South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1875-06-18

4 ana Aanged.
ANNAPOLIS, JUNE 14.--Our town was
thrown into state of great excitement
At an early hour this morning by the
rumor that the negro, John Simms. the
perpetrator of the outrage near Oden-
ton on the 9th inst, had been taken from
the Jail and hanged. This rumor prov
ed to be true, as on inquiry at the Jail it
was ascertained that about half-past two
o'clock this morning party of men lad
come into town and overpowering or in
timidating the jailer, had taken Simms
out. 1t was further ascertained that he
had been taken about one and a-half
miles out on the railroad into a forest
known as the Ozark Woods" and there
hanged by Judge Lynch" The party
OF ''lynchers" numbered in all about 32,
some being on horseback, and some in
wagons. but the larger portion ''came to
town" on two hand cars taken from Pa
tuxent and Severn stations on the Balti-
! more and Potomac railroad, and they arc
| believed to have been the immediate
neighbors and friends OF the family OF
Mr.. jackson, whose daughter Addie, a.
ged fifteen years, was the victim of
Simms. 1t was generally supposed af-
ter the action of Judge Miller last week
in ordering special term of the court
TO be convened that there would have
been no attempt to lynch the prisoner.
For several nights directly after his com.
initial on Monday last an attempt was
expected. and the States attorney, an
ticipating n raid on the Jail, gave orders
that the prisoner be securely ironed-
4 &c T.. NJ A. Il
ordered the court to be convened to-day
the friends oflynch law would have been
appeased; the resolutions adopted at
the Odenton meeting expressed the APP
prevail by that meeting of the rumored
proposed course of Judge Miller.
The Jail here IS situated on Capitol
street, about 80 yards north of the de-
pot, and is n threc.story brick building
abont 80 by 50 feet, painted yellow
with the windows grated There is n
! basement in which are four rooms or
cells which are placed in use whenever
necessity requires. The Sheriff (Mr. u.
! Dorsey Carr and warden (Nlr White
occupy the front rooms on either side of
1 the hall on the first story, while the two
rear rooms are occupied by prisoners
! On the second and third floors are four
rooms each, about 3 feet square) in
which prisoners are confined. The cell
or room in the third story on the south
east corner was where Simms was con-
fined. The building is one which in.
vites attack from either without or with.
in, being very old, and the walls are ca
silly worked. The attacking party on
this occasion not being disposed to make
| ~ mn. a.
| concluded not to break or destroy any
| property, and therefore adopted n plan
to capture the jailer, and selected last
night because the sheriff was generally
absent on Sunday nights at his home.
| The lynchers arrived in the Dark
woods about o'clock this morning,
when one party, consisting of an elder
~ man, who twas address sed by the others
as captain, and ten men, with one of
the hand-cars, went into town, stopping
! the hand-car at the outer end of the de-
pot. Here they were joined by four An.
napolitans. Over their faces masks
were placed, and going Immediately to
the Jail an alarm was made Warden
White on opening the door found sever
al pistols presented. and under threats
was forced to deliver the keys. Some
OF the party Immediately assembled to
the third story, where the prisoners in
the cell had been awakened by the noise.
Norris, fellow-prisoner of Simms.
thought his time had come, and mmedi-
ately commenced to beg for his life.
getting on his knees and praying.
please, gentlemen, don't take me-
! The captain" said, 'IIush your id
/ NO. Il Il "a.
man."
Simms who was wanted by the crowd.
had by this time realized that he was
the object of the raid. and when they at
tempted to secure him he fought despe-
rately and bit one of the party through
the hand. 1t was found that the shack
les on his legs were locked, and n short
chain fastened TO a heavy staple in the
floor of the room confined him. This
was not expected, for they had suppos-
ed that they could get the shacl<le keys.
Being determined in their object, n
search was made for some instrument
with which to pry mp the staple, an in
short time one Of the party returned
with ola piece iron axle, with which the
staple was broken. The prisoner,
with the irons dangling around his an.
/ kles, and his arms pinioned, was then
shouldcred by the crowd. and carried
down stairs and across an open lot to the
! hand-car. on which he was placed.
During this time he had been told that
| if he had any prayers TO say he had bet
/ ter say them, and he Immediately com
menced and prayed loudly, while the hand
car proceeded to the place selected for the
execution, about l J miles from town
/ Here they arrived ut a few minutes past
three o'clock, and finding an oak near
the railroad with n stout straight limb.
in full view Of the cars. il was selected
rs the gallows tree. A rope had been
/ prepared with aregnlar hangman's moose
/ at the end. and this having been made
I fast TO limb, it was announced that it
/ was ready.