Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1880-08-04
Lynch Law in Maryland.
Haigiag Of Negro for an .atroeiOu' Il
sauH Upon a While Woman.

Ha igiag Of q Negro for dn .4froeious rs
SAUL Upon While Women.
WASHINGTON, July 27.-John DIggs,
the negro, who brutality outraged Mrs.
James Tschiffely last Saturday night,
near Darnestown, Md, was captured
last night at Mechanicsville and car
ried to Rockville and lodged in Jail.
Shortly. before 4 o'clock this morning
about Fifty men appeared at the Jail
and one Of them demanded admission
on the plea Of Identification. Sheriff
Kelcbner refused admittance to any
one while the crowd remained, and they
fell backward few feet.
Another formal demand being made
slight demur was made by the Deputy
Sheriff at the door, but this was only
the signal for an assault. The door
was then broken in, despite the resist
anoe of the Sheriff While the door
was being forced quite melee occur
red with the officers, and even after the
negro had been brought out into the
open air Mr.. KeIchner made another
attempt to rescue bis prisoner. He was
Immediately caught and held by two or
three of :he party. In his struggles
he received cut on the arm.
Tue crowd hurried Diggs off, his an.
kle irons clankiDg as he was forced
down the road at quick trot. He vas
taken up the road leading to Darnes
town, man guarding him on each side.
While being taken to the scene Of his
execution be seemed quite calm and
said he was willing to die. The indif-
ference he showed is said to have
awakened suspicion even among the
party who thus took the law into their
own hands. An effort was made to
force him to relate the details of his
assault upon Mrs. Tschihely, bnt be-
yond acknowledging the fact that he
committed the crime he would make no
confession.
Arriving at point on the road some
distance from town the party met a
horse. This had evidently been pre-
concerted arrangement by confederstes
of the crowd, and showed that they
were determined that nothing should
fail. Opportunity was given for ;he
villain to make peace with his Maker,
but he appeared callOus to this part of
the proceedings The necessary ropes
were within reach, and the brute's
hands ard arms were pinioned. 1t was
then found that the idea to place the
negro on the horse aud hang bim by
running the animal from under him was
impracticsble. The moose was placed
around bis neck and willing hands lifted
his body from the ground. He made
but little resistance, evidently knowing
from the first that any such effort would
be worse than foolish. The body was
left hanging. Sheriff Kelchner stated
this morning that Diggs made a full
confession Of the crime to him previous
to the Jail being forced.
The details of the crime committed
by Diggs are that he entered the resi-
dence Of Mrs James Tschifely, high
ly esteemed married lady, whose hus-
band, a prominent citizen of Montgom-
cry, was absent in another county on
business. The lady was seated at a
table engaged in reading, when the
negro suddenly sprang into the room,
and, seizing her by the throat, choked
her into a condition Of semi conscious
ness, and threatened, if she made an
appeal for aid, to murder her and burn
the house. He then dragged the terri
fed woman up the staircase and kept
ber prisoner in her room during the
night, repeatedly assaulting her. He
left the room carly in the morning, and
thinking that be had fed, his victim
managed to leave the house and started
to the residence of a neighbOr. The
negro, however, was lying in wait, and,
upon meeting her on the lawn, seized
her by the hair of her head and dragged
her back to the house, where, after sub
jecting her to further gross assaults, he
struck her over the head with a chair
The blow fell with crushing force, cut
ting the head and face of the lady,
forcing her eyes almost from their
sockets. She was, besides, terribly dis
figured, her neck and face being horri-
big cut, swollen and discOlored. The
negro then escaped. Mrs. Tschiffely
regained consciousness, and under the
care of physician Is improving. She
is 50 years of age and lady of recog-
nized social position, attractive person
ally and entertaining in manner.l