The daily gazette., 1881-02-21
SEVEN NEGRNEs LYNcHED.
FIVE HANGED ON THE FRONT OF A
TENN EssEE CoURT-HoUsR AND TWO
IN THE WOODS.

SPRINGFIELD, Tenn, Feb. 10.-The
country is to-day ia fever-heat of ex-
cilenent over the wholesale lynchlng
which occurred last night. The tragedy
which eliminated last night in the
lynching OF The five negroes imp icated
In the murder of Mr.. Laprade, makes
total OF ten deaths which have thus far
resulted from the fearful butchery. The
crime for which these negroes were I
lynched was the murder of farmer |
named LapTade, who lived alone near |
Sadlersville, Robinson county, about a |
mild away from any neighbor. The re-
port was current that he aud his two |
brothers had fallen heirs to 80 900 a few |
days before the murder. A party OF
nine negroes went TO bis house on the
night OF September 8, 1880. Going in
the rear OF his dwelling, one of them
knocked at the door, and, initiating the
voice OF Laprade's brother, asking ad-
mission, Lapra 10 opened the door with
| out thought Of harm. The nine negroes
rushed in upon him, knocked him down
aad then demanded all his money. he
gave them 50, saying that was all ne
had. Throwing rope around his neck
they dragged him about his grounds,
hanged hIm TO the limb of tree re-
peate dly until he was almost uncon-
scious, singed his body with torches
and lacerated and multilated him with
knives in the endeavor TO compel hlm to
admit that he had concealed the money,
but always with the same result. With
the rope he was dragged about the yard,
and Dameless ouLrages were committed
upon his person. Finally, his legs were
cut and hacked, and the Lendons torn
from their places from the knee down.
Then his skull was crushed in with an
axe, after which the body was hidden
under some bushes in a neighboring
thicket. The body was found two weeks
afterwards.
The discovery Of the murder caused
intense excitement, and threats of lynch
ing were freely made against the muir
derels as soon as they should be appre-
hended' Suspicion fell upon Jim Hlg-
gins, and after being Imprisoned some
days, he made confession duplicating
his associates, who were arrested. H.S-
gins who was an old negro, was taken
out and his feet burned until, in bis
agony, he is said to have given the de-
tails Of the Laprade murder. The priso-
ners, inclading Higgins, were brought
TO the Nashville jail. Higgins had Que
of his feet amputated and subsequently,
died in Jail.
September Is two of the murdereTs,
Bell aud Jameson, were taken from the
Springfield Jail and lynched. On the
same night a white mau named Ramsey
was shot t. death in his cell. He mad
been confined for shooting Miss Holt,
whom he began to persecute on account
of her engagement with another per-
son.
About 1890 O'Clock on the night of
the 18th OF the present month some
twenty-five mounted men rode into
town and proceeded to the Jail. They
intended TO lynch the prisoners, bul
desisted on being informed at the trial
would proceed, and if guilty the negroes
would be hanged. The trial of the
prisoners had been in progress all yester-
Gay and in the evening 1t had reached a
termination in the charge of Judge
Stroke to the jury. The five murderers,
James Elder, Loeb Mallory, Lun Stell,
Robert Thweat and another whose
name has not been ascertained, were de-
ivered to the custody of the Sheriff, and
that official prepared to start to the Jail
with them. Bill Murphy and Anthony
Duffy, who testified for the State, were
set at liberty and it is thoguht that then
release led 10 the terrible tragedy. As
the Sheriff departed with his prisoners
he was met at courtroom door by ali
lnfuriated mob, who presenting pistols at
his head, rushed upon him aud took the
trembling murderers from him. Attor-
ney-General Bell tried 10 collect posse
TO resist the mob, but failed, and was
compelled to make his exit through a
window.
The mob ordered all the lights ont,
fired a regular fusilade of shots to III
limidste any would be rescuers, dragged
the five captiVes to the east door OF the
Courthouse, where ropes were awaiting
them. The ropes were suspended from
the veranda above. The five bodies in
an instant were swinging beneath the
veranda. Jim Elder was the only one
who made any struggle and he was
quickly thrown down, bound hand and
loot aud then hanged with the Others.
The mob guarded The bodies until they
were sure that their work was completed
and life extinct. The leader then gave
the order, "Disperse, my men, 10 you
homes" and the eXecutioners some 20U
n number-immediatel departed, GO
ing on horseback in three different dl
rectious. The crowd attending the tra
was parlyZed with terror a. first, and
then Jumped from the windows OF the
courtroom and rushed off in every dir
ection, uttering cries of alright. Their
was no whiskey III the crowd of lynchers,
aud they were under strict discipline
No outsiders were allowed TO approach
until all the negroes were pronounced
dead and then 1t was announced that
the man who would cut them down
would do SO at bis peril.
This morning the Two murderers, Duly
aud Murphy, who turned States evi
dence, were found hanging to tree
near the scene of the murder. Thi,
makes seven lives that were sacrificed by
The ynchers last night.
Public sentiment sustains the actor
of the mob. The people feared an ap
, peal would be made and new ira
granted the prisoners. The testimony
was regarded as strong, proving the gull
OF the muTderers, and there was no tea
I that the jury would not convict them.
NASHVILLE, February l9-The Statt
This molLlng unanimously adopted I
resolution cobdemning the action OF thu
, mob at Springfield in taking prisoners
from tue custody OF the court and putting
; them to death, and declaring that mob
$ must be suppressed # it takes the whole