Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1880-12-13
A TRIPLE LYNCHING.
Three Fiends Hanged for the Murder
Young Married Woman.

Three friends H1uYC0 tn0 MufueT OI
Young Married Woman.
The Charleston Ne,cs and Courier has
received details of the murder Of Mrs. Ken,
nedy in Clarendon CO., &C., and of the con-
sequent lynching of 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 lis 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 = young
lady of only 10 or 20 years Of fage intelligent
refined aud highly respected. When her
husband left she Shut the door and sat by
a window 20 write letter to her mother.
AS she sat there she saw in the yard Joe
Barnes, a colOred boy about 1G years old,
who had been employed by Mr.. Kennedy
the previous week. This boy had been in
duced by two negroes living near by
Vance Brandt and his sister Julia, aged
respectively IS and Ito hang around
the premises, and when Mr.. Kennedy left
the place he gave the signal to Vance and
Julia, who kept themselves concealed in a
thicket. This couple had heard Of Mr..
Kennedy s intention to visit Charleston, and
thinking 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 windows
and three times tried 20 get in, and each
time was showed out by Mrs. Kennedy.
Finding that he was determined to get in
she opened the front door, ran through the
yard and was just going through the gate
when Vance snatched up hoe lying in the
yard, overlook her at the gate and knocked
her down. She implored mercy, and told
him she would give him all the
money she had if he would only
spare her life. He cursed her and
said L" Ise been waiting to kill you for 4
long time" and at that struck her two
more blows, in attempting to avert which
it 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 entire Uranium was
cut off from car to ear, leaving the brains
scattered around on tho ground. A jury
of inquest being held, returned verdict
of '' murder in the highest degree by un-
known hands," On Tuesday, the colored
boy, J. G. Barnes, was arrested. He
showed so much confusion on being ques-
toned rs to his whereabouts on Sunday,
that only few questions served to bring
out his full confession, from which tho
above account is taken. An examination
Of Vance and Julia elected evidence
showing that they were tho murderers,
marks of blood and brains being found
upon their clothing. The horrible charac-
ter Of the murder awakened intense indig-
nation in the neighborhood, and the crowd
of one hundred and fifty white men and
fifty colored men assembled to punish the
murderers. The negroes begged the white
men to permit them to take the prisoners
and burn them alive. This was refused :;
but a vote was taken whether they should
be jailed and await the court or he lynch
ed. Only twenty-three voted to await the
law. and it was determined to hang them
to the tree nearest the scene Of the crime.
Halters were obtained and fastened to the
limb Of the tree. A cart was placed under
the limb, handkerchiefs being tied over
their faces. The cart was pushed away
and the trio were soon dangling in the air.