The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1874-09-03
The Trenton Horror.


The lynching of sixteen negroes at
Trenton last Wednesday night was
cowardly and dastardly affair, even if
they had been guilty of some crime.
The law had already taken charge of
them, and the law wo1ld have punished
them adequately. There are aggravated
cases of lawlessness which can hardly
be rebuked speedily enough by the slow
process of law, but it is always better to
abide by law. We cannot too earnestly
condemn mob violence. 1t is reproach
to our civilization. At Trenton the ne
grOes were mercilessly murdered, with
out trial, upon a mere rumor which
proved to be greatly exaggerated. A cor
respondent of the Banner gives che fol-
lowing brief but plain statement of the
whole affair:
TRENTON, Tenn, August &c, 1874.
We have had big excitement here
to-day. Thinking that it would be of
interest to you to know what is trans
piring here, l will cndeavor to give you
the facts. Last Saturday night some
armed negroes fired upon two young
men near Pickettsville, (Which lies be-
tween Humboldt and Milan,) the men
escaped unhurt one had his horse shot,
understand, On Monday they arrest
ed and tried twelve of the negroes, who
were lodged i'm the Trenton Jail. Four
more were brought i'm yesterday, even
Ing, making rs in all. Last night 40
armed and masked men rode into town
Going to the Jail, they demanded the
keys. Mr.. Williams, our Sheriff, refused
10 give them up. Drawing their pistols
they threatened TO kill him IL he did not
comply with their demands, whereupon
he surrendered the keys. They took
all (l6) Of the negroes, carried them a
short distance out of town and shot them
all. Two were wounded, and were sub
sequently brought to town by the citi-
zens and are being cared for. / can't
say whether they will live or not. No
one here knows single one of the
masked men. One thing is certain
none of our citizens were among them.
Our citizens are very much eXasperated
at the dastardly deed. Our court met
this morning. Several prominent law
yers had spoken in regard to the best
mode of bringing the guilty parties to
Justice, when a man rushed into town
riding bareback, stated that from 100 to
600 armed negroes We're marching on
the town. Such excitement 1 hope
never to see again. Women and chill
dren were badly alarmed. 1t was two
or three hours before we could find
out whether the report was true or not.
Just at this time n company of men ar
rived by freight train from Rutherford
Station. a number of men were sent
out TO the place where the negroes We're
said to be, but nothing could be heard of
them. The wounded negroes stated on
trial here, that the negroes were all
armed. and intended Ia rnur,IoY. tI,o
whites. Our town is full of armed men.
never saw the like before, except du-
ring the war. We feel grateful to our
friend p, who has so nObly rallied to
our aid In what we thought our time of
need. The people are laughing and jo-
king in the streets about the scare. We
feel that the danger is past. Telegraphs
were received from jackson and Milan
that they were ready TO come, if needed.
A company just in from Eaton. The best
Of feeling prevails among the people.