Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1880-12-18
Three Negro Ficnds Lynch
ed.

4
DETAILS OF THE HORRIBLE MUIR
DER OF A YOUNG WIFE IN
GEORGIA.
! CHARLESTON, S. c.. December
1.-THE Nelts and Courier has re-
ceived the details of the murder of
Mrs. Kennedy in Clarendon conn
ty, and of the subsequent lynch
ing of the three murderers. Last
Sunday Mr.. Thomas Kennedy,
living near Salem, intending to
visit Charleston, went over to his
fathers house, short distance
from his own---to ask his mother
to stay with his wife during his
absence. Mr.. Kennedy's wife
was formerly Miss Ada Wright,of
| Darlington, and had only been
married about year. She was a
young lady of only nineteen or
twenty years of age, intelligent,
refined and highly respected
When her husband left she shut
the door and sat by window to
write letter to her mother. AS
she sat there she saw in the yard
Joe Barnes, colored boy about
sixteen years old, who had been
employed by Mr.. Kannedy tho
previous week. This boy had
been induced by two negroes liv-
ing near by-Vance Brandt and
his sister, Julia, aged respectively
| eighteen and fifteen--to hang
around the premises, and when
Mr.. Kennedy left the place gave
the signal to Vance and Julia who
kept themselves concealed in
thicket. This couple had heard Of
Mr.. Kennedy's intention to visit
Charleston, and thinking that he
would have a good deal of money
In the house, determined to break
in and get it. When Joe gave the
signal Vance went Immediately to
the window and three times tried
to get in, and each time he was
showed out by Mrs. Kennedy
Finding that he was determined
to get in, she opened the door, ran
through the yard, and VAS Just
RUiuS tuiOuku tuC EutU Wutu
Vance snatched up hoe lying In
the yard, overlook her at the gate
and knocked her down. Shs i'm
plored mercy and told him she
would give him all the money she
had, If he would only spare her
lifa He cursed her, and sad, Use
been waiting to killed you long
time," and at that struck her two
more blows, in attempting to avert
which, 1t Is supposed, her hand
was broken. Just then Julia
came up with another hoe and
severed her head. When Mr..
Kennedy returned, about three
hours afterwards, he found his
| wife lying outside the front gate
mutilated, cold and stiff, her head
almost severed in twain. The en-
tire craniam was cut off, from ear
to ear, leaving the brains scatter
ed around on the ground. A jury
| of inquest being had. verdict,
"Murdcr in the highest degree, by
unknown hands, was returned
On Tuesday tho colored boy Joe
Barnes was arrested. He showed
so much confusion on being ques-
toned as to his whereabouts on
Sunday that only a few questions
served to bring out his full confess
sion, from which the above ac-
count Is taken. An examination
of Vance and Julia elected evil
dence showing that they were the
murderers, marks of blood and
brains being found upon their
clothing.
Tee horrible character of the
murder awakened intense indig-
nation in the neighborhood, and a
crowd of $50 white men and fifty
colored men assembled to punish
the murderers. The negroes beg
ged the whites to permit Thorn to
take the prisoners and burn them
alive. This was refused but q
vote was taken whether they
should be Jailed to await the court,
or be Iynched. Only twenty-three
voted to await the law, and it was
determined to hang them to the
tree nearest the scene of the crime.
Haltsrs were obtained .and fast
ened to limb of the tree, a cart
was placed under the limb, hand
kerchiefs being tied over their
faces, the cart was pushed away.
and tho trio were soon dangling In
the air. Their victim at the time
of the murder was e'aciente with
twins, and was near her confine-
rnQnt