Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1881-02-03
she was killed by David Spearman and
San, Fair ~ - 4

| named David Spearman and Sam Fai
who were working on the Wertz farm
saw. her leave. Sam. says.that Dave
told him that he intended to NEE
her on. her return home from hel
brothers that evening sad sssaal
her He said he told Dave not do it
They were plowlLg together when the
colloquy took place. Shortly after
Mr.. Wertz stopped Dave from plow.
ing and put him to other work, which
was unfortunately near the place
where Miss Bessie would have to re-
turn. he Dave went to the spring
which she would have to repass.-
While there he sang as signal for
Sam to come to his assistance, but Sam
says he would not go. After supper
he and Dave left Mr.. Wertz, to go to
a neighbor's house, When they
reached the spring he wanted to go
by the path which the dead body was
|. .afterward found. Dave told him not
to go that way, as somebody was mp
there. They went a short distance
and separated. Dave confesses to
being behind pine tree near the
path that Miss Wertz would take to
return. As she passed he caught and
choked her and accomplished his pur-
pose. He then tied her to a bush,
went 20 Mr. Wertz and attended to
his business, ate his supper and then
he and Sam returned together. AZ
ter they had both abused the poor
girl they kissed her In the morning
about o'clock the Coroner Court ad-
journed without a verdict. Trial
Justice All. Wheeler had the pris-
onrrs safely placed in the guard
house. He and others remained near
for some time, untilth crowd had
partially dispersed. an9,
THE -ExCoTEAENT
had abated, and then feeling they
were secure, he went home and left
the key with Constable. Some
time after 2 o'clock yesterday morn
ing the guard house was broken open
and the prisoners taken out. Dave
was found dead this morning tied to
the pine tree he had concealed HIM
self behind. Sam was found at home
with the marks of four balls, all
slight An immense crowd of infuri
ated citizens went to his house and
brought him back to Prosperity. The
trial Justice and jurors demanded the
prisoner. but the crowd refused to
give him up. As the news spread the
crowd increased and became more in
furiated They rushed over Justice
Wheeler, and took Sam to the suburbs
Of the town and hanged him. About
five or six hundred people participa-
ted in the lynching- In the crowd
were many colored men and women
Il is said that when her murderers
tied their victim to the bush, and left
her to go to the house for their sup
per, it was their intention to return
and destroy all trace of their crime by |
burning the girls body. Something
occurred, however, to cause them to
change their plans. The affair, in all
Of its details, is certainly the most |
horrible ever known in this State. It |
IS said that two or three negro men
we're also implicated in the assault up
on Miss Wertz. If the. evidence adj
luced before the trial Justice strength
ems this belief, the sus.
pected parties will be called to speedy |
account, and if the indignant popu-.
ACE are satisfied that they are gull /
", the same stern and inexorable JUS
5ice meted out to Spearman and Fair
will be their rewards. The body of |
Miss Wertz was inferred yesterday in
The family burial ground. -.
on HER FATHERS PLANTATION,
near Prosperity. The services were !
unusually impressive. The atten-
dants probably numb bered 600 or 500 |
and came from almost every portion
Of Newberry and continuous counties
Among the 'nourners were several
old family servants and the old col
ored woman who had nursed the girl |
whose life had come to such an nm
happy end from her infancy up to
the time she was left to go to semi
nary, where she finished her edhca-
ton. Miss Wertz returned home
from a fashionable female seminary
last summer, from which she gradu-
ated with distinguished honor. She
was a decided blonde, rather above
the medium height, sdelicately formed |
with soft brown cirls, which clus-
tered about a classic forhead. Her
eyes were OF the deepest blue.