The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1879-09-23
A crime and /, rts

4
DETAILS OF THE LYECHISG OF THE NEGRO
| THOMPSON AT CHAMELEON FOR THE MuRDEI
OF WHITE MAS--vrGoR0Us ACTION OF 4
JUSTICE OF THE PEACE.
Telegraph TO the New York Herald
CHAMELEON, WEST Va, September 21.-
Kanawha Valley records another lyncbine
scrape on the 10Th instant at Enterprise,
where the Government is ut work on lock
No. 3. a quarrel arose between q negro
named Thompson and white man, Joe
Moore, both OF whom were drinking. The
quarrel started thus: Tho negro passed
Moore and said he intended TO kill some one
before night, and repeated his threats sec.
ond time, and came up TO Moore, saying
Chow are you, Joe?" To this Moore
replied he did not wish to associate
with him, and walked off. Thonp.
son followed him and continued to
abuse him. Moore stopped and turned
toward Thompson, but Moore's friends adj
Vised him to let Thompson alone, as he
would only put himself OH an equality with
the negro By lighting with him. Moore
again passed on, but Thompson still fol-
lowed and continued his abuse. After
standing il for some time Moore turned on
the negro. threw him to the ground, and
commenced beating him with a stone.
Thompson, having an open pocket-knife in
his hand, cut Moore on the left side of his
and as deep as the knife would go. Moore
started up, eNclaiming. "Take him! He
has cut me- am dead man J" He bed
to death in about twenty minutes.
THE MURDERER CAUGHT.
Thompson then ran to boat lying in the
river near by. Squire j. c. Montgomery, a
justice OF the peace OF kanawha county,
who happened to be within short distance
OF the scene Of the murder, at once repaired
to the place, and after some search secured
Thompson near the river, where he was
concealed under boat. When he was
brought out be was very much scared and
begged for protection, insisting he had COM
nitted the deed in seIf-defence. By this
time mob Of about two hundred Infatuated
men had gathered and demanded the pri-
soner. Squire Montgomery refused to give
him up, and by his prompt and fearless ac-
ton, with the aid Of five men as guard,
held the mob back for three hours. The
officers in charge telegraphed to Charleston
for the sheriff, and expected him to arrive
with assistance on the 1880 p. NJ. train.
IN THE HANDS OF THE MOB.
The brother Of Moore sent for Squire
, uuu NHliC uC "dS UuI W SCC
him tue mob broke By the guard, seized the
prisoner. and were starting out with him
when the Squire returned. He struggled
manfully to regain control Of the prisoner,
but it was too late. The mob had him be-
yond recovery. The prisoner was at once
rushed to the woods, about one hundred
wards away, when he was strung up to a
tree. To the last he claimed he had acted
in Self-defence and after being placed on
the scatfold coolly said: Il will visit you
another day" About thirty minutes after
the hanging the train arrived, bringing
Sheriff Rooster, Deputy Muhan, and Com
monwcaltll's Attorney Snyder. Thompson
had a very bad name. and had only been out
Of the State pcnitentiary about two months,
where he had been serving term for shoot
ing Il man named Wolf in Charleston. The
officers had the body cut down and buried
the next morning. While the best citizens
diSapproved the action of the mob, all, both
white and black, felt that Thompson met q
fate that lie richly deserved as desperate
outlaw.