Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1879-06-26
ytlisfellauenns @eadiua.
Correspondence Of the News and Courier.
THE SPARTANBURG LYNCHING.
FURTHER PARTICULARS.

SPARTANBURG, June 17.-Sunday last, a
week ago, the body of young woman was
found in the woods near Vernonsville, in this
county, shockingly mutilated. The remains
were identified as those of Miss Frances Hea-
ton or Woodward, her mother having mar
ried twice. The appearances indicated that
she had been outraged under circumstances
of horrible cruelty, robbed, shot and her
throat cut. Suspicion fell from the first on
John j. Moore, white man, living within q
few hundred yards of the soene Of the trag-
edy. Moore is farmer and store-keeper,
licensed whiskey manufacturer, in comfort
able circumstances, and lifelong resident of
the neighborhood. His reputation was very
bad, however, be having escaped, through le.
gal loopholes, from the consequences of halt
dozen ugly charges, and being widely known
as thief, sharper and desperate.
The evidence against Moore gradually ac-
cumulated. The deceased had last been seen
alive going with him from the house in the
direction of the place where the body was
found, he ostensibly desiring to show her the
way, although she declined his company. 1t
is alleged that he assaulted her twice in sight
of his own house, and he was seen soon after:
wards alone in the woods near the scene Of
the tragedy, hatless and shoeless, walking
near Tiger River. The tracks found leading
from the body oqrresponded with the size Of
his, and showed that they had been made by
shoes run down at the heel and on the side.
His foot gear was all in that condition. 1t is
also stated that he had blood on his pauta-
looms when he returned to the house, and his
account of the time of his absence is fatty
contradicted by witnesses before the coroners
jury. He was arrested and lodged in Jail.
The people throughout the entire section of
the county were much excited and incensed,
and plan Of speedy and terrible vengeance
had been maturing, the fury of the citizens
being aggravated by the report that he would
obtain a change of venue from this county
and be defended by able counsel. 5
Last night 15O mounted men, armed with
side arms and shot guns, rode into this town
and surrounded the jail, leaving heavy pick.
cts along all the roads leading here. The jail
was searched on being opened, but the object
of the quest was not found, Moore having
been spirited away by the sheriff. The organ
ization of the crowd was perfect and thorough
order was maintained. The crowd. broke in
to squads, each of which was under the com.
mand of. a leader, to whom all yielded i'm
plicit obedience, orders being issued in mill
tary style and promptly executed. No dis.
guises were used, and all classes and ages
seemed to participate.
One squad of twenty men, from information
received, found Moore concealed under the
wall at the side of bridge on the Air Line
Railroad, about mile and half from town,
and guarded by four men. The guard were
overpowered and the prisoner was taken out
and marched back to the city, amid silence
and order. He was not abused, and all his
wants were promptly attended to. The raid:
ers soon reformed, and Moore was marched
about two miles from town, where he was put
in a buggy and driven to the woods, where the
body of Miss Woodward was found, seventeen
miles from here, the party arriving there
about daylight. People aocked to the scene
from all directions until a crowd Of six hun
dred had collected.
It had been announced that Moore would
be hung at 10 o'clock, althoug b some were in
favor Of burning him. I interviewed the
prisoner, but he refused to confess anything,
although he had promised to do so on condi-
tion of being allowed to choose the manner Of
bis death. The crowd became impatient, and
arrangements were Systematically made for
the execution. His wife and family we're
brought up and allowed to see him. A min
lister was also brought to him. The people
showed terrible quietness and cool relentless.
ness, but there was an entire absence of all
excitement or boisterousness. A person one
hundred yards from the scene would not have
suspected what was transpiriug.
Moore said little, but was cool and selfpos-
sessed. do not think that even at the last