The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1881-12-08
Retribution

Within 8 week after sIr. Thomas VI
Lynch. of Oxford, was murdered, fol
the pi,ful sum Of $50, vengeance over.
took fhe asSassinsss is detailed in the
Free LGnce:-
About 3o'cleck on Wednesday night
the j.,,or, Mr. VIM. r. Turner, was
awake ed al his home, just en- the edge
of tow, by a body Of disguised and
armed men, numbering between fifty
and enc hundred, who told him that
he must accompany them to the jail
and deliver up the two negroes. He
positively refused at FIRST, but seeing
that resistance wa. useless, he obeyed,
and getting the KEYS, proceeded TO the
Jail. Arriving there, the guard Of two
men, Capt. A. f. Spencer aad w. III
Crews, a colored constable, wee forced
TO go III the guard house and the door
closed upon them. They were made
to keep silence at the muZzle Of pistols
and under threats of instant death.
Tue lamps about the jail were then
knocked out, and the doors having
been opened by the jailor, the lynchrrs
proceeded to the cells.
The cell uontaininr Hester was first
opened, anu ore of the party told him
he must now tell about the murder.
While stamnering AID ~hssita,Ing, he
was hustled out in the passage and
taken in charge by others Drodies
cell was next visited, and the jailor
told him that some wanted TO see h.m
He came to the door and, sseing the
crowd, wGs about to make an alarm
when pistols were pointed at his head
and he was ordered to keep quiet or
he would killed then and there. Per
mission was given him to put on his
clothes, when he was marched out OF
the Jail. Having secured the prisoners,
the Tailor was ordered to lock up the
doors, and while he wa, so dong. the
whele party disappeared dovn the
street.
No alarm WAS made, and there APP
psared to be no excitement or confusion
among the men engaged in this awful
event. They proceeded to their work
with remarkable deljberation and SEEM
cd to rave provided against every emer-
sency.
Nothing was knona Of the affair
until early next morning, and for some
hours it was uncertain what disposition
had beea made of the prisoners. About
6 o'clock Information came that the
bodies had been discovered hanging
dead in a small grove in Taylor's field.
This informetion proved correct, ara in
a short time the spot had been visited
by hundreds of people, who quietly
boxed at the hanging bodies and walk
ed away.
The grove in which the bodies were
found is aboat one hundred and fifty
yards from the spot where the murder
was committed, and in reaching 1t the
prisoners and their excutioneIs had to
pass almost exactly by the place where
Mr.. Lynch received his death wound.
The bodies were hanging on separte
trees. about twenty feet apart, and
were appended by a SMALL rope, which
was p seed around the Jail, and whica
had Leen carried off whsn the meu
were rrmoved from the Jail.
\. Prom an Oxford friend, &c.
r.. Awhile" we received after the &C
count of the Lynching OF the assassins
of Nj. Lynch was already in type, a
simila~ account, with high compliment
to the murdered man, and some addi-
t onal particulars. Tie arr $ We due
t. the w~atchfulness OF a local de . C i've
aud NJ. Donald Mitchell. Rumor says
that at least half the Lynchers were
c5lored men. The effect of the lynch |
ing has been To quiet apprehensions
which The cowardly assassination natur-
a " aroused. The OLSerrer hears that
the negroes confessed that they had
plotted to kill Mr.. / ynch, Mr.. Clement, |