomas Rusler and
John r. Janney.
We append the evidence of DR.. N
D. Baker, summoned by the Coroner,
TO examine Toliver's body.
DIR. y. d. Baker testified Found
the body of Johu Toliver suspended
from the limb of locust tree, near the
crossing of the Cumberland Valley Hall
road on Williamsport pike. his face to
The south, life was extinct The cause
of death was dislocation of the necN by
hanging. There were no further MARKS
of violence.
After hearing the testimony in the
case they rendered verdict as follows;
That John Toliver came 10 his death
a, the hands of an organized oand OF
men, unknown to the jury.
From the appearance OF the body
next morning he must have died easily,
AS there were no contortlons OF the lea
lures.
The substance of Toliver's prayer
piven in the Baltimore American, as
having been repeated by some one to
the editor of that paper, was purely the
work of fertile imagination. 1t is
very certain that no one who was near
enough to hear what Toliyer said, would
be foolish enough to repeat it to an en-
tire stranger.
In commenting upon the occasion the
details of which we have endeavored to
present with as much accuracy as posi-
ble, we naturally express our regret
that for the first time in the history OF
county so order loving andlaw abiding as
Berkeley an event Of this character has
taken place; but it would be grossly
unjust TO permit the misrepresentation
which have already been published in
so many papers to stand without the
ordinations which will present this
conduct of portion of our people in its
true light. In the first place il is to be
remarked that enough is known OF
those who have thus executed the SEN
tence of the law to leave no doubt OF
the fact that their organization was III
dsnsndant of party bias or prejudice.