The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1879-06-20
A Fiendish Act summarily Avenged by an
Indignant People,


one John J. Moore, of Spartanburg County, for
murder and rape upon the person of poor but
respectable young lady by TIE name of Fanny
Heaton, on the 5th inst. We oTit some of the
details of the crime as being too revolving and.
in opinion, unfit to appear in the columns of
q journal that reaches the homes of virtuous
and refined people We take the account from
the Spartanburg Herald and with the Editor Of
that journal would have preferred that the vii.
lain had expiated his crime upon legal gall
lows; at the same time we are impelled TO be-
lieye, from the many outrnges committed of late
upon defenceless women and little girls, that
the law is too tardy AMI uncertain in dealing
with the devils who commit them. Our moth
crs, wives, daughters and sisters, of NIL nges,
are not safe from the pollution Of the lccherous
villains now infesting the couary, and as
escapes from jails frequent and punish
ment by law uncertain, we are inclined to wink
at the decision of Judge Lynch in such aggrn
va! ed cases and where there is doubt rs to the
victim being the right man.
An inquest held by Trial Justice T. T. CASTOR
over the dead body of q white woman found
near John j. Moores distllery, about thirteen
miles above Spartanburg developed the follow
ing facts Miss Frances lIeaton, n young lady
of good character and respectable family, from
Pickcns County came on foot to the house Of John
J. Moore on Thursday the 9Th inst, TO inquire
where Mr.. Paschal O'Shiclds relative of hers
lived She stayed there to dinner and after
dinner John j. Moore started with her, against
her protest, to show her the way to Mr.. Jcfer-
son d Shield's house. Her body was found on
Sunday the 9Th inst, by parties noticing buzz
yards lowering around the spot in the woods
only about half.mie from Moores house. Tho
49,:
and partly devourei by the buzzards when dis
covered, but it was plain to be seen that she had
been outraged, and shot in the breast and her
throat cut.
The verdict of the Jury of Inquest was that
she had come to her death from the wounds
mentioned, and that the jurors believe that tho
wounds inflicted by weapons in the hands
of John J. Moore. Upon this finding John }.
Moore was arrested Monday night, 9th inst.
and brought here and put in Jail on the lOl,
inst.
Further facts having since been discovered
tending more. conclusivcly to convict Moore of
the diabolcal act public Indignation rose to the
highest pitch aud on Monday night u body of
mounted men, cstimat cd nj between two and three
hundred, approached the town about IL o'clock at
| night. for the purpose of taking John Moore
out and hanging him. News of the approach of
the body of armed men was whispered about
town late in the evening and considerable cx-
ciemcnt was created. Sheriff Thompson en-
dcavorcd to get up posse cOnHtutms to guard
the Jail, and collision being apprchcn,cd, CT
forts were made 10 induce the mounted men to
dcsist from their purpose. Their minds, how
ever, we're male up and they rode into the town,
and surrounded the Jail, demanding the pris-
oner The Sheriff, finding that he could not
get up posse comitatUs sufficient to protect the
prisoner secretly took the prisoner out of Jail.
under guard, and had carried him off and sccrc-
ted him just outside the limits of the town.
Nl,n fail v.nrr rIc1 oil md
in the Jail, and upon being satisfied that the pris
oner hal been carried off, they scattered in eve
~ direction and continued their search until
they found the prisoner under the Chinquepin
trcstle Of the Airline Railroad, one mile from
town, where Sheriff Thompson had left him in
hand cuffs under guard, with orders TO take the
cars OH the - O'Clock train towards Charlotte.
Taking possession Of the prisoner they rallied
their forces and rode through town with their
prs ,ncr and carried him off to the spot where
he had committed his da5olical deed and hung
him, we arc informed by person present, 1t =
o clock this (Tueslny) Morning in the presence
of about one thousand persons, among whom
were two sisters Of the lad whom he had mur-
hcrcd, who arrived from pickcns yesterday
lie was permitted to take leave OF his family
and WAS placed in buggy under n tree to
the limb Of which rope WAS tied and ndj djusted
around his neck. lie was then given pcrms-
sion to speak and made few remarks, denying
his guilt and saying "that he didn't blame them,
thinking as they did, for what they were about
to do. but hoped that after he was dead the right
man would be found and they would say ilat
John Moore, for once, spoke the truth" When
he closed his remarks the buggy was nrivcn
from under him and his body hung until life
extinct.
Thus ended the career Of John J. Moore, q
man Of notorioualy bad charact r. perhaps the
worst man that ever lived in Spartanburg Coun
ty-a who, himself had admitted that "he
had committed every crime known to the law,
except suicide" 1t is n monument to the peace
and law abiding character of our people that he
has been permitted to live in this County, i'm
plicatcd, as nc has been. in many crimes an,t
rascalites. There is doubt of his being gull
iy of the infamous crimes for which he has been
summariy executed by our inccnsed citizens, and
he has received his just deserts none too soon
And yet we regret that the lawful gallows has
been cheated out Of its victim. Convinced Of
his guilt and believing that he deserved such %
fate, AMI even worse fate if possible, we made
an honest effort to prevent it, not for his sake,
but that the law might be vindicatcd, believing
that it would have Il better effect upon the coun-
try nt large that such fcnd should be tried
convicted and hung according to law, however
heinous the crimes of which he was guilty.
Similar efforts were made 10y others but of no
avail. The men who came and took him off and
executed him were prompted, we know, by the
best of motives. Ii was no excited mob of men
under the influence Of liquor, but was composct