Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1877-12-05
THE WRETCH HUNG.

| n ucSpdtCIi lIOiu -NdchNhiCs ASA''
under date of the 2Sth ult., says =
Roper, alias McGhee, who attempted
to commit a rape ON Miss Bette Tenn
pleton, was taken from jail yesterday
morning by mob, who, after several
unsuccessful attempt TO lynch INN,
were persuaded to allow a committee
of twenty to take him into the pres
ence of the lady for Identification.
She positively identified Roper as the
man who endeavored to outrage her.
after which he was taken to the court
house and hanged from the third
story window, in the presence OF about
1000 persons.
PROMINENT CITIZENS, WEARING NO MASKS,
COMPOSE THE ExECUTIoNERs-A HoR-
RIBLE SCENE
The following particulars are CIV
en- of the hanging of the negro Ro-
per, alias McGhee, at Columbia, Ten
nessee, for an Infamous assault upon
Miss Betty, daughter of Rev. A.
Templeton, few days previous.
Notwithstanding an agreement to
let him rest till morning large crowds
fingered all night on the streets. By
daybreak fully twenty-five hundred
men were gathered in the square,
clamoring angrily for the negro scoun-
drel. Mayor Williamson made a long
address, imploring them to reflect,
and leave Roper to the law. Other
prominent citizens followed in like
strain, but without avail The crowd
increased, and as last resort the
Mayor appointed a committee of
twenty-five, ON which were two ne
groes, to take Roper from the jail to
Miss Templeton's house for identiti
cation. The committee did so, fol-
lowed by an immense crowd When
the negro was brought in the pres
ence of the lady she said, fiercely:
''You are the wretch y Meanwhile
the crowd in the square had thrown
from the Court House window a ban
ner, with the inscription in black:
The Will of the People" Under
meath were a skull and cross-bones.
A tackle block had been attached to
the window of the third story, ON the
south side, from which long rope,
each end touching the ground. When
Miss TempletOn had identified him,
Roper was snatched from the officers
surrounded by hundred men, with
cooked pistols, and soon brought to
the square. The committee called
the crowd to order, and they unani-
mously gave verdict that Roper
should die Immediately. The rope
was placed round his neck and he
was hoisted slowly up thirty feet or
SO. Some of his clothes soon drop
ped off. He was lowered to the
ground. and, his raiment being pin
ned on, he was pulled up again. The
body writhed in frightful contortions
the hands grasping at the air. The
face was entirely uncovered, the mus
cles contracted, the eyes and tongue
protruded, making a most horrible
spectacle. After hanging forty-fve
minutes, the body was lowered The
mob wore no masks, and was COM
posed of the most prominent citi-
zens of the community. The officers
of the law were completely power
less. There is no doubt of Ropers
guilt. There WAS blood ON his shirt,
and two buttons torn off during the
struggle conceded with those on his
vest. Some time ago he committed
a similar crime in Mobile, and for his
capture $1,000 reward is standing.
The business of the courts and every
thing had been suspended entirely
for three days.
THE cULPRITs CRIME
A special from Columbia saws
Nothing for years has created so
much excitement in this place as Ro-
pers attempt to ravish Miss Temple
ton She is in her nineteenth year,
very pretty, and a general favorite in
the community. About seven o'clock
last Saturday morning she had occa
sion to go into the yard When she
was about fifty yards from the house
she encountered Roper, who was
skulking around. She asked him
what business he had there. With |
out replying the negro sprang at her
throat, choked her severely, and fore
ed her to the ground. A terrible |
struggle ensued, during which Miss
Templetons clothes were torn, and !.
her neck and other portions of her
body bruised. For five or ten min
utes the struggle lasted, Roper BRAN
dishing knife above her head, and
threatened to cut her throat if she 4
did not yield Finally finding his
strength was not sufficient to accom-
phsh his hellish purpose, he ceased,
and threatened her with immediate 1
death if she did not swear not to be-
tray him. Believing it was the only
way to save her life and honor, she 4
consented, and he made her place her
left hand ON her heart, raise her right ,
to heaven, and call on God as wit
ness that she would not tell on him.
Roper then fed by the back way.
Miss Templeton returned to the
house. The family noticing her pal
lor and nervousness, saw something
was wrong and began to question
her. Deeming the pledge she had
given Roper sacred and binding, she
refused to tell, and it was fifteen or
twenty minutes before she could be
persuaded to reveal all Her father,
finding his daughter had suffered no
material harm, thought at first of
keeping the matter secret, but on ma
ture deliberation concluded to make
it public. The news acted like fire
brand. The Public Square was al
most crowded in an hour after the
alarm. Threats to lynch were made
on all sides, and that seemed the I'M
animous sentiment. The Criminal