Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1875-08-14

They gave him few minutes to pray and
and be prayed for, and demanded confess
sion.
HE PLEADED HENOCENT.
The lynchers mounted him On his horse,
slipped the rope around bis neck, and gave
him
HIS FIRsT SWING.
They took him down again, threatening
! TO burn him, unless he confessed. After
swinging him several different times, he
confessed that he committed the crime;
said he only intended to steal the sixty-five
dollars, that was in Mrs. Jarrett's room, in
tended lher no harm, but, was caught,
and
| COMMITTED THE MURDER TO KEEP FROM
BEING FOUND OUT.
he said the money was under the end of
| Mr.. JaTrett's residence. Il is also said
that he implicated several other hands on
the Jarrett farm, in the deed; but the state
Uent is not believed. Failing to obtain
anything further from HIM, he was, about
midnight, again mounted, given further
time for prayer, and
HUNG UNTIL DEAD.
Upon the breaking up of the party who
ofhciated in the hanging, several began
/
and his body was completely riddled with
bullets.
| While executing their work in town, as
well as coming to and from the Jail,
COMPARITIvB SILENCE
was maintained, and it was only as the
five men were bringing the unfortunate
man out the door Of the Jail, that they gave
vent to theirfIry in loud yells, many crying
"Carry him 10 the courthouse yard" 9TH
ers ''tO the Salem pike" etc. After a few
| minutes Of apparent indecision, as to which
| direction they ought to take, the order
Forward march, was loudly given and
all wheeled out the Salem pike.
The Coroner held an
INQUEST on THE BODY
Of Jesse WOods0n this morning. The jury
rendered the usual verdict, i. e., "Came 20
death by neutrality-suspicious. unknown
Jutge Frazier eVinced much feeling this
morning in dischargiug the four juTymen
who had been empanelled TO try WOOdsOn.
Hon. E. II. Ewing made a few well-timed
and conciliating remarks.
1t is reported that a COlOred detective
from Nashville who had been confined in
the Nashville jail with WoOdsOn for the
purpose Of obtaining information from him
would have proven several important points
told him by WOOdsOn. l cannot vouch for
the correctness Of this IUmor.
That the action Of last night is
TO BE REGRETTED,
yes, deeply regretted, IS uHquestiOnable;
vet We feel that it should not be too Sc
verely criticised. The men who committed
it were doubtless neigt 6Ors and intimate
friends Of the deceased lady's family, who
was loved and respected by all who knew
her. The foul murderer committed the
act without aggravatiOn, or threat, merely |
for the paltry sum Of sixty-fiye dollars, and |
the men who figured in last nights tragedy |
felt as though nothing, save quick and Sc |
we're punishment, could, or would, satisfy |
them. Although the largest proportion Of |
our citizens did all IL their power TO pre-
vent last nights scene, they can readily and |
fully appreciate the aggrieyed feelings Of |
those Who hung him.
No demand was made on the iailer for !
the keys, as the crowd knew him to be as /
OBSTINATE As lie WAS BRAVE,
and felt confident that he would shed blood /
ere be wOul surrender his keys. Any re-
sistancs from him Or the other county 1
officers would have been utterly useless,
there having been over a hundred within
call Of the baud who visited the Jail, ready
to come TO their relief. l.
AN EYEWITNESS INTERVIEWED.
From al eyewitness Of the most part o.
what occurred at the jail, we get the follow
ing particulars concerning the affair:
"AbOut halEpast O'Clock P. NJ. | heard
a noise like the movement Of cavalry out
on the Salem road toward Depot Hill. Ia |
a few moments l saw about twenty-five
mounted men galloping in the direction Of
Z 40 all ~ rafh ar I
brightly at the time. They came up to
the jail and stopped and shortly after, near
the same number came in from another
street.
''SOOn after the bodies of hOrsemen met
[ heard several voices say, open the door,
1t was repeated several times, but there was
no response to the call. a number Of men
now cried, Burst the door OPEN At this,
they began to dismOunt, and tried to force
an entrance through the door with what
seemed to be axes Or heavy timber. They
had little or no trouble in getting the front
door open, as it was plain wooden door.
"AfteT succeeding in breaking 1t down | ,
the mob began to utter loud yells and
rushed up stairs. On reaching the upper
story, they seemed TO have some difficulty
in getting into WOOdsOn's cell, and several ! !
men went To q blacksmith shop near by, for
the purpose of procuring sleuse hammers.
In the meantime thuse who remained
above succeeded in e1ecting a entrance into !
The cell. This was evident by the noisy de- Z
that followed. It appeared
that those nearest the prisOaer were about
10 put an end to his life at once, as all be-
low on the ground began TO call out at the
-op Of their voices, SIC, don't kill him,
don't kill him.
"ShOrtly af this, heard the clanking |
Of chains, and WOOdsOn was brought down
he steps. On reaching the pavement, af-
.er littlei delay, he was put on a horse and
AIKEN of in the direction from whence the
mob first made their appearance. While
Inc crowd was aroand the Jail, pickets were e
put out, and the citizens were prevented i
rom coming near enough to the building q
% recognize any of the lynchers.
"The work was done within half an
hour, and was very quietly done. 1t Gre
red very little excitement, and there were
perhaps many people on the Public Square
Who knew nothing Of the occurrence till it I
vas all over. C
at was reported by parties who followed
he mob TO the scene of the murder that
VOcdsOn was hung to a large tree Just
Outh Of Stones river, on the Salem pike, e
md that his body was pierced with twenty :
me bullets.
"The news Of tie lynching soon spread P
,ver town and created much discussion. A I,
epOrt to the effect that WOOdsOn made %
ull confession before his death, was widely
circulated. The majority Of the people are
rmly set in the belief that he was the muir v
erer Of Mrs. jarrett, and that while his a
eath was a terrible one, it was but q Just =
for crime so heinOus." =
WHAT wOODsON's CELL COMPANIONS D
SAY. a
During WOOdsOn's residence in the Dav- &
lson county Jail, he had the company of
couple Of cOlOred prisoners, who yester-
ay made some revelations, which may
rove Of importance in case any further F
is needed to establish the r
,Iilt Of the lynclIed. They we're brought | nj
ut into the jail-yard by tie guards for an "a
lring and while there were informed of II
be fate Of theic late fellOW-suiferer. Their ! q,
Tst remark was tha- she deserved it." and Il
ggfT w. 4 rgrr IoF g,orf.-laE ! al