The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1880-12-13
TERRIBLE TALES
OF CRIME AND SPEEDY RErRIRU-
TIoN.
The CondIEu Puni.hment Meted out to
Three Black Fiends ia south Caro-.
iina-A sIekening Story from
IoWA-BabIes Burned TO
i Death, de, &c.
A BLOODY TRAGEDY.
Particulars ofa Horrible Anair In south
Carolina.

1 thTOltnus
CHARLESTON, s. G., December 1.-THE
Nttrs and Courier has received details OF
the murder Of Mrs. Kennedy, in Claren.
don county, and OF the subsequent lynch.
ing Of her three murderers. Last Sunday
Thomas Kennedy, living near Salem, in.
tending to visit Charleston, went over to
his fathers house, short distance from
his own, to ask his mother to stay with
bis wife during bis absence. Kennedy's
wife was formerly Ada Wright, OF Oar.
lington, aud had only been married about
a year. She was only nineteen or twenty
wears Of age, intelligent, refined and high
she left she shut the door and
sat down by the window to write
letter to her mother. As
she sat there she saw in the yard Joe
Barnes, colored boy about sixteen years
old, employed by Kennedy the previous
week, and she asked him to bring her an
armful OF wood. The boy had been in
duced by two negroes living near by,
Vance Brandt and his sister Julis, aged
eighteen and fifteen years, to hang around
the premises and when kennedy left The
place to give the signal to Vance and Ju-
lie, who kept themselves concealed. These
two had heard OF Kennedy's intention to
visit Charleston, and thinking he would
have good deal Of money in the house
determined to break in and get It. When
Joe turned to go for wood he gave the
signal and soon met Vance coming into the
yard. Vance asked where Mrs. Kennedy
was, and went Immediately 10 the win.
dow and three times tried to get in, and
each time he was showed out by Mrs.
Kennedy. Finding that he was deter
mined to get in, she opened the front
door, ran through the yard, and was Just
going through the gate when Vance
snatched up stick and overlook her at
the gate, and knocked her down. She i'm
plored for mercy and told him she would
give him all the money In the house II he
would spare her life. He cursed her and
said: "I'se been wanting TO kill you q
long time" and struck her two more
blows. In attempting TO avert them, 1t Is
supposed her hand was broken. Just then
Julia came up with hoe and severed her
head.
When Mr.. Kennedy returned, some
three hours afterward, he found his wife
lying outside the front gate, mutilated,
cold and stiff, her head almost severed in
twain. The entire Uranium was cut of
from ear to ear, leaving the brains scat
tered around on the ground. A jury OF
inquest being had, returned verdict of
murder in the highest degree by un-
known hands" Several colored persons
were arrested Monday, but no clue to
their guilt being obtained, they were
promptly released. On Tuesday the col.
ored hoy, Joe Barnes, was arrested. He
showed 30 much confusion on being
questioned as to his wheIesbouts
Sunday, that only few questions
served to bring out his full confession,
from which the above account is taken.
Vance and Julia denied having anything
TO do with 1t, but the clothes which they
wore Sunday very very bloody, with small
particles OF brains upon them. The money
and pistol Of Kennedy't, found in their
possession, were bloody, and on being
questioned about the blood upon their
clothes, the woman said she had killed q
chicken, and the man said he had killed
some psrtridges. On examination, the
bloody finger prints on the hoe handle
corresponded precisely with those on the
shawl worn by the woman on the day OF
the murder, which circumstance had as
great weight to convict her as the testimo.
ny OF the boy.
The horrible character OF the murder
awakened intense indignation in the
neighborhood, and crowd Of one huN:
dred and fifty white men and fifty colored
men assembled TO punish the murderers.
A further examination established the
truth OF the confession OF Barnes. The
negroes begged the whites to permit them
TO take the prisoners and burn them alive.
This was refused, but vote was taken
whether they should be jailed, and
await the court, or be lynched. Only
twenty.three voted to await the law,
and 1t was determined TO hang
them to q tree nearest the scene OF
the crime. Halters were obtained and
fastened to q limb OF the tree, cart was
placed under the limb, and the prisoners
ordered 10 mount. Just then Joe Barnes
begged to be allowed to pray, ard COM
menced by saying that he had never pray
ed before, and never expected to again,
Nothing was said by either OF the others.
except groan and 20 Lord have mercy"
from Vance. HandkerGhiefs being tied
over their faces, the cart was pushed
away, and the trio dangled in the air.
HORRIBLE TRADEGY IN IOWA.
CHICAGO, December 1.-THE 1ribuHes
Davenport Iowa) special says horrible
murder occurred last night three miles
from Colona Station, on the Chicago,
Rock Island and Pacific railroad, thirteen
miles east OF Davenport. At an early hour
this morning Thomas Dilley, a wealthy
farmer and an old resident, was found
dead in his bed, his skull crushed in and
his face and body horribly disfgured Be-
side him was his wife, unconscious, and
probably fatally injured by blows about
ihe head, inflicted BY sharp instrument.
A short distance from the house, a Spsds,
battered and bloody, was discovered; it
had evidently been the instrument Of
death. There was quite sum OF money
in the house, which was not touched. 1t
Is believed an old groudge, and law suit,
in which Diliey came out ahead, were
the causes OF the deed. Two young men,
Clement aud Albert Gillisn, are suspected.
The polica ara on their track.