The daily gazette., 1882-10-03
RHODES FOUL CRIME.
THE MURDER OF AN OLD
COUPLE AVENGED.
HANGED BY A MOB TO A TREE.
A Deed Committed Last March In vir-
ginia-Capture of the Scoundrel In Ten
nessee.

A dispatch to yesterdays GAZETTE men
toned the lynching of Jim Rhodes, colored,
the murderer of j. o. Massie and wife, near
Charlottesville, Va. The following addi-
tional particulars are given The murders
were committed on March by Rhodes and
some contederates. The murdered couple
were quiet and highly respectabl old people
who lived on farm about six miles from
here. Massie had accumulated considerable
money, which he was in the habit of keep
ing in the house. Rhodes was one of three
or four brothers, none of whom was well
regarded, but he was looked upon as the
hlackest sheep in the flock On the night
OF the crime the murderers'entered the house
of the old people after they had retired. The
voice of Rhodes caused the old man to get
up and make light to investigate the occa-
sion of the calling. As he approached near
where the murderer stood he was knocked
down with an axe and killed. After des-
patching the husband the old and feeble wife
was butchered in similarly brutal manner.
The crime was not discovered till late In
the day after its commission. Then neigh
Dor called, and, after repeated knocking
upon the door, not being admitted, forced
an entrance, and made the discovery of the
tragedy. Suspicion at once pointed to
Rhodes, who fled the neighborhood, and
concealed himself in the woods. Bands of
pursuers were at once organized and the
surrounding country was secured. Sus-
picions, corroborated by unmistakable evi-
dence, indicated Rhodes as the assassin. He
was tracked to his house. which was sur
rounded by crowd, and a constable sum-
moned him to surrender.
The outlaw coolly walked out and pre-
senting heavily charged shotgun at the
officer moved past him and fed to the
neighboring woods. The pursuit was con-
dnued for several days, but finally Rhodes
escaped to Eas. Tennessee, where he was
recently identified through a photograph
and description sent by the sheriff of Abe
marie county Rhodes was arrested on
September IL in barroom at Newport,
Tenn. He was brought to Charlottesville
about a week ago, was fully identified, and
all the horrible facts of the murder proved
upon him to the satisfaction OF the neighbors.
During Rhodes stay in Tennessee he man.
aged to win the affections OF an honest and
pure young girl, whom he married. The
honeymoon was a brief one, and before they
had been married fortnight the hand of the
law was laid upon the husband. He was
fully identified by those who knew him
here. Soon after his arrival it was whispered
that Rhodes would be lynched. Soon after
midnight Sunday night party consisting of
about fifty masked men surrounded the
jailor's house and compelled him to sur
render the keys of the Jail. They then went
to the Jail and took Rhodes out. Two mem
bers of the Monticello Guard were on duty in
che Jail yard guarding the prisoner, but they
were quickly oyerpowered by the lynchers.
The Commonwealth attorney was
aroused, and he followed the avenging mob,
ordering them to desist and disperse He
was halted and not permitted to pass given
point, at the peril OF his life. The lynchers
then took Rhodes to the farm of Captain
I. L. Parrish. and, in field on the free
bridge road, they hung him to the limb of
an oak tree. Defying his executioners to
the last, Rhodes then asked for ten minutes
to pray. He was lowered once and asked
to confess. He merely SAID that his mother
and brother were innocent of any partici-
patton in the crime. This was all he would
admit. He was then finally hauled up and
left suspended in the air.