The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1880-08-03
KU KLUx AMUSEMENT.
WORSE THAN WEAVER REpoRTEDTo
AN INrELLIGENCER REPoRrEE.
The Terrible Crime Perpetrated at Jones'
boro. Ga.-The Citizens Of Atlanta
Aroused ever the Outrage
How Negroes are Killed
for sport.

A4Ao9 VI AhauLA LuoI0 gSSAIAoN AAAot AAhA'
one OF the most fragrant outrages recorded
in the history crime. The victims were
unofending negroes, and the perpetrators
fifteen white roughs, disguised by fiend'
ish streaks OF black across their faces, and
looking in the glare Of the torches they
carried like veriAble demons. The cir
cumstances OF the outrage are almost toe
horrible to tell, and the surroundings
sickened your correspondent as he saw
them. An aged negro and his wife, with
their garments'dyed in their own blood,
which brutal beating had made to gush
from their flesh; q young negress lying
dead between her two, crying children,
with bullet in her brain, and lad OF
sixteen groaning in the agony OF an awful
pistol wound in his side. Such q scene
! beheld In q poor log cabin, while around
1t crowded hundred negroes, trying to
aid and comfort their afflicted friends, and
a few kind hearted white friends furnish.
ing what they needed. The history oil
this crime Is as follows:
One year ago Joe Thompson, q negro
fifty years old, was at work on the farm OF
Jlmes McElroy, in Fayette county. John
Gray, McElroy's brother-in-law, came one
day into the field where Joe and his son
Bob were at work. He accused Bob Of
stealing plow from him. Bob denied
that he had done so. TGrsy grew angry
and struck the boy. His father interiered
to prevent him from being beaten. Gray
then turned and severely beat the old
man, who could offer but q feeble resist
ance. Joeleft the place at once, taking
his family with him and obtained employ
ment with Reuben Munday, in Clayton
county, where he now lives. He prose.
cuted Gray for assault and battery. The
Superior Court fined the young bnlldozer
500 and costs, thus greatly outraging him
and his friends. Joe.feared their venge-
ance, but he had good friend in Mr..
Munday, and all went well with him un-
til night before last. He was asleep in
bis cabin with his wife by his side. In
the same room were his married daughter,
Mile johnson, with her two small chill.
dren, and Bob Thompson, the boy whom
Gray had struck in the field. About mid
night Joe was aroused by the noise OF
voices in the yard. Peering through q
crack in the door he saw fifteen men with
half dozen huge torches. Nearly all OF
them were armed, and on the face OF each
were broad streaks and splotches oil SCOT to
serve as disguise.
The old negro knew that he was TO be
the victim of this mob, for almost as soon
as he had seen them they rushed upon the
door and began to knock it in. Some Of
them seized a log in the side Of the cabin
and tore 1t from its place. Soon the door
was down and the villains were in and
ready for their bloody work. Two OF
them seized Joe Thompson and dragged
him out. They held him down while q
third beat him with stick until the blood
literally spouted from his body. He was
left almost dead with deep gashes across
his back and breast and his bald head hor.
ribly cut. l saw him next morning and
the blood was scarcely dry on the rough
shirt it had dyed with its deep crimson.
His old wife had suffered with him:
She was beaten by a ruttian until she fell
senseless to the earth. As the mob con-
tinued this infamous work, young Bob
arose from his bed and made movement
to help his old parents. He was foored
by shot which pierced his side near the
lungs. Millie johnson lay in the bed ter.
rified almost to death. She attempted to
rise and was shot in the head to fall back
a corpse. Her little children on either
side Clung in terror to their dead mother
for protection.
After completing this outrage the band
moved Of, and continued It's villiany by
firing into the house OF Clarke Goddard,
a peaceable negro living two miles further
down the road. Soon after this they met
two white men and threatened their
lives.
The news OF the nights horror was
heralded over the county by sunrise, and
created among all good people the greatest
excitement. The sheriff, with 4 posse,
secured the district, and before noon ar.
rested John Gray, Lewis Gray, Sam Cook
and James McElroy. Subsequently six
other men were arrested and carried to
Jonesboro, where they were jailed.
Negroes and whites flocked to town TO
discuss the outrage, and to consider what
was best to be done. A meeting at which
500 white and colored citizens were pres
ent, denounced the crime, offered $500 for
the apprehension oil the murderer, and re-
solved to prosecute the case with all posi-
BILE vigor.
All day yesterday Jonesboro was In 8
state OF excitement. Nobody offered any
palliation for the awful crime, and on all
hands there were demands Tor strict JUS
tice. All the circumstances seem 70 point
TO the guilt OF GRAY aud his friends. Joe
Thompson says that few days ago Nc
Elroy came TO his house, ostensibly to
get him to make tray; but while there
acted in such way as TO arouse grave
suspicious in the negro's mind.
About dark last night there was circu'
lated in Jonesboro rumor that the
friends OF the prisoners in Fayette county
had organized a strong armed band, and
intended to raid Jonesboro and rescue the
accused. The Sheriff summoned a posse
to guard the Jail, but as they were poorly
armed he telegraphed Gov. Colquttt the
state OF affairs, and asked that a company
be sent out at once TO protect the town
The Governor ordered out the Gate City
Guard, which left with eighty men on q
special train. The military found the town
in great excitement They at. once sur
rounded the jail, and assured the people
that the public peace should be protected
The Guard were accompanied by the GOV
efnor himself, who did much to allaY the
turbulence. The troops have Just returned
To Atlanta, bringing the prisoners with
them TO be safely jailed here. Atlanta Il
fully aroused over this outrage. severa
leading attorneys have beenI engaged z
prosecute the case. Gov. Colqnitt viii
offer reward OF $500 for any other par
ties implicated in the affair. The people
Georgia are determined that such an out
rage shall be punished as the law directs
and as humanity demands.