Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1883-07-25
A HORRIBLE STORY.
Full Particulars Of the Recent Murder
in Desha County, Ark.-A Man
Beat to Death
Because He Was Physically Unable Ia
Work-Frightful Cruelties OF an
Thurman Brute.
From an Appeal Correspondent. /

From an Appeal Correspondent
WATSON, DEsHA COUNTY, ARK, July 81
In this district or township is q plantation
belonging TO Gslbresth, of Memphis, under
the exclusive management OF a man named
Werner. He has a contract 10 work tie
prisoners or c~onvicis. He gained an ipfu-
ence over one Of the constables hat made
him u%ntiring in his efforts TO fe: ret out
trivial offenders of the law, carry them before
q Justice, also Influenced, as he would have q
quick one-sided, sham trial and turn them
over to Werner to work on his convict farm.
At first the arrests we're negroes. His cruel,
brutal treatment of them was talked of until
the Probate judge was compelled TO make q
visit of investigation. Werner being In
formed had his poor wretches drilled for q
report which satis6 d his honor TO that ex-
tent that Werner has played his cards with a
higher hand. Constable Hunly made ar
rests, had ~trials, turned men over for the
slightest ~offenses. Werner would have them
tied down, lashed by TWO negro hends ne
kept for the purpose until the cotton-rows
are enriched with hum an blood. Some were
helpless in his Jail. Stories of his cruelty
became louder and louder. Still the people
have borne ii quietly, until now, and now be
is under arrest and his guards are all that
keep off the
HANDS OF AN PEOPLE.
The straw that broke the camels back was
ayoung white man travelling on foot through
the country, had no money, and asked q lady
for his supper, telling her he had no money,
but wanted to get work and would pay her
by work, or would find work and return and
pay her. She kindly directed where she
thought he could get work, and told him TO
come back and get h s breakfast. He did
30. The lady spoke of it in presence Of
Werner's tool, the constable, who went forth,
found the poor man, arrested HIM for getting
his board under false pretense, without even
the shadow Of a trial fined him 81 so, and
turned him over 10 Werner for eighty days.
The young man wrote to his mother 10 Hi
pois, or Indiana, 10 sand him s1me money.
He told Werner he could not plow but vas q
coed mech anic, but he was put to tie pillow
with the incsrnate fisnd, the driver, 10 make
him pillow. Every day, three aad four times
a day, he was beaten brurally, then held
down, or tied, and whipped by Werner's or
ders with q leather strap that
o THE BLOOD FROM HIM;
at every blow 1t aer from his tortured body
all over the terrible wretches that Inflicted
it. After days Of this torture be was dragged
out on Monday, the 18th, and put behind the
pillow. He cou'd not walk. They kicked
him, dubbed him, beat and most hideously
cursed him, and Werner struck him with his
l pletOi anu DfOkc uie shuls lutu ne was NY
ing. They held him up; said be was sick
forced open his set jaws and poured medi.
cine down his throat while ha was yet in hi
death gasp. He died. They carried him il
and did all they could 10 hide any indica
ton Of crime and sent In the night for th'
doctor, saying 4 prisoner was sick. The doc
tor found him dead, OF course, rs it was ali
sham, for the man sent alter the doctel
brought nails at the same TIM 10 make
box TO bury him. Before a coroner's jur,
could be called and things arranged for al
inquest Werner had him buried, 20 that i
was necessary 10 have the body taken uI
|, and
HEARrRENDING WAS THE AWFUL SIGHT
! that met the sze of those men who wer
there. The form before them, now a hide
. GUS mass, a few days before was standing up
: right in health, beauty and manhood, askip
for work, honest work, that he might gai
8 bread by the sweat OF his bro#-ihere b
2 was, brutality, hideously murdered. He W.
reiuterred. His skull had been broken b
the blow with tie pistol. The jury or core
nei,. court hss now been in session three day
Werner and his two negroes are uader al
ress; will be started TO Arkansss City to-da
win a heavy guard, hni i. IL feared by III
. lsw-ahidine that their arrival there will }
II doubtful. Feeling IL intense; the town
! full OF men from evers section. Farm wor
IL abandoned; white and black are upd,
the most inlense excitement. A mob is on
II kept dow by the confidence the people hay
in tbs jury doing their duty, but il 10 awfu
A volcano trembling IRE its final burstiI
forth in all its violence is all l can compsl
ts the s1rging, threatening crowd to. The e.
l. tire section of country is full of horror
the
d HIDEoUs
that for months nave been perpetrated {
y human bein.s, that for the most trivial Q
tense have been turned over to Werner
re meet such ignoble, awful death as has bee
d proved in this case. In one weeks time
n man, with all mauhood's Strength, the pi
ture OF health, brought 10 such an endl
4 sight 80 awful, SO repulsive, 30 trying TO IN,
= that they almost wep. over the unknov
~ brother who had met such fate at the han,
y of such monsters. May God pity them, +
L do not believe the people will. The neg
We who used the lash is an incarnate devil;
rs him vengeance must surely fall. After Il
:. WHITE MAN WAS MURDERED,
q negro prisoner was taken out and Civ
n. 200 lashes and put back in the Jail unable
~ move, but now he is missing, supposed by t
people TO have died and been buried,
made wsy with, for he was not able to MOI
" The white man killed was WIN. Sharp,
Anns Station, Union county, Iii. A lett
d, arrived for him from his widowed moth
en- and sister after be was at peace. God kno
Rs how fully she has the sympathy OF d
at whole community, snd every mothers he,
's. bleeds for her now. He died iunocsn', a
e- let that be her consolation. You will be
,e- more OF this, but | send you this writir
r. You can condense and publi=h il if you vii
,e. Ii the outbreak comes i will take all the
II, huence of the law-sbiding people TO save I